"Why?"
Although she had a feeling that Dongfang Yi would give her an answer like that, Ichinose couldn't help asking aloud.
"Because that's how it's set up." Dongfang Yi raised an eyebrow smugly. "Think about it, Ichinose. What kind of company would never be short-staffed?"
"..."
"The answer is a company that would lose money even if it hired just one applicant."
"Then why would a company like that still hold interviews?" Ichinose spotted the flaw.
"Better safe than sorry. Interviews cost next to nothing, and the company doesn't even have to pay travel expenses. Besides, every applicant is part of its talent pool. They can keep their records and draw on them the moment the company becomes short-staffed in the future, right?" Dongfang Yi spread his hands. "But as long as it's still a company that has enough people, they won't hire even a perfect candidate like you."
"But companies have hiring standards, don't they? Even if they reject someone, they have to give a reason." Ichinose was a little unconvinced.
"A reason... Let me think." Dongfang Yi rubbed his chin. "Ahem. Ichinose, you have long hair, which doesn't fit the company's efficient corporate culture; you're an unmarried woman, so your life is unstable, and the company needs more stable employees; you stepped into the interview room with your left foot first, which was disrespectful to the interviewer..."
"So, I'm sorry to inform you, Ms. Ichinose, but you didn't pass the interview."
"That's just so unfair!" Ichinose was a little angry as she imagined herself in that situation.
"But they're already fully staffed, so it doesn't matter how absurd the reason is." Dongfang Yi smiled. "But if you understood the company's true intentions before the interview, wouldn't that keep them from fooling you?"
"So often, it's only by seeing