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1. I'm failing to see where the requirement of degree X or Y comes from? If someone knows his stuff, he knows his stuff, no degree will change that. I've seen .Net certified consultants who couldn't write a decent line of code.
2. Talking the talk is one thing, but you do need to let them perform a practical test. Let them right a small program with some basic skills like reading in a database and creating a small ASCII text report with it or something. Drill down on the how and why they did things.
3. But the most important question you need to ask yourself is: Will this person fit the team ? We declined perfectly good technical candidates, even the best, just because of their attitude.

A) Develop a basic, oral, technical exam that has questions based upon the minimal
   requirements of the position as well as your minimal, overall, technical requirements.
   The idea is not to always get the correct answer but to see how each candidate answers
   each question.  If candidate A answers less questions correctly but providers a much
   better response in handling him or herself this will indicate a personality that is
   more adept at handling difficult issues.  If candidate B answers the same questions
   more correctly and well than you also have to understand this more experienced
   candidate's capabilities.  Are they just good at taking oral exams or do the responses
   sound as if the person feels comfortable with the questions due to an interest in the
   profession.

 B) Prior to the oral exam, ensure that you make each candidate feel as comfortable as
    possible within the interview environment.  Open up the session by getting the
    candidate to talk about themselves by trying to see if both can find some common
    ground such as a shared interest.  The idea here is to go against the common practice
    of attempting to intimidate candidates thinking this is the best way to see how they
    react under stress.  This is a fool's way of interviewing prospective personnel and
    only demonstrates a company that has no caring for the person itself.  Such interviews
    are more in line with military-style interrogations than anything close to a session
    where a need for an understanding of the person in front of you is critical.

 C) If after you have given a candidate the oral examination you feel that he or she has
    answered well, has felt comfortable with the questioning, and has answered your
    minimum required questions correctly change back to a longer discussion about the
    candidate themselves.  Find out if they like software development enough to do it on
    the side and if so what projects they enjoy working on.  Ask what type of equipment
    they have for their personnel development projects.  Ask what other interests they
    have, which can be a key factor for a good employee.  For example if a candidate
    enjoys reading about the sciences, though this may sound great up front it can also
    indicate a person with a very clinical personality, which often does not mesh well
    with a team.  If he or she likes to read science-fiction this could indicate a person
    with imagination.  If history, this could indicate a candidate who enjoys research.
    Both of these traits could do very well for you since both would bring to the table an
    enthusiasm to get the job done.

Mark_Wallace wrote:

&%$#@!* winio

Mark_Wallace wrote:

my windows tablet cannot survive a fall of 750cm

Daniel Pfeffer wrote:

Perhaps you meant 75cm