GUEST COMMENT: The director I work for has hired his daughter's swimming teacher

I've done everything you're supposed to. I work for a European bank in the City, and have done so since I joined the graduate programme in 2009. Last year I was promoted to associate.

Until recently, I was of the opinion that most people in the City come in through graduate programmes: my previous manager joined the graduate programme in 2002. Most people seemed to have arrived out of university.

Now, however, I'm not so sure.

Last summer, a new colleague joined our team as a contractor. She graduated from a tier 2 business school and had absolutely no work experience or internships. She also told us that although she'd applied for graduate roles, she didn't get any interviews.

The only reason she got a job as a contractor was that she happened to have been teaching swimming to the daughter of one of the directors on our team.

This was annoying, but it got worse.

Earlier this year, the bank clamped down on the use of contractors. At this point, you might have thought the swimming teacher would go, but no: she became permanent. Her direct manager was against this and resigned, but it made no difference.

What's really galling, though, is that she appears to be paid a lot more than me or any of my colleagues who joined through the proper routes. She's not quiet when it comes to discussing compensation and hers seems to be higher than all of ours. In her own words, this is because we're 'grads' and she's not.

Basically, I find this massively humiliating. How is that someone who couldn't get a job through the standard routes, somehow jumps to the top of the pile? Frankly it makes me doubt both the integrity of the firm I work for and the benefits of going through the graduate programme.

Your comments would be much appreciated.