It's really hard when you can't get a job, especially early in your career. After all, if you literally cannot get a job, well, how do you even survive? Well, here are some things you can do to help get a job if you're really struggling.
Ok, this isn't really advice on how to exactly get a job, but this will be helpful. You really have to look at exactly why you're not getting looks. If you've got experience, and you're in a field with demand, you need to look to see if there's something wrong. Some of the main points are applying to jobs you're underqualified for, your resume flat out sucks, or you're doing no networking, which we'll cover below. However, sometimes you just haven't applied enough. No matter what happens, you just gotta keep pushing.
Resume formatting is important because it's basically the only first impression. Look at WSO formatting. It's the gold standard of resume formatting. It's clean, concise, and is well picked up by auto detection systems. Auto scanners for resumes are really important to recognize because these will decide whether your resume gets seen. Bullet points with verifiable and quantifiable information(Ex. Instead of "Worked on X" you could say "Optimized X function at X to be 10-15% more effecient"), you should have someone look over your resume(If you're still in college, most schools have career centers where they do free resume review), and make sure to be consistent with formatting. Also, link to any projects or portfolios. I cannot tell you how many people just straight up don't add their Github or LinkedIn.
Now, for some things to avoid. Spelling or grammatical errors are so terrible. You need to make sure you don't make these errors. It's so simple to do. Just check everything, or hell, even just plug things into ChatGPT to double check things. Next, avoid flashy resumes and big colors. They don't impress recruiters. Just keep it simple. Finally, and most importantly, Do not go beyond 2 pages. Hell, for most people it should be one page. Unless you've been in the workforce for a decade there's no real reason to be going beyond 1 page.
If you've read any other article or roadmap from us, you'll know just how much we love networking, and that's for one reason: It works. You have to work on your networking. Focus on building an actual relationship with people. We'll have a full guide on networking soon, so stay tuned for that.
Ok, so, applying for jobs you're not really qualified for is a bit tricky. After all, most employers throw in like 40 requirements that are basically impossible. So, what is key here? Well, stop looking at requirements as, well, requirements, but rather look at them as a wishlist. If you can hit on about half the points, you'll be in a decent position. You've gotta write a few different resumes to fit the different requirements, and be ready to slightly over-exaggerate things.