Social Job Postings: Ridiculous?

As you can see from the graph in this post the demand for "social media skills" is and will continue to rise. However one must wonder if those doing the hiring actually know and understand who they are hiring and what skills are required to create new value for the organization.

Lets Look at What Firms are Asking For

Here is a job posting for a local music label looking to hire someone "who understands how to utilize the social media space". My comments are inserted in red.

Job Description:
We are looking for an experienced and skilled marketer who understands how to utilize the social media space to increase and leverage brand awareness; who has experience developing innovative social media and online marketing campaigns and content to deliver on business and on brand goals. (what are the goals?) The right candidate will be a strategic and creative thinker with the ability to take larger strategy and insights and translate into ideas and executable plans in the social media space. Will leverage the voice of the customer to drive ratings, online traffic and revenue for our businesses. (you mean your firm currently doesn't know how to do this?)

Manages the event marketing team and develop social media strategic recommendations for the implementation of promotions and promotional programs including events, trade shows, conferences, sweepstakes, contests, and third party sponsorships to drive brand awareness and tune-in for the channel. (How many people really have experience with social media strategies?)

Interfaces and provides ongoing co-management of our online social media presence with music strategy; develops new and leverages existing social media partners and channels.

Ensure all social media strategies and tactics support company marketing objectives. Integrate with digital team for effective placement on our website and mobile. Integrate and prioritize the social networking marketing needs of multiple departments.

Participates in writing agency RFPs and case studies, and manages social network profiles, fan pages, etc. for all our relevant shows and brand extensions.

Experience Required:

Minimum 5 years experience overseeing social media and/or digital marketing. Prior media company experience preferred. (Do you think many people have 5 years experience, when all things social are barely 5 years old, and is prior media company experience relevant?}
Solid understanding and working knowledge of online social networking, blogs, search and analytics tools, new and developing platforms, and general Web 2.0. (how would you determine "solid understanding and working knowledge?)
Must be conversant with current/evolving social media strategies and sites, measurement tools, technologies and knowledge of social media marketing industry benchmarks. (if social media is in a constant state of change what good is benchmarks?)
Proven ability to champion social media to multiple stakeholders: internal and external departments, executives and outside agencies/partners.

Educational Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in marketing or new media preferred. (who has a degree in new media?)
Only candidates meeting the experience and education requirements noted above will be considered. (wonder if anyone applying will be able to meet these requirements?)

If you don't know what to ask for then how do you expect to get what you need? If you first don't understand what you are hiring for then how do you know that you are indeed hiring someone that does?

Hiring social media champions means that your organization doesn't understand social media and thus will never become a champion. Make sense?

BTW: The job that goes with this post pays less than $60K a year. Yet the description ask for someone who's knowledge and experience justify in excess of $100k a year. Even social media job descriptions make organizational knowledge transparent.