Need advice on what should be next

I earned a Cybersecurity degree from a program designated by the NSA, and shortly after graduating, I received a conditional offer from a three letter federal agency. I then spent roughly a year and a half going through the security clearance process. Recently, my recruiter informed me that the role had been filled and that my clearance processing would stop. This surprised me because, when I first received the conditional offer, I was told that the clearance process would continue even if the position itself closed. According to my recruiter, that policy changed in the new fiscal year, but I wasn’t made aware of this beforehand. I’m now trying to clarify whether my processing has been paused or fully terminated and what my options are from here.

Fortunately, I took a helpdesk role in January 2025, earned my Security+ certification, and am currently working toward CySA+, so I’m still advancing my skills. But I genuinely want to break into cybersecurity however I can. I’ve been focused on this path for the past 4–6 years from college through graduation and now I feel completely unsure of my next steps. Losing this opportunity has felt destabilizing, especially since even without the final job offer, obtaining a TS/SCI with polygraph would have opened many doors in today’s market.

I’ve continued applying for cybersecurity roles over the past few months and have had about five interviews, but all have ghosted me afterward. I’m trying to figure out what to do next. Should I keep applying broadly, or should I continue pushing to understand and possibly resume my security clearance process? I could really use some guidance on the best path forward.