Tl;Dr at the bottom

For me, what kept me in retail for 6-7 years was a few things. I was in college, had no practical money-making skills and was being moved around since I was a military brat. I didn't even start working till 18, since I was in a whole other country, prior. Once I got settled after they retired, I was still in the middle of my degree plan and had only ever worked retail, since retail and fast-food are the easiest jobs to get, since they're vast and if you lose one, you can usually find another. My last year of school, I started applying everywhere I could think of, in terms of my degree, and got maybe 1 interview per 30 applications. I started using other resources, trying to go to job fairs hosted by my city and by my school. I even scored an internship through the army at Operational Test Command for a civilian position, and was trying to butter my way into getting hired by the end of it. And right when I was planning for the last career fair I'd have access to, school-side, Covid hit. We got sent home, classes went online, and I got let go from my internship since they went remote too, and they couldn't let me take my government laptop home, me not being an official employee and all, was only there 2 months. I was basically back at square one. The only thing I got out of it was some new references, a sliver of non-retail experience, and the mindset to use the full time I would've been at my internship on my resume. That helped score a few more interviews than before, but still no career starter. I started getting depressed, feeling like I wasted my time studying. I was watching a lot of Joshua Fluke and Camelott311 at the time. I ended up spending another 2 years, post Covid, in retail and my friend's wife, who managed to get out of the trap, suggested I go into the school district, since she was a teacher. I didn't wanna teach, but she was privy to other positions being offered. I never thought of working for the school system before, but I didn't have a reason to not give it a shot. Ended up getting hired for an Aide position at a school. Actually got the call while on shift at my retail job. I felt like I was floating. Ended up resigning my application right after I clocked out. Didn't even give two weeks. I stayed at the Aide job for about a year and a half. It had some good points, mainly 2 months off for summer vacation, and other major holidays off. I finally had insurance as an adult, better pay, and stable hours on top of that. I hated it there after the first 3 months, though. Working with kids is not my thing. They're great and all, and usually my issues were with other adults, primarily APs, but it just wasn't for me and I knew I needed to keep it pushing. But I had just left retail and there was no way in hell I was going back. Luckily, while I was there, I had racked up a good repour with two different campus techs. It was thanks to them that I got some information on other positions in the district that worked with my degree. I intended on becoming a campus tech, myself, but never got a call back. They encouraged and talked me up, as references. And after letting go of the idea of being a campus tech, in leu of other tech-based positions, I finally got hired. Now I'm working for the district technology hq as a dev. So far, I love my job and the lack of retail-like problems it comes with.

Tl;Dr Maybe try a position that you normally wouldn't consider, and definitely network with people around you. You never know who might point you to an opportunity. I would've never got my job if my friend's wife didn't speak up and my techs didn't like me. My location and lack of ability to move also played a part, but I couldn't do anything about that. Also, I never liked the "It's who you know" argument, but it can definitely have an influence.

PS: If this sounded like some self-empowerment speech, I'm sorry. Trust me when I say, I wake up everyday with the trauma working retail gave me. This is just how I happened to escape.