As the hardships of 2009 fade, businesses across the country are looking to 2010 as the critical time for realignment from survival mode to expansion mode.

To effectively position your company for economic success, start the competitive race by climbing out of the downturn with the tools, capabilities, and skills needed to hit the ground running.

The most important tool to achieving success is your staff. Your company’s talent pool is its most important asset; it empowers, sustains, and drives your business.

To reduce costs during the recession, many companies laid off staff and instituted hiring freezes. This tactic worked for the short-term survival mode. However, in the post recession economy, successful companies must now strategically position themselves and their workforce to accomplish the new company goals present in the latest economic climate. Here is the critical hiring information that you should be considering now.

How to make strategic hiring decisions. Do you have a plan in place?

Now is the time to start adding staff back to your company. The market is flooded with talent, from top college graduates to highly experienced workforce veterans. Review your long-term business plan, goals, and strategies. Identify what employee skills will be vital to executing them. One of the most critical tools your business needs to have in place during this transition period is a workforce plan. A workforce plan is a business tool used to assess your current workforce capabilities compared to the ones you will need in the new economy. A workforce plan is vital for making and identifying strategic hiring decisions.

After evaluating your workforce plan to identify the specific talent sets needed, you can now begin to add back to your team. The overwhelming numbers of misplaced workers currently available for employment has created a daunting hiring process. Job boards, social networking sites and Web sites, while good at attracting lots of candidates, can add to the nightmare of separating the “A” team candidates from those who don’t meet your workforce plan criteria. This lengthily process takes away your valuable time and money that could be better utilized to support your goals.

Bring in the professional recruiters. Form a relationship with an employment agency.

It is essential to hire a professional employment agency that specializes in fulfilling your staffing needs. Professional search and staffing agencies produce results through leveraging their industry knowledge and their streamlined hiring process to minimize time and cost. These agencies cultivate an in-depth knowledge of your organization to create customized staffing solutions that are right for your specific working environment.

Staffing professionals have specialized recruiting methods that target the most qualified candidates. Staffing agency databases contain candidates who are currently employed, but looking for better opportunities, rather than being limited to employees who are out of work. Their candidate pools are up-to-date and full of proven performers with records of accomplishment in their industry.

Make sure you look for a staffing agency where every candidate placed undergoes a thorough screening process, including a personal interview, reference check, criminal background check and pre-employment drug screening.

As you realign your business for growth and success in 2010 focus on your new goals, take advantage of the large talent pool available, and put a solid team in place to make those goals a reality. The odds are your competition is already doing so.