Why are employers picky on who they hire? One major factor: the cost of a bad hire. It's one thing to be qualified for the role. It's another to be qualified for the role with a low amount of risk. They want to make sure when they extend an offer, that candidate has a high likelihood to not just accept, but perform and stick around for the long term. The last thing they want to do is extend an offer to a candidate, only for them to: • Reject the offer • Underperform on the job • Leave the role in a short amount of time These scenarios put them in a bad spot wasting time, money, energy, and resources. At best, they start from square one and interview for the backfill. At worst, which isn't uncommon in this economic environment, they lose the headcount/funding for the role completely. So next time you're interviewing, don't just think about how you're qualified. Start thinking objectively about any "risks" attached to your background and get out ahead of it.