The interview and promotion process might as well be tarot cards.
Korn Ferry (the mega talent consultant company) identifies 38 general and unique competencies leaders and newbies alike all need to have in order to thrive. If you squint really hard you can reduce the list to maybe 35.
Technical interviews are designed to assess exactly 1 (one) of the 38. The other 37 dimensions are reduced to a combo of ✨vibes✨ and guessing based on side comments you make while programming something that has nothing to do with the role you’re being considered for. Take home problems? Also irrelevant for the other 37 dimensions.
It’s easier to change companies than get promoted because if you’re missing a key competency in an interview but they like you, you still get the job. If you’re already working there and missing a competency and nobody consciously knows that, knows how to coach it, or it’s not written down… you’ll just be held back for “reasons.”
I will also add that based on experience coaching & consulting this process I’ve heard “38 is way too many competencies” and yet if I choose any single one at random and say “if the employee had a material lack of this competency, regardless of what’s written down, would they still get promoted?” the answer is always “no.”
