There are a gazillion small companies out there that hire white collar workers with only a rudimentary background check (are they a felon) and an interview that is more a vibe check than anything.
He probably will never be someone of significance, but he also will probably be able to have a standard middle class life.
But would you want to work for a company that just does a vibe check, or one that raises the bar with every hire?
That high-level Apple employee was probably a manager and oversaw hiring people.
I would tell myself every day, "I wouldn't hire me."
It's not self-defeating.
It's not being a victim.
I wouldn't let it stop me from trying.
It's being accurate about what kind of company you'd want to build yourself, and the internal state of a lot of hiring managers. And with a true model of the world you can make better decisions.
He probably will never be someone of significance, but he also will probably be able to have a standard middle class life.