That hasn’t stopped some from targeting the employed. In this Wall Street Journal article, a partner from Kaye/Bassman International Corp. made one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve heard in some time. “If they’re employed in today’s economy, they have to be first string.”

Really? In my experience, layoffs are rarely objective. Sure, talented people survive, but many (some might say too many) sheepwalkers make the cut as well. When the smoke clears, a company is rarely left with the best of the best.

This strategy has another obvious flaw. Placing trust in the talent assessments of another firm is foolish, especially when you consider that many of these companies were run so poorly that they led us into the economic downturn in the first place.

Why would a recruiter stay with this approach? Maybe they don’t know better. Or maybe they’re simply following the rules of their employer (and thus are sheepwalkers themselves). Or perhaps it’s because they’re lazy. After all, the high volume of active candidates would result in additional strain during the screening phase and require a very precise selection process. Sounds like a lot of work to fill a position.

Or maybe they just don’t care. Whatever the reason, the folks at Kaye/Bassman International provide us with a great example of a big company thinking small.

More capital. More distribution channels. More sales people. And while these things used to matter, they don’t anymore. The fact is, small companies today are often a lot more successful than large ones.

Do you know why? There are several reasons, but one in particular should be painfully obvious. If you don’t know what it is, here is what I recommend:

1. Get up out of your chair.
2. Walk around to every cubicle and office.
3. Look at each employee.

The evidence you need is staring you right in the face.

But don’t take my word for it. Take a minute to watch the video below – Tom Peters delivers a great summary of the importance of talent in the workplace.

I was impressed with the speed of his decision. “Why wait?” he said. “I’d rather do work that matters.”

He looked at me. “You can do the same thing.”

I knew what he was about to say.

“You don’t have to settle.”

He was right. And I didn’t. But far too many of us do. We decide to accept careers, projects, companies, and relationships that are “good enough.”

How do you avoid settling? Simple. It’s a choice.