>We've all seen this type of want ads.
>"Want .NET programmer. Must have 2 years of C# ASP.NET. Must also have strong working knowledge of C++/VC++, VB, VB.NET and PL/SQL".
>
>Does such a beast exist? I mean, how many people in the world actually have all of these skills and will work for just $35.00/hr?
>
>I guess in this economy, it doesn't hurt them to ask.
>:)


These human resources types writing these ads often do not understand what is going on 'at the ground level' of software development.

I became 'the Crystal Reports Expert' because an in house programmer could not figure out a problem using a sub report in Crystal. Because I am their most expensive resource I am the 'last line of defense'. After playing around with Crystal Reports, going through manuals, and asking some questions online I solved the problem. A Grand total of about ten hours of work. Now whenever a Crystal Reports problem cannot be solved they go to me.

Am I really a Crystal Reports expert? NO.
Am I better than the drones they have working for them. YES.

And who hired the mediocre people who cannot solve these problems? Human Resources.

So now can I slap on my resume that I have the 'skill' labelled 'Crystal Reports' ? The hiring process in general is a joke...

Software tools nowadays are so 'high level' that you can jam out some kind of productive work with very little practical experience in that tool. Just dont tell a customer or employer that. Make it sound like rocket science.