Chums who used to fly for VS say that they aren't sure that management wouldn't embark on the same panic reaction as they did post 11 Sep if there was another airline slump. So they won't exactly be queueing up...
People used to fall over themselves to get an interview with VS - it had an excellent name. But some fell foul of the trick cyclist..... Now that fewer will be likely to apply, perhaps the airline's interview captains will have more of an input?
People with type ratings being cold-called isn't new. An A320 acquaintance of mine (flies for My Little Pony or whatever the silly name is) was cold-called recently by a certain 737-operating airline which has just ordered a shedload of A319s....