I've actually been reading a bit into this and it's not exactly true. If you don't meet all the criteria you can still be considered by writing an especially good cover letter and perhaps even a phone call (find out that hiring manager's name!)
There's actually a thing where men will often apply for a job even if they only meet 60% of the selection criteria. Women, on the other hand, will often not apply unless they meet 100%. A bunch of sources suggest this may contribute to few women being in fewer senior positions than men. But I digress.
Most importantly though is that people often forget that people doing the hiring are, well, people! Sometimes just being nice and having a good attitude will be all your need; even if you don't meet the criteria for the job you applied for, they may still create a position for you if they like you enough.
Also little HR secret, at least 70% of jobs aren't advertised. Most come through networking, so go out and meet people who do the things you wanna do.