The Unicorn Hunt: Why Chasing the 'Perfect' Employee Is a Pricey Joke

The checklist of your perfect employee – 

• Minimum 5+ years of experience

• Can thrive under pressure

• Should master 10 platforms

• Excellent communication, coordination and organizational skills

Is this your search for the 'perfect' employee ? A mythical beast with the intellect of Einstein, the work ethic of a thousand hamsters on espresso, and the salary expectations of a college intern.

In the hiring process, the hunt for the perfect employee has become a never-ending quest, where companies keep updating wishlists, as if they were grocery lists.  Every role demands a unicorn: someone who’s everything, everywhere, all at once. But here’s the reality: the ‘perfect employee’ does not exist; it’s merely a myth. And trying to chase that myth can cost far more than it would help. 

Why are we so bad at being perfect? 

Because ta-da! We’re humans. We’re inherently complex and flawed and are occasionally motivated by some snacks. We definitely are not robots programmed for optimal performance 24/7. 

Trying to stuff this messy reality into a rigid, 'perfect' employee mould is a recipe for burnout and toxic culture that kills innovation faster than a bad corporate merger.

A few more reasons for it are:

• Talent is multifaceted: Unlike what is said on LinkedIn, none of us is great at everything. The majority of good employees excel in some areas while stagger in others. Hiring should be more about potential and enthusiasm rather than a checklist quiz to pass.  

• Resumes are not absolutely accurate: A resume is a marketing tool and not a biography to scan. Many choose to take career detours, volunteer or take time off for personal development. Screening flawless career graphs will miss out on people who are actually keen to learn and grow.

• Quantifying potential on existing skills: Tech changes faster than HR policies. Today’s new-age skills will become outdated in no time. So instead of waiting for someone who knows everything, invest in training those who can learn.

• Market limitations: In any given field, the best talent is already employed and not part of the job hunt circus. One can only hire someone from the current applicants available, who might not necessarily be the most qualified in that field. 

Ditch the checklist, build the capability

Since the perfect employee exists only in job descriptions, what organisations need to do is pause and rethink how they hire talent. Building internal capability by upskilling, mentoring and training people you already have is way more cheaper, smarter and sustainable than starting the recruitment drive every few months. 

At Never Grow Up, we've seen just how important it is to truly understand what's happening within your teams. People Insights ensures employee voices at every stage of their journey are heard, bringing together a clear overview of the organisation's work environment. With the help of this diagnostic tool, it helps organisations build a stronger culture that every employee can benefit from.

Similarly, for individuals assuming leadership roles for the first time, our First-Time Managers Assessment tool assists in identifying the qualities and skills they possess and recommends training modules accordingly.  

Redesigning the game: How to escape the echo chamber

To escape the myth, organisations need to stop hiring in their own echo chambers. Rethinking hiring practices is necessary to ensure the team build is diverse and inclusive. 

Firstly, stop hiring your clones. Homogeneous interview panels only encourage affinity bias, which gives preference to those who hold similar thoughts and views. Bringing in individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and teams helps get different perspectives in the room that will lead to better decisions and fewer blind spots.

Next, if your sourcing practices still rely on the same job boards and networks, then it's time to widen the talent net by trying niche job platforms, employee referrals and alumni networks. And also, blind resume screening will ensure qualified candidates are not overlooked due to personal characteristics like name or school.

Finally, it's time to reconsider what "culture fit" actually means. It may be advantageous to hire people who can get along well, but relying solely on this unconscious bias will limit innovation by excluding different viewpoints. 

Perfectionism: a counterproductive mindset

The pursuit of the perfect employee is not only unrealistic but also a productivity killer. Hiring should be less about ticking criteria boxes and more about recognising personality traits of curiosity, motivation, and willingness to learn. The companies that thrive are not the ones chasing unicorns; they are the ones creating opportunities for growth for their people. Because potential for growth always surpasses perfection.

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Psst! This blog was created after a lot of thought by a real person. #NoGenerativeAI