There are always plenty of people who want to work, but there are never enough good and great ones. That's why the largest, most attractive pool of potential recruits are all the folks who are now employed. They are the proven, dependable, honest, diligent people savvy employers covet most.

So, how do you go about attracting them away from their jobs and getting them on your team?

If you're like most businesses, you have some sort of automated application process. For those who pass muster, you expect them to forfeit income and/or lie to their present employer in order to take time off to interview with you at your convenience, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In this scenario, a person making $10 an hour would probably have to take a half-day off, and their weekly paycheck would be $40 lighter without any certainty you'll offer them employment.

I read a story not long ago about a customer service rep who was desperate to find new employment because her working conditions were deplorable. When she was invited to interview, she went out on a limb and asked her manager for a half-day off "to attend a funeral." Then the prospective employer called her to change the interview to another day.

When it comes to salaried staff, another roadblock to successfully recruiting working people is hanging onto the requirement that the applicant submit a resume. When was the last time you updated your resume? And why should you? You're not looking to go anywhere else.

No matter how enticing, intriguing and challenging the position you have to offer is, not many busy, working people are going to jump through this time-consuming hoop just to apply for a job they may not get.

You cannot hire anyone better than the best person who applies, so make it easy and simple for working people to apply (via 24-hour job hotlines or online), schedule interviews at their convenience, and don't have a lot of up-front paperwork that discourages top talent.