I’ve been job searching for the past 4 months and honestly feel stuck.

I have 5 years of experience and a Master’s degree. So far I’ve submitted around 630 applications, mostly through cold applying, with very little networking or referrals.

I didn’t just spam the same resume either. I created around 600 different versions of my resume based on the role requirements and job descriptions. I tried to tailor each one to match the position, highlight relevant experience, include measurable results, and improve ATS compatibility.

Out of all those applications, I’ve had 6 screening calls. Only one company moved me forward because a few others had sponsorship limitations.

That company took me to the final round. I felt the interviews went well, and their feedback was that they weren’t rejecting me because of my skills. They only had one opening and decided to move forward with another candidate.

At this point, I’m trying to understand what I should do differently.

Should I focus less on cold applications and more on networking? Is sponsorship likely the biggest issue here? Is this response rate normal in the current market?

Would really appreciate honest advice from anyone who has gone through this recently or works in hiring.