SN3Guppy
In the UK, yes. Since the London TMA is entirely within UK airspace, I reckon that might have some relevance to the answer given. Yes FARs state you must log flight conditions, but that is not the case under JARs. Of course in any log book that has a space for IFR flight under IFR must be logged unless that column is clearly marked to be unused (e.g. crossed out entirely). It is a legal document, and the pilot signs each page to state that it is correct to the best of his knowledge. 'Padding' has nothing to do with it, unless you accuse the airline pilot who is required to use the autopilot (for example in RVSM airspace, or simply where company SOPs demand as in many cases) of padding every flight.
As for flying under IFR clearance being irrelevant I beg to differ, but then again I am still talking about UK and European airspace, so I know what I am talking about. The experience varies of course, but the discipline of flying correctly under IFR in any conditions and any class of airspace found in the busier areas of the UK and Europe, and most especially in controlled airspace, is very relevant. That is without considering the flights I have made hand-flying in the airways when the autopilot was tech. Good visibility did not make that less challenging. Yes it is possible to fly legally IFR without that discipline in UK class G airspace, but that is not the subject under discussion.
Any decent recruiter (and yes, I have also been deeply involved in recruitment and training of pilots for public-transport operations) knows what that experience means from the CV (resume); the "IFR" column simply details the quantity. Recruitment by numbers is a terrible habit indulged in by some flight operations.
Having said that personal recommendation is even more important. Two of the best pilots I ever worked with flew all their IFR previous to that job as Wodka does, paradropping in the London TMA. This seems far more relevant to the discussion at hand than FARs.
what next
Ah, so instead what you talked about was entirely irrelevant. Silly me, assuming that in answer to an honest question your rather disparaging answer actually had something to do with what Wodka wanted to know. In my experience potential recruits come from all over the JAA region, and have flown in various areas, so why assume they are cheating if they could be completely honest but flying in an environment different to Stuttgart's? I recruited a Danish pilot whose drop hours were all flown in the UK, and the rules in this respect are very different in the UK and Denmark. Damned good pilot, you probably chucked his CV at some stage and spat on his name (he did speak fair German).
As for flying paradropping under IFR, you cannot rule it out even in Germany, if the pilot holds an IR and so chooses, or if the weather only permits an IFR clearance into that class C or D airspace. Indeed you cannot rule out the possibility that some of the flight to or from the drop zone is in IMC. Although that is unlikely in some parts of the world, I doubt it is unknown in the UK.
PicMas
Agree entirely. I worked for an employer who would not allow flight on a live leg under VFR except in exceptional circumstances, despite the extra cost in fees to Brussels, as once you are used to IFR flight a fully visual sector is much harder work both in navigation and in flight management.