I was rejected from career advising when I applied! So I definitely am aware it can be costly. I won’t name names, but I also know of some other people who have gone on to have successful careers in the space who were rejected. Sometimes, this is because reviewing is hard, and we make mistakes. Sometimes, this is because the thing the applicant needs most is to just read more of 80k’s broad advice before trying to tailor it specifically to them. We’re trying to use our time as best we can and to provide support to the people who would most benefit from our advice, so if we can cast a wider net and get more of those people to apply, we want to do that. But I hope we can minimize these costs anyone experiences. I know some people benefit just from thinking through the questions in the application, and we’ve updated the application to make it less work for people. And we really encourage people not to take it as a strong negative signal if they don’t get an advising call — I’d appreciate any additional suggestions on how to convey this message!
> Is there a way that people can orient towards applying even though there is a high chance of rejection?
While it’s easier said than done, I’d try to think of applying as being mostly upside—the application is a useful exercise for career planning in and of itself, and then if we think it makes sense to have a call, you’ll get some extra advice.
I was rejected from career advising when I applied! So I definitely am aware it can be costly. I won’t name names, but I also know of some other people who have gone on to have successful careers in the space who were rejected. Sometimes, this is because reviewing is hard, and we make mistakes. Sometimes, this is because the thing the applicant needs most is to just read more of 80k’s broad advice before trying to tailor it specifically to them. We’re trying to use our time as best we can and to provide support to the people who would most benefit from our advice, so if we can cast a wider net and get more of those people to apply, we want to do that. But I hope we can minimize these costs anyone experiences. I know some people benefit just from thinking through the questions in the application, and we’ve updated the application to make it less work for people. And we really encourage people not to take it as a strong negative signal if they don’t get an advising call — I’d appreciate any additional suggestions on how to convey this message!
> Is there a way that people can orient towards applying even though there is a high chance of rejection?
While it’s easier said than done, I’d try to think of applying as being mostly upside—the application is a useful exercise for career planning in and of itself, and then if we think it makes sense to have a call, you’ll get some extra advice.