"SHE'S LIKE A RAINBOW," sang the Rolling Stones in their 1967 psychedelic love song. Also like a rainbow are the multi-hued causes of unrealistic requirements for job candidates. For example:

Let's Run It up the Flagpole - One school of thought in hiring is "nothing ventured, nothing gained." Perhaps there really might be a Harvard MBA out there who is willing to join the company for only $60K a year. If we don't try, how can we know we weren't right?

We Don't Really Want to Hire - In some corporate environments these days, making no decision at all is far safer than making the wrong decision. And the best way to avoid a hiring decision is never to find the right candidate for the job. Setting unattainable expectations helps ensure that the hiring process remains exclusionary.

No One Other than I Will Do - Go ahead and take credit for it: you are unique. Therefore, no one else in the universe will have your precise background, experience and qualifications. You can delay the search process indefinitely by insisting on your exact replica. The unanswered question is whether your organization will benefit the most from another you.

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