The thing is, I see people being interviewed without satisfying the minimum requirements stated on their website so quite frankly, what am I missing?
What do you mean by that?
Qatar Airways interview NTSO's, which basically is pilot's straight out of flight school. FTSO have little bit more experience and then you get the rated or non rated FO's. So I don't know how you can say people do not satisfy minimum requirements. If you have a type rating with no time on it i.e. you have bought it or got made redundant or sacked, QR will probably made you redo the type rating.
A lot of people attended open days and got invited for interviews after that.