There is a figure that keeps appearing in recruitment processes. They are not actively job hunting. They are not always planning to move. And yet, they often end up with several offers on the table at the same time.
It is not magic. It is the market.
When the unicorn doesn’t exist… but the risk does
Today we saw a situation that repeats itself more often than many organisations realise.
A candidate received an improved offer and accepted it verbally.
The contract had not yet been signed.
And the candidate had not been actively looking for a change.
The issue was not the offer itself. It was how and when it was handled.
Both the initial offer and the improved one were made without prior alignment with the headhunter. The information spread, reached the candidate’s professional circle and, within days, other companies became active. The result: new calls, new proposals and the possibility of a counteroffer improving the conditions of the current offer that the candidate was ready to accept.
The candidate did not change. The context did.
The common mistake: believingthe offer closes the deal
Many companies still assume that a strong offer marks the end of the process.
In reality, it is often the most fragile moment.
When the candidate is not properly prepared:
- Doubts appear that were not there before
- Dormant contacts suddenly resurface
- Unnecessary comparisons begin
With highly sought-after profiles, a poorly timed or poorly communicated offer can act as a megaphone instead of a closing mechanism.
Unrealistic expectations, very real consequences
This is where the unicorn myth returns.
There is an expectation that the candidate will:
- Decide immediately
- Ignore other approaches
- Not test the market
- Not hesitate
But candidates do not work like that.
They are people. They talk. They ask. They compare.
And when the process is not carefully orchestrated, the real risk is not losing the candidate to a better offer.
The real risk is losing them through poor management.
What makes the difference in these situations
The processes that succeed tend to share a few common practices:
- Alignment before making an offer
Clear agreement on messaging, timing and expectations reduces friction later. - Preparing the candidate properly
This is not about pressure, but about guidance and clarity. - Anticipating the market reaction
If the profile is attractive to you, it will be attractive to others. - Protecting the effort already invested
Months of work can unravel in days if the closing phase is not handled carefully.
A final thought
Chasing the perfect candidate while mismanaging the most critical moment is a quiet contradiction.
Letting go of the unicorn is not about lowering standards.
It is about understanding how decisions are really made today. Because sometimes the issue is not that the candidate has too many offers.
It is that no one expected them to.
Sources
- First-hand experience: a recent real-life case
- Business Today
https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/story/freaking-exhausting-recruiter-calls-out-unicorn-hunting-in-broken-job-market-netizens-weigh-in-498079-2025-10-14 - Medium
//medium.com/@chrissykrueger/the-unicorn-candidate-myth-why-chasing-the-impossible-hurts-your-hiring-bf6c6900a35b">https://medium.com/@chrissykrueger/the-unicorn-candidate-myth-why-chasing-the-impossible-hurts-your-hiring-bf6c6900a35b - Wellfound – Talent Resources
https://help.wellfound.com/article/1190-the-reality-check-10-hard-truths-about-bridging-hiring-expectations-and-market-realities - The People Space
https://www.thepeoplespace.com/insights/ideas/hiring-has-slowed-candidate-expectations-havent
