I want to share a story from my early career that still sticks with me. After graduating with my IT degree in the early 2000s, I was working part-time at GameStop, which was great for flexibility while I searched for a full-time job. The manager offered me a full-time keyholder position, but I declined, wanting to find something more aligned with my career goals. A friend connected me with a recruiting company, and after a successful interview, I was told to wait for a full-time position. Eventually, they offered me a temporary role at a large medical insurance provider during a system conversion, which involved tedious data checking. I arranged my start date and gave my notice at GameStop. However, just days before I was set to start, the recruiter called to inform me that the position was no longer available. They suggested I wait for it to reopen. I stayed at GameStop, but with reduced hours due to another hire. A month later, the recruiter called again with a new start date. This time, I kept my position at GameStop, working nights and weekends just in case. When I finally started the new job, I found myself in a fluorescent-lit room with three others, and quickly learned that one of my coworkers was being paid more for the same work simply because she was hired through a different recruiter. As I got to know my colleagues, one revealed that she had started on the same day I was originally supposed to begin, thanks to her connection to the head of the recruiting company. It turned out that the recruiter had offered me the job, made me plan my exit from GameStop, and then hired their friend's daughter instead. I was furious and immediately began searching for a new job. Fortunately, I found a full-time permanent position not long after. This experience has always nagged at me, and I felt it was time to share it.