Berkson's paradox suggests that even if they seem negatively correlated that may only be due to the selection process. For example, suppose that an interview has 2 components, a leetcode section and an engineering section. Both are scored out of 10, and a total score of 15 is needed to pass.

Among those who pass, the two components might seem negatively correlated. This is because you can score a 10 on one section and pass with only a 5 on the other. However, among the general population both sections might even be positively correlated.