As nearly 2.5 million jobseekers pursue gainful employment, recently released data suggests they may be knocking on a series of permanently locked doors.
According to research commissioned by Aldi, which itself is one of the UK's leading graduate recruiters, eleven million Brits have leveraged contacts within friends and family to secure a job at some stage in their career.
Moreover, one in three people are either currently working with a relative who handed them the role, or holding a position which a family member helped them to gain - a third of the nation's workforce.
In explicit terms, thirty four per cent of those going about their business today will have dodged the interview process after receiving a nod from a friend.
However, a full-scale feet on the table and vintage port scenario is negated by the unholy trinity of corporate expectations, heightened scrutiny and workplace jealousy.
Working with friends or family doesn't always mean you are in for an easy ride.
Half of those employed without interview have found it hard to live up to expectations, particularly if their friend or relative was a highly respected member of the team.
Additionally, one in ten left their job almost immediately amid acrimony over perceived nepotism, while a similar number departed due to the negative effect poisonous gossip and conjecture had on their self-esteem.
The study, which comprises a survey of over 3,000 UK residents, concluded that an exhaustive contacts book, the ability to network and lobbying skills are of equal, if not more importance than academic qualifications.
Head of Graduate Recruitment at Aldi, Richard Holloway, looks for good all-rounders:
"Recent graduates are having a tougher time than ever with the job market becoming more and more competitive.
"At Aldi we have always said that having the right qualifications is part of what we look for in new graduates but it's better to be a strong all rounder with extra-curricular activities and interests. In this tough climate it's essential to develop contacts and relationships in your chosen field whilst also bringing other skills to the work place such as self motivation, dedication and leadership qualities.
"Through our Retail Placement Scheme, undergraduates have the opportunity to establish themselves within our business and develop relationships, with a view to achieving a full time position on the Area Management Programme once they have graduated. We are seeing more and more successful candidates through this route who are looking for a challenging career in retail."
A third of graduates surveyed said they intended to keep in touch with former bosses or colleagues, purely because they hoped it would benefit their future career.
Gone are the 'blaze of glory' maverick resignation days - for now.
Nearly half of those surveyed said they had got a job after staying on good terms with people they had interned for, done work experience with or met in a business setting - essentially, it works.
80 per cent of recruiters conceded they would trust a friend to do a better job than someone unfamiliar to them. 72 per cent said that in the current climate, with high unemployment, they would prefer to hire someone they know, considering a complete stranger to be 'a gamble'.
52 per cent said that since the economic downturn they are much more likely to rely on contacts and existing relationships when searching for new recruits.