Perhaps a more charitable explanation is that as the labour market becomes more of a buyers' than a sellers' market, the buyers can afford to be a bit pickier.

Perhaps a more charitable explanation is that as the labour market becomes more of a buyers' than a sellers' market, the buyers can afford to be a bit pickier. All other things being equal, we all want a vendor to do things our way: show up on our schedule, meet our standards for look & message (would you be keen on an air conditioner repairman who shows up in swim trunks and hiking boots, or one with a vile political message on his t-shirt?). When it's a sellers' market (say, there's only a single repairman in town) we can't be picky; when the positions are reversed, we can.