A few months ago, I interviewed for a technical position, and honestly, it was the strangest experience of my career so far. The interviewers seemed unsure of their own roles and responsibilities based on the way they spoke and the questions they asked. It made me realize that sometimes, management prefers hiring people who won’t challenge them or expose their lack of experience. Here’s a tip for anyone looking to move up: if you see a job posting that’s a level above your current experience, go ahead and apply! You might as well aim higher and try to get better pay, because often, management isn’t looking for someone smarter than themselves. Unless you’re in IT, you’ll likely have little say in your work, so the unspoken rule is to keep your head down and let things slide—even if you see things going wrong. The real kicker was when a friend who referred me to the job (and works there) told me that they probably wouldn’t hire me because I was too experienced. Can you believe that? They actually prefer to onboard someone who won’t push too hard or expose their shortcomings. During my interview, I even witnessed two people arguing and making faces at each other right in front of me—both of them were wrong, by the way! I left the interview wondering how the company’s brand could be so different from its actual culture. Needless to say, I politely declined any further consideration. I wish them the best of luck—they’re lucky to have good field people carrying the weight. Just thought I’d share this as food for thought for anyone considering an office job or looking to move up in their career.