That hits the nail on the head. I agree with you 100%.

I personally feel that I get discriminated against because of my time in grade as a SQL Server DBA. I have been exposed to a lot of facets in the world of SQL Server, and feel like I have a decent skill set. I've had a recruiter tell me that due to my 4 years experience, I did not posses the edge that the more seasoned (aka. 7+ years experience) SQL Server DBA's had. I told him to put me up against one of your seniors and I will show you what I can do.

I believe the industry as a whole may place too much emphasis on the years of experience, versus the actual aptitude of the individual they are interviewing. By putting the scenario exercise in place during the interview process, this bias can be erased from the industry.

In my little corner of the world, this has atleast been my experience.