>It should be also noted that "x years epxerience" is not always a hard rule, but just a guidance. Absolutely: if a place is looking for 10 years of experience

>It should be also noted that "x years epxerience" is not always a hard rule, but just a guidance. Absolutely: if a place is looking for 10 years of experience in software development, and you have 6-7 but apply, you have a chance of being considered. If you never apply, you have no chance of being considered. In some ways it's like the truism that lottery vendors bandy about, "you can't win if you don't play".