Are your job descriptions for new hires filled with unrealistic and overly specific hiring specifications? An article from The Society for Human Resource Management says recruiters call these “Purple Squirrels.”

Steven Linder, The Workplace Group’s talent acquisition and development partner, explains that things have evolved since the job market changed due to the recession. Many qualified candidates are overlooked because their resumes don’t mirror the exact requirements a company seeks. Or applicants are arbitrarily required to have a college degree for jobs that don’t really need them.

He recommends looking at transferrable skills rather than exact experience and education – particularly in blue collar and middle skills jobs. As the job market tightens, Linder says successful organizations have turned to training and apprenticeships that can lead to a college degree for potential employees who might just be hiding in plain sight.