"We want Jesus to work for minimum wage"
I am also contemptuous of the attitude by employers that potential candidates must not be interested in a job but rather in playing the role of an obsequious serf in a fiefdom, pledging body and soul to the hiring master. Employment is a two-way relationship and hiring managers would do well to keep in mind that while you're screening candidates they're also screening the company in return.
There is an unfortunate phenomena easily identified in any newspaper's employment ads. I call it the"We want Jesus to work for minimum wage" syndrome. You know, the ads where the candidate must possess, this, that and the other thing, must have 15 years experience, must know how to program in C++ and Visual Basic, to work with hardware, install directory services, write scripts, design network infrastructures, build mainframes, know SQL code, troubleshoot routers, configure WAN links, and maintain AIX systems. Oh, and the pay is half what the position would reasonably entail. I don't believe the companies running the ads actually expect to find someone who fits all these qualifications, but the goal is to find a "close enough" match and then have the advantage in terms of negotiating salary and benefits since "You have some of what we're looking for."
If employers truly want to attract the best candidates and inspire dedication in them right from the start, I suggest not forcing applicants to jump through hoops or run through a "gauntlet" intended to demean or belittle them and give the upper hand to the company.
