It also assumes that the sequence is random and that there is no a priori information about the quality of the candidates.

A similar problem occurs in dating today, when people tend to dismiss the current option in the hope or expectation of finding someone better later, intuitively treating it as a secretary problem. But too many people fail to take full advantage of the knowledge they have of themselves and the type of partner they can attract, of the dating market and of the world in general, and end up bitter and disappointed and victims of their own poor choices.