It seemed like you were utilizing Angular, particularly from the indication that you were dealing with a dropdown menu.
I'd like to discuss a solution for addressing these types of issues.
The idea is to create a dropdown menu where each option has a base case and additional choices. The base case could function as a prompt to select an option or fulfill another purpose. This base case can also serve as a validation tool for required fields.
My approach would be something along these lines:
Markup:
<select name="selection" [(value)}="selectionOption">
<option [value]="base.value">{{base.label}}</option>
<option *ngFor="let item in listOfOptions"
[value]="item.value">{{item.label}}</option>
</select>
Then, in your code, you could implement something similar to this:
class MyController {
selectionOption: any;
base : Item = { value: null, label: "<Select A Profile>" };
listOfOptions: Item[] = [];
ngOnInit() {
//this.listOfOptions = ...; ///Whatever content you wish to include.
}
// Depending on how you handle the data, whether through NgModel or FormGroup, you can validate the information. If the value is null, no selection has been made. Otherwise, you can proceed to the next step in the validation process.
}
class Item {
value: any;
label: string;
}