As for the recency problem, at some point it will become so widespread that there will only be a handful of candidates who are out of work AND current/recent. At best, they will have done the annual LPC to keep their type rating, but nothing beyond that. So, a recruiter's options will either be limited to those who have recently lost their jobs or those who are working somewhere and looking for a better gig - or will include the not-so-recent candidates, as long as they have retained sufficient knowledge. This boils down to supply and demand. In times of high demand, I have seen people who have been out of flying for 6-8 years get jobs. Many of those weren't even rated, one was a 200-hour guy who did his fATPL, ditched flying for a career in IT and decided to come back 6 years later.