"to equate a job interview to a test at school, assuming that there is some objective bar and if you pass it then you must be hired"

This is excellent advice in general.

When you're on Reddit long enough, you'll see posts from men about how they were kind and considerate to a woman, and she still didn't want to date them. But that's not how life works. It's not about putting kindness, skills, effort, and good intentions into the machine and receiving success in return.

You should do these things because you want to. For yourself. Not because you will definitely get any reward in return.

Aim to excel in a job interview because you are good at what you do. Aim for being kind to others because you're a good person. Aim to learn a new skill because you're curious and love learning. Help a friend because you value your relationships.

And be happy because of what you do, because of who you are, because you can be proud of yourself.