The manager of a billion-dollar-plus investment fund for a majororganization shook his head as he ordered a beer. He’d beenattempting to fill a key staff position for months. And althoughhe’d sifted through nearly 200 resumes, not a single one had thebasic requirements called for.

“We threw them all away,” he said. “We’re starting over.”

His lament echoes the dilemma of many a hiring manager thesedays. As the global economy continues to perform well, the toptalent available for hiring is disappearing. A recent study by the partner relationship management firmImpartner found that nine out of 10 respondents in the sales arenacan’t fill available positions, and that the problem hasintensified in the past year. Managers who have the good ones nowrealize they need to do what it takes to keep them, because findinga replacement on the open market is like looking for the proverbialneedle in the haystack.