snare-owl's journey

I've been on the job hunt for a while now, and I'm genuinely curious about the possibility of landing a role without a referral. With over 10 years of experience in enterprise tech at well-known companies, I thought my background would help me stand out. However, it feels like the market is oversaturated with talent, and I'm not even getting callbacks. I suspect that AI might be filtering applications, making it even harder to get noticed. I've seen some success stories where people landed offers without referrals, which gives me a glimmer of hope. One person mentioned they were contacted by a recruiter on LinkedIn after being laid off, and ended up with a better-paying contractor role that turned into a full-time position. Another shared that they received three offers at once, with one company reaching out after they sent in their resume. Hearing these experiences makes me wonder if I should be more proactive in networking or if there's still a chance for someone like me without those connections.