Chase Purple Ponies at your Peril

The perfect candidate - the proverbial "purple pony" - doesn't exist. And that's good news.

The best recruiters I've worked with don't chase some mythical 100% match.

They lower their eyes.

Not their standards – just their filters.

Instead of asking, "Who ticks every box?" they ask, "Who satisfies 70-80% of this brief and could genuinely thrive?"

That one shift opens the market dramatically. You uncover candidates your competitors overlook – candidates with transferable skills, fresh perspectives and often greater long-term upside than the "perfect" candidate on paper.

But sourcing them is only half the battle.

Your success depends on how you present them.

The sequence of your shortlist matters. Lead with relevance, then frame the missing 20-30% as a development opportunity rather than a weakness.

"They haven't managed a team this size before, but they've consistently stepped into bigger leadership responsibilities. This could be the opportunity to develop a highly loyal, high-performing leader your way."

Great recruiters don't just find talent.

They shape the narrative.

This is exactly what we cover in "Runners in the Race", one of the lessons inside Zinger's 360° Fundamentals course.

Despite the name, it's actually not just for new recruiters. It's packed with simple, repeatable techniques that help experienced recruiters source better candidates, influence clients more effectively and ultimately get more deals done.

Their competitive edge isn't finding the perfect candidate.

It's recognising the right one before everyone else does.

Have a nice weekend.