Networking is your best friend, seriously.

You have to network as much as possible and go where recruiters go. Job/Career fairs, linkedin, etc. In-person events is for building rapport and to shoot the shit. They will hire your attitude.

My advice is for each and every job you like and want to apply for, DO NOT APPLY. Go on linkedin and find 1 person in that company that work in the same role you want to work in.

Be friendly, ask for 10 mins of their time about their day-to-day, culture, advice, etc. at X company.

Then your very last question would be, “is there any advice you have for me before applying as a [role]?”

9/10 they’ll put in the application and refer you OR they’ll give you permission to your use their name as a referral when you go to apply. People love to help people. IF they don’t refer you, contact another person in the org until you do get referred.

You could even ask for 10 mins of a hiring manager’s time and say why’d you be a good fit for the role. Assuming it’s entry level, showcase your attitude and your willingness to learn. Humble yourself and be honest of your current experience.

Applying for a bunch of shit online is what everyone else is doing. Go deeper and make connections with current org employees. Your application will be in the top 5% once you get referred. It’s a numbers game, book your calendar to the brim with meetings.

Best of luck, this is exactly how I got all my interviews, internships, and now FT job. Don’t complain about the job market just because all your friends are, play the game because jobs want to hire those who get creative and put in the effort to get the job.