There are many different shades of purple that squirrels come in
Have you ever hear of a purple squirrel? If you are a recruiter you have, but for the rest of you, a purple squirrel is a metaphor. It describes the perfect candidate for a position that seems impossible to fill. They are a dream come true. They are the golden unicorn, bigfoot, the great white whale. They are the perfect match for that position that has been opened for 8 months. You know the job, the one that requires 7 years of experience, with a master's in foreign film history, while speaking 3 different languages, and being left-handed? That's the one.
For the job seeker, they might see these requirements as set in stone, so they shy away from these positions and don't bother to apply. They decide that they just don't have what it takes to do the work. They should apply because they are not qualified to even think about applying for it, so they move on. "If only I had 7 years of experience instead of 5", or "If only I would have concentrated on foreign films instead just regular old film history". Here is the secret that they just don't know. Their experience might just be enough to land them that interview. You see, purple squirrels come in all different shades and if you have enough of the skills they are looking for, that company might be willing to take a chance on you. Don't ever be scared to apply for a job that you want and believe you are qualifed for. Who knows? You just might be the right shade of purple, and that recuriter might just think so too.
US IT Bench Sales Recruiter
2 å¹´mohammadsalam8919@gmail.com
Business Continuity Planner and Cyber Security Professional
4 å¹´Great advise, I have looked at job postings and did not think I would meet there requirements. Have to keep this advise in mind next time I am looking.
Manager - Workforce Development & Planning at Dominion Energy | Past Chair / Advisor for Virginia Energy Workforce Consortium
4 年Alfredo Torres, GCDF, CCSP, CFJST, CFCC, CPRW , you put out some good articles! I’ll just say this ... I think it’s important for employers to use the words “preferred†and “required†when writing their Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities and posting their positions. To me, this more accurately reflects what’s actually needed and where there’s flexibility. For all of the squirrels and other talented animals out there (I’m more of an Oso Blanco), I tend to agree with some of the other comments already made. Network! Most business professionals are willing to help and take some time to help you navigate hiring processes and requirements. Thanks to you and all of the others out there helping to connect people and meaningful careers!
Amazon Accessibility and Disability Inclusion | Program Director | Strategic Partnerships | Organizational Leadership | Change Management | Community Investment | Workforce Development | Public Policy
4 å¹´The purple squirrel is the perfect name for the people who have everything you need for a certain position (I used to just call them unicorns). Thanks for posting, Alfredo!