This reminds my of my job search 5 year ago after I graduated college. It took me 8 months to land my first job and I was living with my mother. I did work on some side projects to build my knowledge on some technologies. When my mom asked me what I was doing and I said I worked on project 'x' she would say "I think you should be sending out more job applications instead." Working on side projects is not an option for everyone.
What did get me hired was neither working on side projects nor blanket submissions of applications. A friend introduced me to another friend who's company he worked for was hiring and he gave me a list of open reqs for jobs he knew managers were looking to fill. I got two calls for interviews the next week and got an offer for one job by the end of the month.
IMHO your network, not even what you know or what you've done, is your most important asset when looking for work.
Couldn't agree more, I feel that this is extremely under emphasized. Meetups and networking events are the best places to get your foot in the door imo. It's the easiest way to separate yourself from the troves of resumes a recruiter may be sifting through on a daily basis, bypass all the politics and nuances of looking perfect on paper, and in the very least be set up for an interview (where you can prove your skills through explanation and whiteboards).
I'm biased though because I got my first two jobs this way.
I can relate to that. Fresh out of college and having to move back home during the recession, my parents insisted I be delivering resumes full-time, preferably by mail and in person, rather than "dicking around" on the computer. (No comprehension of what I had studied, of course.)
Eventually I worked things out, with a dose of luck, but I can't help thinking I'd be far better off today if I'd managed to publish some personal projects during that time and networked those around to like-minded associates.
What did get me hired was neither working on side projects nor blanket submissions of applications. A friend introduced me to another friend who's company he worked for was hiring and he gave me a list of open reqs for jobs he knew managers were looking to fill. I got two calls for interviews the next week and got an offer for one job by the end of the month.
IMHO your network, not even what you know or what you've done, is your most important asset when looking for work.