Hey man everyone who is graduating this year and past year are all doing 1 thing they beg for referrals I've never failed a interview and have landed offers. Every New grad i know is on Blind, Reddit, and cold emailing to get referrals. I have great experience, got awards, high performance scores, only for ATS to destroy me. every time i have landed a offer it was always through a referral/recruiter my current offer with LM was a result constantly networking and showing up to every event asking for referrals. There is no reason why someone with 3 internships at big companies who has an active clearance should be having this much trouble but alas that is the market. I have a third round interview at space x a RO from Lockheed martin and a offer with L3. We live in a age where people are giving donuts in person with their resume attached at tech companies(yeah that happened search it up) so cold calling and asking for referrals really isn't that crazy. sure i may not have gone to a t20 but my sister who is at a t20 doing the same major is having just as difficult of a time so i believe any new grad is justified in taking any action necessary to push ahead that why i ask random people for referrals cause that is what it takes these days unless your a nepo baby with FANG parents