The reality show, by Liberty Films, invites contestants from all around the country to go for their 'dream career'. From approximately 10,000 candidates, six are chosen for interview at the job of their choice. Three are chosen to put in two weeks' work experience at the company and the winner is offered a six-month contract.

So far this season, contestants have battled it out to win a job as a sports photographer, a PR consultant, an editorial assistant at a magazine and a music promoter. And in many cases, the runners-up have since got jobs in their chosen career.

Photographer James Crombie, from Dublin, won a place with Inpho Photography after a hard-fought battle with the runner-up Paul McGuckin. "It's five months since we filmed the programme and I'm still with Inpho, " he said. "I'm hopeful I'll be kept on with them when my contract is up. I have a real taste for it now and I know for a fact that this is what I want to do."

Crombie, who watched the airing of the programme with a large group of family and friends said "it wasn't too bad" watching himself on television. "I was pretty sure I hadn't said anything silly, " he said.

He is only occasionally recognised as being from the show. "I've since shaved my head and grown a beard so no one really recognises me." The runner-up in the competition, Paul McGuckin, has since got a job with the Donegal News.

Katy Harrington, from Cork, won a place with Kennedy PR in Dublin after one of the most challenging programmes on the show so far. Despite initial concerns from the employer, Caroline Kennedy, that she wasn't cut out for the job, Harrington proved her worth at the Galway races, beating fellow contestants Sinead Keohane and Eamon Maguire.

Now she has been offered permanent employment at the agency as a senior account executive. And both Keohane and Maguire have since got jobs in PR. "I'm absolutely delighted, " said Harrington. "I absolutely love working in PR. I love the environment and the people and the buzz of seeing something you have promoted appearing in the media. I can't imagine not working in PR now."

Harrington said she "cringed" watching herself on the programme.

"I came across so badly in the first interview, but I'd had a really bad day trying to get up from Cork during a rail strike, " she said. "People forget that not only are you being interviewed, but there are four other people in the room looking at you, with cameras and lights in your face. I was terrified."

Jessica O'Sullivan, also from Cork, who won a contract with Harmonia Publications, admitted that she, too, found the experience daunting. "Watching the programme was pretty surreal, because I actually couldn't remember anything of that two weeks, " she said. "It was a total blur, because it was so stressful and emotional."

The editing of the programme was very kind, said O'Sullivan, who admitted that she cried on the day of the final task when part of her presentation fell into water. "I thought it was so nice that they didn't put that in, " she said. "It was very embarrassing for me, but the programme-makers later told me they weren't out to make a fool of anyone, which is good."

O'Sullivan is in her third month of work experience and is hopeful she will be kept on with the company. "Even if I don't, I know I'll never go back to what I was doing before, " she said. "Going on the programme was the best decision I ever made."