When someone is offering a service and everybody wants it, its not unreasonable to conclude that it might be worth more to you than a service that has no line of people waiting to pay for it.
Frankly, I don't see how that's immoral. Its acting in what one thinks is in one's own best interest. There is nothing wrong with that. The job seekers do it all the time whenever they decide to pursue a job at a more stable company rather than one that's been through hard times.
You may not want to present your criteria for hiring openly because you don't want to hurt people's feelings. That's your prerogative.
Just make sure you're consistent about that and avoid giving people feedback that might hurt their feelings while they're employed and when you finally have to let them go.
How is it immoral? Ok, lets see. Its cruel. Its selfish. Its corrosive to the social contract. Its probably discrimination. And its unnecessary. Honestly, I get chills when I see so many postings that claim to find morality invisible or unknowable.
Frankly, I don't see how that's immoral. Its acting in what one thinks is in one's own best interest. There is nothing wrong with that. The job seekers do it all the time whenever they decide to pursue a job at a more stable company rather than one that's been through hard times.
You may not want to present your criteria for hiring openly because you don't want to hurt people's feelings. That's your prerogative.
Just make sure you're consistent about that and avoid giving people feedback that might hurt their feelings while they're employed and when you finally have to let them go.