To me at least, what's intimidating about applying for a job described as Fog Creek's are isn't that they're competitive -- they don't say "you'll be in a knock

To me at least, what's intimidating about applying for a job described as Fog Creek's are isn't that they're competitive -- they don't say "you'll be in a knock-down drag-out competition to beat 100 other candidates". It's that the criteria for acceptance are high -- only those who have an extremely high opinion of their own abilities will consider themselves likely not only to meet those criteria but to be judged by others as meeting those criteria. And many people who are very capable are unlikely to judge themselves so favorably. Women in particular are socialized to underrate our own abilities and conditioned to expect our abilities to be underrated by others, especially in STEM fields.