Final answer:
The hiring process is complex due to government regulations, legal restrictions to prevent discrimination, and imperfect information that complicates assessing potential employees' quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The text suggests that employers and job applicants struggle with the hiring process because of a variety of factors impacting the labor market. On one hand, government regulations can discourage firms from hiring by making it challenging to start or expand a business through various requirements such as permits, fees, restrictions on product types, and zoning laws. On the other hand, ensuring non-discriminatory hiring practices mandates adhering to many legal restrictions that complicate the hiring process further. Moreover, the presence of imperfect information presents challenges for employers in assessing the quality of potential employees, adding to the complexities of hiring decisions.