I have no answers, but I do have a different perspective.

I have too many degrees (PhD), not in computer science. When looking for a job, no one would even talk to me.

So, how did I get my current position... I stubbornly went to a job fair, and after numerous technical people refused to talk to me, I started saying "I have a PhD, will you still talk to me?". This usually embarassed them into talking to me. The rest was up to me. I got 2 job offers doing that.... However, the job that I ended up with was more luck than anything else. I was standing in the hallway arguing with the HR lady, arguing that just because I was 'over educated' didn't mean that I would get bored and quit the company after 2 months. As I was arguing, some manager came along, who was also 'over qualified' and felt the kinship. We talked, complained about engineers, and he offered me a job, and I promised him that I would not quit after two months. I've been here 8 years now.

You'd think people would learn... while looking for fresh blood with my new supervisor, scanning CVs by the hundreds, he cavaliarly discarded all CVs that did not have a bachelor degree, but also discarded all CVs that had more than a bachelor degree. I pointed out his flawed logic to him, and he blushed, but I do not think that this has made a lasting impression.

Do I have solutions? Nope, but I think the key is getting in to actually talk to the persons who you would work with.

Me, if I were in the position to do so, I would hire people who love programming, because, IMHO, it is truly the real requirement to becomming a good programmer.

Sandy