I’ve recently realized I might have been a 'favor hire.' I’m an entry-level employee about to graduate from college, and I was referred for this role by a close friend who is friends with a high-level manager at my company. Lately, a few things have made me wonder if I was brought on as a favor or out of pity.

First, the interview process was unusually short; while the interview itself was challenging, I was pushed through and approved very quickly. Second, my responsibilities were completely undefined when I started, and I barely had anything to do for the first few weeks. Finally, I just discovered that I’m being paid significantly less than my colleagues were in equivalent roles.

Even though I feel I’m performing well right now, this realization is cooking me... I'm borderline about to have a breakdown at the thought of going back to job applications after grinding hundreds out over the past year, but I feel like these are signs I should start looking. Any advice