Symlinks and /snap/bin structure?

snapd
4

The snap programs are indeed symlinks to snap. That said I cannot replicate the error you’re reporting with my own snap:

$ /snap/bin/openfortivpn --version
1.13.3
$ 
$ sudo ln -s /snap/bin/openfortivpn /bin/openfortivpn
$ 
$ /bin/openfortivpn --version
1.13.3
$

Note that /snap/bin is usually in your PATH so you shouldn’t need symlinks.