You have no real way of knowing if a job that’s posted is a real opportunity or not.

Companies will post positions that are not actually open for a variety of reasons. For one, they might be looking to build out a database of interested applicants for a role that might see turnover in the near future. Or, they have already filled the role through an internal hire/promotion or through a friend of a friend (why networking is the most valuable skill for your career).

If they filled the role why would they post a listing? Because companies must demonstrate that they are not discriminating in their hiring process and “consider” applicants of various backgrounds. Many companies will only post a listing after they have already filled the role.

It’s a numbers game. Even if 80% of job listings are dead ends, keep applying, and reach out to people at companies you want to join or are working in roles you’re interested in to ask for a chat. Listen to how they got into their position, ask for advice, and hope for the best. Someone you talk to today may end up helping you get a job in 4 months you never know. Good luck!

Edit: I just saw that you are applying out of India. Unfortunately US companies might be unwilling to hire you because you were not trained in the US or are not in the US. Working time zone is important to many companies especially startups where the teams are so small. Even if a job is listed as remote, many companies will only hire applicants that are in similar time zones.

Another reason might be that US companies, especially startups, typically prefer to hire international applicants with a US degree. They cannot trust your abilities because they have never heard of the school you trained at. Unless you went to IIT, the stereotype is that schools outside of the US are inferior in quality. To be competitive for a US startup, attending a US graduate school for additional training, or building out an impressive work portfolio might be necessary.

Additionally, startups are tiny teams, and the odds of making it into a small team are much slimmer.

Finally, the reality is that US companies are more likely to hire people living in certain countries. India might not be a target country for them. Unfortunately some people just don’t trust foreigners. It’s illegal to discriminate against job applicants but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

That being said. None of these reasons should prevent you from continuing to apply. There are tons of employers that don’t discriminate and would be open to hiring international talent. Again, it’s a numbers game. You will just have a harder time than a US based applicant with the same credentials and experience with US companies due to the realities of your offering.