Advice to Employers on finding the best candidate.
Whenever I list for an entry or jr level job there are a few things which I look for more than others. I also believe that attitude of the employer is also important in finding the right fit.
As an employer - You want to get the most out of your money. Every company has had at one time had that one employee who did the work of 2 or more others and was happy doing it. So, how do you find people like this?
As bad as this sounds, one of the biggest flags I find on a resume is going to a for profit technical school. I have never had anyone come out of one of these programs with the skills required to even do the most basic position, much less become 'the one'. I have said this before - If you are in this business JUST for money, We will eat you alive.
Another red flag is listing absolutely every protocol possible. TCP is not something one should put on a resume. This shows a weakness in understanding exactly is used in business. Look for things pertinent to what you have learned and what is a useful skill. Pick a particular skill they list and take them to the breaking point as much as possible. Ask questions which they will not know in order to gauge what a typical response would look like when someone asks about something. If they make up a B.S. answer - this may not be the best candidate.
Experience and School is no where as near as important as motivation. I can not stress this enough. If you have a farm boy who has his own cisco lab and answers questions with answers of "I do not know, but I will lab it when I get home" - You really should look at hiring them. A candidate who wants to make themselves better on their own and shows initiative to work and learn is a good sign of an employee being 'the one'.
One of the most unfortunate things in this industry is relying on certificates alone. The amount of cheating that goes on in any industry to acquire certificates devalues them for the people who really do try on their own. Whenever there is a financial incentive to do anything, people will attempt any way possible to achieve that incentive - and cheating is just way too easy on almost any certificate program.
Do not be scared of lack of experience. The best employee I ever hired was completely green. I met him on IRC and he showed a sponge like thirst for making himself better. His only experience was working for a hosting company - however he took the initiative to own the network on his own and put programs in place to make it better.
Retaining employees is also important - when you get that "one" - you break the rules. You find any way possible to keep them. Soft-promotions to be able slide into a higher slot, even though they keep their original responsibility is one method. Moving them out of the typical silo of management and giving them free roam is another. Work from home, and flexible work hours is another.
Using a balance of intuition, certificates and work experience is a great way to find that one employee who will go above and beyond. No formula will work for everyone and there will be people who are great who break all of these rules. The point I am trying to make is to not ignore someone because of a missing requirement - they may have it but its just hiding in the form of self learning.