As a seasoned professional specializing in Talent Acquisition/Recruiting, I often come across urgent requests from companies in need, where they exclaim, “We are desperate for help here! Can you find us someone?” Job security for me, right? Not really. My immediate reaction is, “Oh no, what have they gotten themselves into?” Desperation and determination may both start with the letter “D”, but in hiring scenarios, they couldn’t be more opposite. In this blog, we will dig into the dynamics of this desperate cry for help, provide some insight into mitigating its impact, and take a closer look at another approach.

Some companies are resorting to desperate measures to recruit new team members as they struggle to retain existing ones. This is often attributed to having exceptionally unrealistic expectations. Their cry of desperation begins a frantic search for a “UNICORN” team member. I’ve also seen firms who flip the script, and while they are desperate, they are more determined to look inward at their processes and procedures, their culture, and their current team and attempt to eradicate the issue that led to the feeling of desperation in the first place. Does your firm fall in one of these two camps? Are you desperately looking for a “UNICORN” to fix all your problems, or are you determined to make things better before bringing someone new into your firm?

Camp Desperation

“We need someone who can hit the ground running!”

“This new team member will need to handle ALL things on his/her own with minimal help, if any.”

“We want someone who already knows what they are doing.”

In essence, these statements tend to insinuate this firm is looking for a “UNICORN”—the kind that poops glitter and sprinkles pixie dust wherever they go; someone who possesses all the skills, education, training, experience, and personality traits indicated in the job ad. And while this sounds AMAZING, I hate to be the one to break it to ya…UNICORNS DO NOT EXIST! I hesitated even putting that in writing, BUT…I took to everyone’s favorite place for accurate answers these days, and even Google confirmed what we all didn’t want to hear:

“Unicorns don’t really exist in our world today. However, thanks to many myths and legends, they are alive in the imaginations of children all over the world.”

If these creatures only exist in our imaginations, WHY ARE WE STILL LOOKING FOR THEM? I’ll tell you why…. because they seem like the easiest fix, the one that requires little to no work on our end. I’m here to tell you unicorn hunting can lead to other issues and even more desperation. Here’s why…

#1 Searching for something that doesn’t exist will last FOREVER.

The longer the search for a candidate who “has it all” takes, the more desperate your current team becomes, which could lead to them leaving too—leading to even more issues. This cycle is dangerous, and without correction, can morph quickly into an impossible-to-control issue. If your firm becomes married to the idea of only accepting a unicorn team member, you are closing the door to other potential candidates who could, in fact, fit into your organization extremely well.

#2 Unicorns are difficult to tame.

While you may think you have found the answer to all your problems with your “unicorn,” keep in mind they will still need to learn your firm’s way of doing things (even if you find a highly qualified candidate, you are not off the hook). While you may have thought you could let your unicorn “hit the ground running,” you might not want to let them run too far. Even the most talented, A+ team members will need the onboarding and training necessary to succeed. Just because they know how to do something or have done it before, doesn’t mean their way is your organization’s way. Their “pixie dust” might not be right for your firm.

#3 Unicorns get bored easily.

Many employee retention studies have shown that team members leave a job if it is not rewarding or challenging them in some form or fashion. It is extremely difficult to provide rewarding or challenging work to someone who already possesses ALL the skills necessary to do the job. You must ask yourself if your organization can support the growth and development of a candidate that appears to already “have it all.” If the answer is no, you are back to desperation mode when the unicorn decides to move on to the next opportunity.

The takeaway? Desperation often leads to hasty decisions and costly mistakes. When companies are desperate to fill a role, they may overlook red flags or warning signs, or skip important steps in the hiring process. This can result in a poor fit and potential turnover, costing the company even more time and money in the long run.

So what is the alternative to desperation? Determination. A determination to improve current processes and address any underlying issues before bringing someone new on board. This approach requires introspection and a willingness to make necessary changes in order to build a strong and cohesive team. It also means being open to candidates who may not have every single desired skill but possess the potential to grow and thrive within your organization.

Camp Determination

“We are looking for someone who is ready and willing to learn our intake procedures.”

“We want a team member who is determined to meet the goals we have laid out for them.”

“We aren’t looking for a ‘yes’ hire…we are looking for someone who can help us develop a better way of doing things in this department.”

On the flip side of desperation lies Camp Determination. Determined firms aren’t looking for a Unicorn’s sparkly poop or pixie dust to solve their problems. They understand a quick fix is not what they need. While they may be desperate for help, they are more determined to find the right team member than the one who can simply fix a problem. So… how do they do it?

#1 Pause the hiring process.

It’s nearly impossible to change a car’s tire while it’s still traveling down the road, right? The same is true for the hiring process. It’s important to STOP evaluating candidates until you look at your processes and procedures or job descriptions and scorecards to determine your road map moving forward. Use this time to develop training plans or onboarding processes that will set the best candidates up for success.

#2 Be honest with your candidates.

Being honest and transparent with the state of your firm is of utmost importance. Give your candidates a good mental picture of what is going on at your firm. What are the issues? Do you need their help developing a plan or a process moving forward? This makes you and your firm much more desirable as an employer because you are NOT “feeding them to the wolves.” You are telling them this opportunity is not an exercise in sinking or swimming, but a partnership where both parties will benefit from working together.

#3 Dodge the “unicorn” trap.

Since they don’t exist, stop telling yourself they do! Drop the “unicorn mentality” and begin looking for a candidate whose values align with those of your firm and who possess the skills necessary to follow your vision. You must begin to see your team members as people first and not as an answer to a problem. It is also important to remember that a candidate’s resume is simply a snapshot of their life.

Which Camp Will You Pick?

While the allure of a “unicorn” candidate who perfectly fits every requirement may be tempting, it often leads to desperate hiring and missed opportunities. By fixating on an ideal that does not exist, firms risk overlooking qualified candidates who could bring valuable skills, perspectives, and diversity to their teams. Embracing a more inclusive approach that prioritizes potential, coachability, and cultural fit over a checklist of qualifications can lead to stronger, more resilient teams in the long run. Investing in the effort to thoroughly evaluate and develop candidates who may not initially meet every criterion can pay dividends in fostering innovation, creativity, and adaptability within your firm. Ultimately, by broadening our definition of what constitutes an ideal candidate, we can build teams, groups of individuals who collectively work as unicorns… TOGETHER! You are more than capable of getting out of Camp Desperation… go out there and do it!