I graduated college three years ago and landed my first job quickly thanks to nepotism; my dad had connections with a small company looking to hire. It was an entry-level role that underpaid and led nowhere, but it provided me with valuable experience. After two years, I was laid off when the company nearly went bankrupt. For the next five months, I submitted around 10-20 applications daily, totaling about 2,000 applications, but only managed to secure 7-8 interviews, never advancing past the third round. In April, I got a contract role through a recruiter, which was a relief. Now that that contract has ended, I've been job hunting again for three months, landing only five interviews, with just one going beyond the initial screening. It's disheartening to realize that without connections or a recruiter reaching out, my chances of getting a job feel like a lottery. I've lost all motivation; if I hadn't submitted any applications in the past three years, my situation would be unchanged. My only hope now seems to be waiting for a recruiter to contact me.