Believe it or not a recruiter can do a very good job filling technical positions without a strong understanding of the technology. All you need to know to get started is how to spot a qualified person, and the hiring manager can help with that.
I'll go with "not" when it comes to the recruiters in the Chicago area. I regularly get contacted for roles I have no measurable experience in, such as Django jobs, or really anything web related. While I have extensive Python knowledge, I haven't touched Django outside of a tutorial or two on a rainy day.
They seem to want to extrapolate Python expertise to cover everything that uses Python, but it doesn't work like that. I'd love to talk to a recruiter who understands this.
Successful recruiting is all about having a great process. Domain knowledge in a specific area is helpful, but not required. For example, I might talk to a hiring manager about the following...
"Why do you need REALLY need a Python developer? Is it because you have problems that a great software engineer without Python knowledge can't solve? If so, give me a couple examples of things you need that only a Python whiz could do, and I will make sure applicants can do that. If we can't attract the right applicants, I will ask you will need to dedicate more time to recruiting or refine your expectations."
I may come to you with a Django job, but I will be prepared to tell you why the hiring manager doesn't need Django experience at all.
I cannot see why an employer would not want to hire someone with extensive Python knowledge for a Django position, assuming the candidate also has web development experience. It is not as though Django is especially difficult to learn.
