The ever elusive purple squirrel – that hard to find, niche specific talent that combines a demonstrable track record of success with an established and highly desirable skill set along with that certain “je ne sais quoi”.
http://www.ere.net/2012/06/18/the-strategic-recruiting-of-purple-squirrels-innovators-and-gamechangers/
This is a good article on the benefits of utilizing executive search for finding a purple squirrel. If your brand is not Apple, Google or Facebook, your company is going to find itself with a competitive disadvantage to find, attract and onboard these highly sought after talents. While the article classifies the purple squirrel as an innovator and game changer, that’s actually a fairly narrow definition in and of itself. As many of the comments suggested, a purple squirrel is generally classified as a hard to find, niche specific talent – innovation and the ability to change the game are already part and parcel to that talent’s ability. As one commenter suggested, it’s not so much a war for talent as it is a war for skills. We could take that farther and suggest it’s really a war for acuity (more on that in another post to follow).
Another point worthy of mention is that all hiring is not the same and that the executive search methodology is highly effective in finding the “purple squirrel”. Dedicated research and planning are necessary to pinpointing the right blend of skills and career path to find that elusive talent. As the writer points out that the majority of corporate recruiting departments are not equipped for this type of hire.
Another excellent point is in changing the mindset behind hiring a key talent – it should be seen as a huge revenue driving win and not as a “cost center”. Investing, both financially and in terms of time and effort, in finding the right people to move your company forward will bring substantial upside to the top and bottom line as well as your employer brand.