"Favoritism is almost universal in today’s job market. In interviews
with hundreds of people on this topic, I found that all but a handful
used the help of family and friends to find 70 percent of the jobs they
held over their lifetimes; they all used personal networks and insider
information if it was available to them.
"In this context of widespread networking, the idea that there is a
job “market” based solely on skills, qualifications and merit is false.
Whenever possible, Americans seeking jobs try to avoid market
competition: they look for unequal rather than equal opportunity. In
fact, the last thing job seekers want to face is equal opportunity; they
want an advantage. They want to find ways to cut in line and get ahead." [Read more]
