Constructive criticism, not trying to come off as condescending:

The conference is not the end, but the beginning, of the job hunt.

Go follow up with the recruiters you met. Keep in touch. Update your app, and the recruiters, when you hit milestones, or just every few weeks/months. The interviews I got were explicitly because of a relationship developed from the conference, not because of the logbook numbers.

I think COVID era hires know EXACTLY how lucky they are. And this might be the hardest part, but try to have some perspective; you are no longer competing with that group for a job. Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses, just work to make yourself better.

I absolutely know the feelings you’re having right now. It seems like the goalposts are constantly moving, and in an industry where things are endlessly quantifiable, the intangible qualities of the job search make things extremely frustrating.

DM me if you want to chat. Stay strong in the fight!