When I was in my last year in college, I underwent the required practicum in a dealership of Mercedes Benz cars. Since my course was industrial engineering, I was assigned in the warehouse since they have no assembly line like factories. But I had learned how an office works. When I applied for my first job, I was really on my toes because the first to interview me was the vice president. She is known to my father but I did not take that as an advantage. When I passed the written examinations, I was again interviewed by the manager of the personnel department (now HR) and later by the manager of the department to which I would be assigned. The application process took 2 months until the time the results of my medical exams came out. Whew, finally, I had a job.
I remember my father wanting to recommend me to his friends for my first job, thing that I always declined because on the one had I was afraid of not fulfilling my father's expectations spreading the word about my qualifications and, on the other hand, thinking that working for a friend of him would put me in a situation at which my dad could trace my steps. It was not that I would be doing something wrong, but not wanting to be supervised by parents either. So I truly admire you for undergoing such a lengthy process that wouldn't be possible without perseverance, something I never developed at all