It is getting more and more difficult to get a foot on the ladder in the workplace.

The job market seems impossible enough right now for those who have experience, so what chance do soon-to-be graduates have? It has long been a running joke that even the most menial and badly paid jobs seem to demand 5+ years of experience, or have such a ridiculously long list of requirements that no applicant could ever qualify. It is enough to overwhelm even those who have spent a long time in the working world.

As a result, those trying to find their first ‘adult’ job after leaving education can be tempted into doing things that are not in their best interests while they are searching for a job. There are companies out there that do not want to risk spending money on graduates, but they are eager to benefit from their ideas and talent. For those who lack the know-how of how to navigate looking for work, it can be easy to fall into the trap of doing what they want without questioning the process. It isn’t fair, but that doesn’t stop it from happening in many different industries.