Crossword Genius

Vain character from top firm about to be employed (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

peacock

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'vain character' is the definition.
(peacock can figuratively mean a vain person)

'top firm about to be employed' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'firm' could be 'co' (a firm is a company) and 'co' is present in the answer.
'about' could be 'c' (abbreviation for 'circa') and 'c' is located in the answer.
'top' could be 'peak' (synonyms) and 'peak' is present in the leftover letters.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

'from' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for peacock that I've seen before include "Showy fowl" , "Thomas Love --, author" , "Bird with eyelike spots on tail" , "murderer" , "Bird with showy tail" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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