> I say all this because people who are in job search processes should frame the process accurately in their mind. It hopefully will help with not taking the process so personally or not getting so infuriated with it.

For people who consider honesty a part of their identity, it's infuriating that the system has a selection bias for dishonest people. It's not selecting a random 10%.

> It may also help you strategize how to find your way into the roles you want, if crushing these tests isn't your strong suit. People who are vouched for get to bypass all of this. The more confidently you are vouchced for by a trusted party, the more benefit of the doubt you get in the hiring process.

Networking is still selection bias, but one that favors white men. Racial minorities have fewer social connections to hiring managers, and women in tech have fewer friends working in the same industry.

> For people who consider honesty a part of their identity, it's infuriating that the system has a selection bias for dishonest people. It's not selecting a random 10%.

I don't think that's quite right. There may be ways to get temporary advantage from being dishonest, but I think that it is career-limiting for most people.

If by dishonesty, you mean using AI tools, I think that the reality is that we should consider all workers to be AI-augmented, going forward. We may as well not pretend that that's not the case.

> Networking is still selection bias, but one that favors white men. Racial minorities have fewer social connections to hiring managers, and women in tech have fewer friends working in the same industry.

I agree, and as a Black guy, I relate. Being mid-career now, I'm on the other side of that, where being well connected is immensely helpful.

I'm not saying it's a good system, but people still need to understand the game they're playing.