Purple squirrel

'''Purple squirrel''' is a term used by employment recruiters to describe a job candidate with precisely the right education, set of experience, and range of qualifications that perfectly fits a job's requirements.<ref name="PBSsquirrel"/> The implication is that over-specification of the requirements makes a perfect candidate as hard to find as a purple squirrel.<ref name="crainsypurple"/>

While in theory, this prized "purple squirrel" could immediately handle all the expansive variety of responsibilities of a job description with no training, and would allow businesses to function with fewer workers,<ref name="newyorkcbslocal"/><ref name="hiringthe"/><ref name="boomberga"/><ref name="realworldmangemt"/> it is commonly asserted that the effort seeking them is often wasted.<ref name="harvardbusiness"/><ref name="abovelaw"> {{cite news | title =Back In The Race: Stop Trying To Hire The Purple Squirrel | first = | last = | url =http://abovethelaw.com/2015/09/back-in-the-race-stop-trying-to-hire-the-purple-squirrel/ | newspaper =Above the Law | publisher = | date =September 23, 2015 | accessdate = 2016-06-18 }}</ref> In addition, being open to candidates that don't have ''all'' the skills or retraining existing employees are each sensible alternatives to an over-long search.<ref name="crainsypurple"/><ref name="acomputerw">{{cite news |title = Stop searching for that elusive 'purple squirrel' |url = http://www.computerworld.com/article/2502406/it-management/it-management-stop-searching-for-that-elusive-purple-squirrel.html |newspaper = Computerworld |date = April 9, 2012 |accessdate = 2016-06-18 |archive-date = 2017-06-07 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170607083556/http://www.computerworld.com/article/2502406/it-management/it-management-stop-searching-for-that-elusive-purple-squirrel.html |url-status = dead }}</ref>

==Origin and history== While it is unclear when exactly the term was coined, it was in use by 2000.<ref name="capitalizes"/> In 2010, CBS published material using the term, writing that "businesses are looking to do more with fewer workers, so they want [purple squirrels] who are able to take on a wide range of duties."<ref name="newyorkcbslocal"/> In 2012, Google recruiter Michael B. Junge published a popular job search and career book ''Purple Squirrel: Stand Out, Land Interviews, and Master the Modern Job Market'', which helped popularize the term.<ref name="jungea"/> Elon Musk tweeted in 2012, "Do not search for purple squirrels! Giving them attention only makes them want to be more purple."; this is likely also a reference to this term.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=168060414398177281|user=elonmusk|title=Do not search for purple squirrels! Giving them attention only makes them want to be more purple. |date=10 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-08-04/big-tech-wants-you-to-believe-america-has-a-skills-gap | title=Tech Companies Want You to Believe America Has a Skills Gap | newspaper=Bloomberg.com | date=4 August 2020 }}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Business}} *Sourcing (personnel) *Employee referral *Perfect is the enemy of good *Reserve army of labour

==References== {{Reflist|2|refs= <ref name="crainsypurple">{{cite news | title =Need to fill jobs? Don't hunt the 'purple squirrel' | first =Mary | last =Kramer | url =http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20130407/NEWS/304079992/publishers-notebook-need-to-fill-jobs-dont-hunt-the-purple | newspaper =Crain's Detroit Business | publisher = | date =April 7, 2013 | accessdate = 2016-06-10 }}</ref> <ref name="PBSsquirrel">{{cite news | title =Purple Squirrels and the Reserve Army of the Unemployed | first =Paul | last =Solman | url =https://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/purple-squirrels-and-the-reser/ | newspaper = | publisher =PBS | date =August 15, 2012 | accessdate = 2016-06-10 }}</ref> <ref name="harvardbusiness">{{cite news | title =Don't Hire the Perfect Candidate | first =Lance | last =Haun | url =https://hbr.org/2013/01/dont-hire-the-perfect-candidat/ | newspaper =Harvard Business Review | publisher = | date =January 14, 2013 | accessdate = 2016-06-10 }}</ref> <ref name="capitalizes">{{cite news |title = Sendouts.com Ad Capitalizes on Absentee President; Rodgers Townsend Has A Projected Winner with Its Topical Ad Campaign |url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sendouts.com+Ad+Capitalizes+on+Absentee+President.-a066896003 |newspaper = |publisher = PR Newswire |date = November 13, 2000 |accessdate = 2016-06-10 |archive-date = 2016-08-08 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160808221526/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sendouts.com+Ad+Capitalizes+on+Absentee+President.-a066896003 |url-status = dead }}</ref> <ref name="realworldmangemt">Richard Perrin, ''Real world project management: beyond conventional wisdom, best practices, and project methodologies'', John Wiley and Sons, 2008 {{ISBN|0-470-17079-4}} page 215</ref>

<ref name="boomberga">{{cite web |url=http://bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-27/finding-retail-talent-in-twitter-era-adds-to-challenges.html |title=Finding Retail Talent in Twitter Era Adds to Challenges |publisher=Bloomberg |date=2012-04-27 |accessdate=2013-11-17}}</ref>

<ref name="jungea">{{cite web |last1=Junge |first1=Michael B |title=Purple Squirrel |url=http://www.michaelbjunge.com/purple-squirrel/ |website=michaelbjunge.com |accessdate=29 November 2014}}</ref> <ref name="newyorkcbslocal">{{cite news | title ='Purple Squirrels' Now In Demand | first = | last = | url =https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/10/11/purple-squirrels-now-in-demand/ | newspaper = | publisher =CBS | date =October 11, 2010 | accessdate = 2016-06-10 }}</ref> <ref name="hiringthe">{{cite news | title =Hiring the purple squirrel - Portland Unemployment | first = | last = | url = | newspaper =Examiner | publisher = | date =July 23, 2009 | accessdate = }}</ref> }}

Category:Recruitment Category:Metaphors referring to rodents Category:2010s neologisms