With unemployment reaching over 10% in some parts of the country, hiring managers are becoming very picky on choosing a candidate.  What is happening is that jobs are going unfilled because of their perceptions.  Management thinks the job market is terrible and that all open positions should be easily filled instantly with top notch candidates.  More and more HR personnel are shaking their heads in disbelief that some of the candidates that they have met with are not getting job offers.  Candidates who just over a year ago would have been hired after one interview are now being passed up for the hopes of finding an even better candidate.
HR personal are getting a truck load of resumes from ads but very few people fit the bill.  They are frustrated when they see a home run of a candidate but hiring managers think that there are so many great candidates out there because of the news reports.
The reality of the job market is that the best of the best are still employed and not every industry or vertical has been affected.  Companies that are still operating have not let their best talent go.  That is why you never leave a job on your own until you have another offer.  Perception can and sometimes is everything.
In any economy when you meet a job candidate that can do the job that is required and has the personality fit that you are looking for then you should move forward with that person.  The same thing goes for job candidates when searching and that is the first interview you go on may be the only interview you go on.  I have seen more candidates pass up an opportunity for the hopes of another.  There is no magic number of companies that you need to meet with before accepting a job.  Sometimes candidates feel they need to interview at 5 different companies in order to decide which company is best for them.  In today’s market however it is unlikely you will get 5 separate interviews and like the hiring managers of today, you probably won’t see 5 great candidates for the same job.