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Unfortunately in a lot of cases, this means they already know who they want to hire, but they're legally required to post the position publicly. Making the requirements for the position match the person they want to hire, allows them to screen out everyone else.

The first time this happened to me from the other side, when I was the one who was being selected for, it felt very awkward.

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If I run a company and need a developer for a specific position, I am fully legally allowed to simply offer it to someone that I want to hire. Without ever posting a job description.

IANAL but my understanding is that many employers either understand themselves to be required to, or for some other reason the corporation requires it and the department which is hiring does the same thing described, albeit in this case to satisfy internal rules rather than external laws. But clearly this all varies by nation, state, city, industry, etc.

Also by size of company. Things change a lot at 50+. And rules about giving recently terminated employees the first shot if there was a layoff.

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