Technical interviews are a skill like anything else. The idea is that you prepare for them. They are also intentionally made difficult to weed out the candidate

Technical interviews are a skill like anything else. The idea is that you prepare for them. They are also intentionally made difficult to weed out the candidates who won't put in the effort and time. > Recent average grades at uni/failed interviews Ha, I don't remember anybody caring about their grades at uni, as long as it's a passing grade. After you get the degree, nobody will ask about it. > but getting in was rather because of my high conscientiousness, not intelligence This sounds like at worst your IQ is average or slightly above average.