Purple Squirrel
Noun: the candidate with the perfect skill set, experience, personality, and salary requirements
Just as there are no purple squirrels in nature, there are none in the job world either. A list of job requirements for a position is really just a wish list. Companies (and hiring managers) often forget this. You have to prioritize and find the candidate who is the best fit, not the perfect fit.
Example: We have a position at work that has been open for 6 months. The hiring manager claims that no one from the hundreds of resumes is "the one". I think odds are there are several in the pool who would have done fine. He seems to be holding out for a candidate who doesn't exist.
Variant: "What did you think of that candidate" "(vague murmurs of discontent)" "Oh, not even a maroon squirrel huh?"
Another example: When my company hired me, they were looking for someone with several years of HR experience. I had none. I had been working in the department as a temp, mostly to answer phones, file, type, etc. The person who is now my coworker asked me if I was going to apply for the position. I said no as I had no experience. She told me to apply anyway. That was 10 years ago, and I believe I've been a very good employee for them. Was I a purple squirrel? Nope. Was I a maroon one? Maybe. Did it work out okay? I'd have to say yes.
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