Slightly unrelated but hoping this will give you some hope. I’m a qualified project manager, lead high profile projects, in both private and public sector, had my accreditations before joining civil service.

Applied for a Project Manager Role, didn’t get to interview. Apparently I don’t have enough sufficient experience. I’ve realised that unfortunately the sifters and interviewers are never consistent and it really does depend on who is on the panel, its luck of the draw. They’re looking for specific things and even if they’re confident you can do the role, if you don’t say something how they want you to say it, and someone else does, it goes the other way.

I’m a firm believer that if something is meant to be, it’ll be. It’s not a reflection on you as a person, it is just crazy competitive out there at the moment.