I’m honestly at a point where this is becoming more than just frustrating — it’s starting to feel urgent.

I’ve been applying to policy/advisory roles for months now. I have a solid academic background, relevant government experience, and I’m currently in a role that overlaps heavily with what I’m applying to. I tailor every application, hit all the requirements (and often the “nice to haves” too)… and still, rejection after rejection.

Most of the time there’s no feedback. When there is, it’s vague and useless — “we went with a candidate who’s a slightly better fit.” Cool. That tells me absolutely nothing.

To add another layer: I had a baby not too long ago, and coming back to work really made it clear that my current role just isn’t sustainable for me anymore. The workload, the expectations, the lack of flexibility — it just doesn’t match my reality now. So this isn’t just a “nice to have a new job” situation, I actually need something that fits better.

What’s also frustrating is seeing people move into higher-level roles with less experience or a shorter track record. I don’t want to sound bitter, but it does make me question how decisions are actually made — because it doesn’t always feel merit-based.

At this point I’m seriously wondering:

Am I overestimating my profile?

Is public sector hiring just incredibly opaque/political?

Or is there something obvious I’m missing that no one is telling me?

Would genuinely appreciate honest insights, especially from people on the hiring side. Because right now it feels like I’m doing everything “right” and still getting nowhere — while being stuck in a role that no longer works for my life.