I agree, it’s sometimes used as an excuse for off-shoring, or even for importing H1B workers. I’ve had phone interviews that clearly were just going through the motions to get an H1B. They interviewed me because I made what they wanted to pay, but the qualifications they wanted were worth double that amount.

And sometimes they just want bright, shiny, new employees and use qualifications as a reason to get them. We’ve probably all seen it. Unless he’s just a total bum, the new guy always comes in and can do no wrong for six months. That outsider perspective usually is valuable, but nobody’s as good as they appear to be for that first six months.