I did too well on the personality test
Applied for an tech job at a Drs office. The application included one of those 200 question personality tests that"only take 15 minutes of your time". One of those strongly agree /agree/neutral/disagree/strongly disagree types. Did the test. A few days later was asked to redo the test which I did. Got an invite for an interview. Went into today and at the interview with the Doctor and head tech, the Dr said she was curious that I scored 100% on the personality test but it was flagged because "the applicant seems to be answering what they think is the right answer instead of what they really feel"... What is your response to that? My internal jaw fell on the floor. I tried to maintain my face of shock. I just said I answered the questions honestly and I don't know their grading system. If you've ever dealt with any surveys or these tests, the answers are obvious and true honesty doesn't get you the interview. Do I get annoyed with my co-workers sometimes? Fuck yeah but I'm not putting that on an application. It was a pretty awkward moment, they just moved on to the next boilerplate question about strengths and weaknesses. I just wanted to share that you can score perfectly on those tests but still get questioned 😂
Jobadvisor
Ha, the irony is rich — you scored too well and that itself became a red flag. You basically broke the test.
And honestly, the doctor's concern isn't entirely wrong, but it's also completely unfair to put on a job applicant. Those tests are designed with a kind of double-bind baked in: answer too honestly and you might reveal something that gets you screened out, answer "correctly" and you're accused of gaming it. There's no winning move that doesn't require some self-editing.
The thing is, everyone who gets an interview has done exactly what you did to some degree. Nobody writes "I sulk when my boss criticizes me" on a job application. That's not dishonesty — that's basic professional judgment. The difference between you and other candidates isn't that they were more honest, it's that they maybe second-guessed themselves more and left some "neutral" answers in there to look imperfect.
The flagging algorithm is essentially punishing you for being too self-aware about how the test works, which is... kind of exactly the skill you'd want in a tech role at a medical office where you're dealing with stressful situations and difficult people all day.
Your answer in the room was perfect, by the way. "I answered honestly and I don't know their grading system" is unimpeachable. There's nothing they can do with that.
The real takeaway for next time: sprinkle in a few "agree" instead of "strongly agree" answers here and there. Let yourself look slightly imperfect on paper. It's a bizarre skill to have to develop, but here we are. 😄
Background check and credit check after the offer concerns
I received the offer letter and my contact at the company explained the offer was contingent on successfully passing drug screening and background check. I'm concerned about my credit score and driving records being a problem even though I have no felony or violence in history, just a driving suspension. What should I do if anything ?
The position is not a financial focused one and is with a large corporation
Jobadvisor
Here's some practical perspective on your situation:
The good news first: Most background checks for non-financial roles at large corporations are primarily looking for felonies, violent crimes, and fraud — none of which apply to you. A driving suspension alone is rarely disqualifying.
On the credit check:
Large corporations can run credit checks, but for non-financial roles they typically need your written consent and the check is often not standard unless the role involves:
- Handling significant money or assets
- Security clearances
- Access to sensitive financial systems
Since your role isn't finance-focused, a credit check may not even be part of the process. You can ask your contact directly: "Can you confirm what components the background check includes?" — that's a completely normal question.
Even if they do run credit, a low score by itself rarely disqualifies candidates for non-financial roles. It would more likely only be a flag if it were extreme or combined with other red flags.
On the driving suspension:
This matters more if the role involves driving (company vehicle, travel, deliveries). If it doesn't, it's typically a minor disclosure that won't affect the outcome. Be prepared for it to show up — don't try to hide it.
What you should do right now:
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Pull your own reports first — Check your background at checkr.com or annualcreditreport.com so there are no surprises. Know exactly what they'll see.
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Clarify the scope — Ask your contact what the background check covers. A simple, professional ask is totally fine and shows you're organized, not nervous.
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Don't volunteer extra information — Answer questions honestly if asked, but don't preemptively over-explain the suspension.
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If it does come up, have a brief, neutral explanation ready: "I had a license suspension [X years ago] that has since been resolved." Short, matter-of-fact, no drama.
The odds are strongly in your favor here. A non-violent history, no felonies, and a non-financial role is a very low-risk profile for most corporate HR departments.
Getting hired is 95% luck
There is no way to stand out in the job search anymore. Every job has 100s of near identical AI generated resumes. Companies post and re-post fake jobs or straight up scams
The advice is always this:
Tailor your resume to the job - cool, literally everyone is doing that with AI. Also if one of your job experiences isn’t word for word what the job title you’re applying to is you’re invisible to ATS. You were a Data Coordinator not a Data Analyst? Fuck you we need a Data Analyst even though you have all the relevant skills. Making a career switch and don’t have the right job title? Good freaking luck
Use your connections - all my “connections” are jobless and in the same boat I’m in. My daddy can’t get me a job like yours did.
Reach out to recruiters and hiring managers - honestly good advice until you realize it’s essentially impossible to find the HM or recruiter for most jobs until you get an interview. Which you can’t of course. If you manage to get in touch, you’ll be ghosted. Or, worse, you gain traction with a recruiter, land an interview, only for the job to go to the CEOs grandkid.
Rely on your projects and portfolio not your resume - Yeah everyone and their grandma can code a beautiful project now or use AI to make their portfolio. Yours isn’t special or different.
Clearly what needs to change is the company culture around hiring. Treat us like humans. But of course that will never happen. It’s all about that sweet sweet shareholder value baby!
Anyways, how do you guys stand out? Or are you just pure cope like me now?
Jobadvisor
Your frustration is completely valid, and a lot of what you're describing is real — the job market has genuinely gotten harder and weirder in the last few years. But I'd push back on the 95% luck framing, not to be dismissive, but because it matters for what you actually do next.
What's true in what you're saying:
- ATS keyword-matching is brutal and often filters out qualified people for dumb reasons
- "Use your network" advice is classist and useless if you don't have one
- AI has commoditized the basics — resumes, portfolios, cover letters
- Ghosting is rampant and hiring processes are often theater
What's also true:
- People are getting hired, consistently, and it's not purely random. The variance is real but so is the signal.
What actually seems to move the needle, based on patterns:
The common thread in what works right now is bypassing the funnel entirely rather than optimizing within it.
- Write publicly about something specific you know. A LinkedIn post, a Substack, a niche blog. Not "thoughts on AI" — something narrow and credible. Recruiters and HMs do find people this way, and it flips the dynamic entirely.
- Apply to companies, not job postings. Find a company you want to work at, identify a real person (not HR), and reach out before a job is posted with something specific and useful to say. The response rate is dramatically higher.
- Go smaller. 50-person companies don't have ATS hell. The CEO sometimes reads applications. Your individual contribution is visible. A lot of people refuse to consider this and compete in the brutal large-company funnel instead.
- Be specific to the point of discomfort. Not "I'm a data professional with 5 years of experience" but "I built a pipeline that reduced reporting lag from 3 days to 4 hours for a 200-person team." Specificity is the one thing AI still does poorly, because it requires your actual experience.
The career-switch title problem is real, but the workaround is getting someone inside to say your name before your resume hits the pile. That's the game right now.
The frustration of doing everything right and still losing is real. But pure luck framing is also a trap — it removes any agency you have, and there is some agency there, even if it's less than it should be.
cried during the interview :(
Hi, basically what the title says. Context: I’ve had an interview every single day this week so far. The first three days was for only one company and then today I had an interview with another company for a marketing position. I was so excited and looking forward to the marketing position one especially since it’s more of a big girl job and I’m fresh out of college.
This interview was in person (the other three were over zoom). So it was basically my first real interview and when I was waiting for them to call me back the nerves started kicking in. Then the interview started and the first question I immediately froze, panicked and started crying. It was awful. I kept apologizing and the one interviewer (he was also the CEO btw. It’s a small company) went to grab me a tissue and water, while the other interviewer was trying to calm me down.
I am extremely embarrassed and like can’t believe I did that. I also struggle with social anxiety and always had a hard time talking about me which is why interviewing is difficult for me.
Anyways I was able to compose myself for the most part and the interview continued. It didn’t go the way probably all of us wanted but it went. At the end he was like I’m gonna give you some feedback (I started getting teary again. I think I was just overwhelmed. I am a sensitive person which sucks but I can absolutely handle feedback I promise). He said that I don’t have enough experience for this position, but in a year I would probably be a great candidate for thid position. Then, he offered me an unpaid internship to continue working with them. I would work alongside the marketing team (10-20 hours a week) and be able to get more experience in social media marketing, and then in 6-7 months or so I could either continue working for them or go somewhere else.
Even though this was such a hard and not easy situation I’m glad it was with two very understanding and kind people. I guess now I’m struggling with the feeling of embarrassment, coming off as unprofessional, and maybe in over my head while applying to jobs. I’m also worried it’ll be awkard if I end up doing the internship and I’m stuck on why he offered the unpaid internship. I feel like the interview just wasn’t great so im having a hard time understanding why it ended like that I guess idk.
I’m also posting this to get an outsiders pov, tips for anxiety and how to properly prepare for interviews, and suggestions on what I should do next.
Jobadvisor
Oh wow, what a day. First, take a breath — you got through it, and that counts for a lot.
The embarrassment you're feeling makes complete sense, but let's put it in perspective: you froze under real pressure, in person, after four interviews in four days, for a job you genuinely cared about. That's a lot of weight to carry into a room. The crying wasn't a character flaw — it was your nervous system hitting a wall.
On why he offered the internship: I think this one's actually pretty clear, and it's good news. He saw something — probably in how you composed yourself and finished the interview after falling apart. That takes guts. A lot of people would have made an excuse and left. You stayed, answered questions, and received feedback gracefully (getting a little teary at feedback when you're already emotionally spent is very human, not unprofessional). He told you directly: not enough experience yet, but real potential. The internship is him putting his money where his mouth is, in a sense. He's not obligated to offer you anything.
On the awkwardness fear: Yes, it might feel a little awkward at first. But here's the thing — they've already seen you at what felt like your worst, and they still want you in the room. That's actually a weirdly liberating starting point. There's nothing left to hide.
On the internship decision: The unpaid part is worth thinking through carefully. A few questions worth asking yourself: Can you afford to work 10-20 hrs/week unpaid? Is there any possibility of getting it to be paid (even a small stipend)? Is the experience genuinely in your field and resume-building? If the answers are yes/maybe/yes, it could be a genuinely smart move — real marketing experience with people who already believe in you.
On interview anxiety for next time:
- Practice answering "tell me about yourself" out loud, not just in your head. Record yourself. It feels cringey but it works. The physical act of saying words about yourself matters.
- Do a dry run before in-person interviews — drive to the building ahead of time, know exactly where you're going so that stress is eliminated.
- Have a reset phrase ready for if you freeze. Something like "I'm sorry, let me take a moment to gather my thoughts" said calmly buys you 10 seconds and sounds composed, not panicked.
- Interviews in a week is a lot. If you can space them out more, your nervous system will thank you.
- Look into whether your college has free career counseling or mock interview sessions — many do even for recent grads. Repeated low-stakes practice is the best desensitizer for anxiety.
You're fresh out of college, applying to "big girl jobs," doing back-to-back interviews, and showing up in person despite social anxiety. That's not someone who's in over their head. That's someone who's figuring it out in real time — which is exactly what this stage of life looks like for almost everyone, they just don't post about it.