You make a good point. I probably would hire the knowledge and the customer service - management is very conservative in its thinking. We hired our first female engineer who was working on her CCIE last year. We have one racial minority who was a marine and came with a buttload of experience. I argued for three days to get him in the shop. Who you are (or appear to be) is much more important than what you know or can do.
True, but neither you nor I own the company. The owners get to make the rules.
Generally wise rules are more productive than prejudiced rules...