In recruitment, we\u2019re always searching for excellence \u2014 the candidate who shines, who leaps off the page, who walks into the interview and leaves everyone quietly thinking, \u201cThat\u2019s the one.\u201d<\/p>\n
But sometimes, that standout candidate creates an unexpected problem.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve got a shortlist of four candidates. Three are strong: qualified, motivated, and aligned with the role. But one is exceptional<\/em> \u2014 the type of candidate who\u2019s almost too good to be true.<\/p>\n Now something strange happens. The other three, once seen as solid contenders, start to look like “backup options.” The comparison throws the whole shortlist off-balance. Expectations are recalibrated. Hiring managers think, \u201cWhy would we settle for less?\u201d<\/p>\n Then the star candidate pulls out. Maybe they accept another offer. Maybe they were never that serious to begin with. And suddenly, the whole process stalls. The once-strong candidates feel like compromises. Some might even be rejected before the star pulls out, leaving you with no viable options. You\u2019re back to square one \u2014 often with damaged candidate relationships and a delayed hire.<\/p>\n This phenomenon isn\u2019t about the quality of the candidates. It\u2019s about how we compare<\/strong> them.<\/p>\n Psychologists call it contrast bias<\/em> \u2014 the tendency to judge things not in isolation, but relative to what we\u2019ve just seen. In recruitment, this means one exceptional candidate can inadvertently make others look weaker, even when they\u2019re still great fits for the role.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For hiring managers, HR professionals, and recruiters, here are a few ways to navigate this dynamic:<\/p>\n Create clear criteria aligned to the job requirements and assess each candidate independently. Would this person be a great hire if you hadn\u2019t seen the superstar? That\u2019s the real question.<\/p>\n If a standout candidate is entertaining multiple offers or only tentatively exploring, don\u2019t build your process around them. Keep options open and don\u2019t prematurely rule others out.<\/p>\n Avoid language like \u201cthe others just weren\u2019t as good.\u201d Instead, discuss each candidate on their individual merit. This helps mitigate subconscious downgrading of great talent.<\/p>\n Help the hiring manager understand this paradox. Pre-frame the risk of over-anchoring on a star candidate who may not be available. It creates more realistic decision-making later.<\/p>\n Even if someone isn\u2019t your first choice, let them know they\u2019re strong. Don\u2019t burn bridges \u2014 you may need to re-engage them quickly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Exceptional candidates can elevate a hiring process, but they shouldn\u2019t define it. The best recruitment decisions come from evaluating each person on their own merits, not in someone else\u2019s shadow. Build processes that are fair, balanced, and resilient, so that even if the brightest star fades, you’re still choosing from a sky full of strong contenders.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have you seen this paradox play out in your hiring experience?<\/strong> I’d love to hear your thoughts \u2014 share your story or tips with me, Barry Vienet<\/a>, via barry@johnsonrecruitment.com.au.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In recruitment, we\u2019re always searching for excellence \u2014 the candidate who shines, who leaps off the page, who walks into the interview and leaves everyone quietly thinking, \u201cThat\u2019s the one.\u201d But sometimes, that standout candidate creates an unexpected problem. When Great Becomes a Problem Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve got a shortlist of four candidates. Three are…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":8988,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8985"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8985\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8992,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8985\/revisions\/8992"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/8988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/h3>\n
It\u2019s Not a Hiring Problem , It\u2019s a Perception Problem<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
How to Manage the \u201cStar Candidate\u201d Effect<\/span><\/h3>\n
1. Assess Candidates Against the Role, Not Each Other<\/span><\/h4>\n
2. Be Transparent About Commitment<\/span><\/h4>\n
3. Control the Narrative in Debriefs<\/span><\/h4>\n
4. Set Expectations Early<\/span><\/h4>\n
5. Always Keep Talent Warm<\/span><\/h4>\n
<\/h3>\n
Final Thought<\/span><\/h3>\n