A Google hiring committee reviewed candidate packets and decided not to hire any of them.
The recruiter then revealed: "Guess what guys, those were YOUR interview packets from when YOU interviewed at Google. You just decided not to hire any of yourselves."
This story, shared widely on Blind and LinkedIn, shows that even current Googlers might not pass their own hiring bar on a different day.
The lesson: skill matters, but luck matters too. If you get rejected, it's not always a reflection of your ability.