Nike's new CEO started as an intern in 1988 and worked his way to the top over 32 years. When Zach saw this "mailroom-to-boardroom" success story on LinkedIn, he thought he'd found his path forward—until he discovered even unpaid internships now require years of experience.

From automated rejections to impossible requirements, we explore whether these classic career success stories are possible anymore. Has the traditional path to the top disappeared, or does it just look different in 2024?