Economic slowdown or not, the war for talent is alive, well and in many industries and regions, as bruising as ever.

The need to keep waging and winning the talent war was evident everywhere at recruiting's preeminent event, the recent Employment Management Association (EMA) conference, set in Chicago this year. From a show of hands revealing that a majority of the audience was still busy hiring, to presentations on economics and demographics pointing to a long-term labor shortage, EMA speakers offered their take on the hiring climate.

Some of the best ideas we heard in Chicago include:

BE DIFFERENT

BE SMART

• Rehiring ex-dotcommers is tricky. Certain questions seem to linger: Are they running from something rather than to you? Screen to be sure these workers aren't just startup thrill seekers, (merely biding time until the next hot gig comes along), or that their financial value system hasn't been permanently altered. If there are doubts, consider hiring ex-dotcommers conditionally for six months before committing long term, suggests Rob McGovern, CEO of Careerbuilder.
  
  
• Emphasize highly-targeted Internet searches more than mass job boards. There are over 10,000 niche career out there where resumes reside for everything from bakers to croupiers, noted Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler of CareerXRoads.
  
  
• Metrics matter more than ever in today's climate. If you can't measure it, you can't justify it to senior management.

BE PREPARED

Finally, if you do encounter a lull, don't go fishing. The economy changes too quickly nowadays. Stay active. Keep in touch with contacts and keep your company visible and engaged. "The best companies now are resolving whether they disarm themselves on recruiting or keep themselves supplied with the tools and weapons they need," says McGovern. "This is not the time to disarm. It's the time to make hay while your competitors are thinking we are in a permanent recession."

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