On Failing Exams And Job Interviews

I’ve been thinking about the distinction between two kinds of assessments: absolute and comparative.

Absolute assessments happen when there’s a predetermined set of requirements which one has to meet. Typically, this happens in school: a course specifies minimal criteria and knowledge required for the passing grade. Each exam is marked in isolation, based only on the answers given.

On the other hand, comparative assessments determine not only if one meets some requirements, but also if they are the best available fit from the given pool. Job applications are like this, and so is dating. The assessment also evaluates the candidate’s fit with the company/partner1.

Failing an assessment means something different depending on its kind. Failing an exam means that one doesn’t clear the bar that was set, in some sense wasn’t “good enough”, and is well-advised to revisit their preparation2. But a job application refusal likely means only that better-suited candidates applied.

I think one should feel less bad and guilty about failing on a comparative assessment, as this is more likely to involve elements outside of one’s control, and the outcome couldn’t be changed even with more preparation. This seems useful because the majority of the assessments one is involved with after school are probably of this kind.

Things that inspired this post: A failed final exam of my Master’s studies year ago (to the day, incidentally!) and the associated feeling of guilt for not preparing enough; interviewing for a job.