I'm feeling really frustrated with the job market as a recent graduate. I've put in a ton of effort to prepare myself for this moment. Over the past few years, I've become quite skilled in competitive programming, achieving over 2350+ on LeetCode, becoming a Codeforces Expert, and earning a 6★ on CodeChef. I've also tackled over 1300 data structures and algorithms problems and learned a variety of technologies including JavaScript, React, Node.js, Express, MongoDB, SQL, Git, and C++. I've even built full-stack projects to showcase my abilities. Despite all this preparation, the hardest part has been actually landing interviews. I've spent months applying through various channels like company portals, LinkedIn, job boards, and even leveraging referrals, but most of my applications go unanswered. A few that do get a response often end in rejection before I even get a chance to speak with anyone. I’m not expecting companies to hire me solely based on my coding skills; I just find it disheartening that all my hard work hasn’t translated into any interview opportunities. I’m really curious to hear from hiring managers and other recent graduates about what they think has changed in the hiring landscape. Has competitive programming lost its appeal for freshers? Do projects, internships, and referrals hold more weight now? Or is the job market just so saturated that even qualified candidates are getting overlooked? It feels like something is genuinely broken in this job market.