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...I have seen ridiculous requirements for applicants, like 10 years of Java plus 5 years of .Net experience with C/C++/COBOL, requirements that noone could ever match.

I would rather hire good technical people with solid basic technical skills. They may not have the experience on the specific technology, but I would be confident that after a week or two of ramping up, they would probably be more productive than someone who has the specific experience, but poor general technical skills.

Unfortunately, employers with your common sense are outnumbered by those who are looking for ridiculous requirements. This forces people to lie about their qualifications. I've known people who have done it. They get hired. The employer realizes they did not get what they bargained for -- and sometimes lets the new employee go. Then the employer comes up with other ridiculous hoops, such as personality tests.

It has gotten bizarre. It doesn't even have to be poor technical skills. I applied recently for a position that required four previous implementations of Oracle Financials, including two of Project Accounting 11i. I have three previous implementations with two in Project Accounting, one of which was 11i. I never received a call.

I will say this to anyone, and I know it's easier said than done, but you have to network so that basically you can get a job without having to interview. I do presentations for local user groups, and I have gotten several job offers based on doing those presentations alone. Get a blog, and start writing about unique technical skills that you have, this is the way to go.

Unfortunately, employers with your common sense are outnumbered by those who are looking for ridiculous requirements.

I do believe that these people simply aren't serious about hiring someone. They are fishing for the big one rumored to be in this lake, and they are just wasting their time and anyone who expects them to be reasonable.

It is hilarious to read some of the lists and experience requirements, you can just about add it up and realize the person would not only have to be eighty five years old, but also won't exist for fifty years.

Been there, done that... I applied for one job after college in 1990 with one company. I sent in my resume and they sent back like a 10 page application, BTW, this is a private sector job. I look through the application and several pages were with questions such as "Tell us how wonderful it would be to work for XXXX company ?" They would want a whole essay. On the application with the question, they mentioned they wanted the "response" to be written on the form, no separate sheet of paper !

I did not have time for that bull$h!t aand I wondered what kind of bull$h!t I would have to go through to keep my job there. The application went into the trash can ! This was during the 1990 recession. At the time, I talked to this guy who use to clean my parent's house and he told me about the time - the 1950's and early 1960's, it was pretty easy to find a job. You didn't have to go through hoops like what was mentioned. If you got fed up with a given job, you can quit and then go out a week later and go job hunting and come home with several offers.

Then the employer comes up with other ridiculous hoops, such as personality tests.