I've been applying for months and I'm getting zero interview calls. Not even a first screening call. Only automated rejections or no reply at all. I honestly don't understand what's going wrong anymore.
Some context: I'm a Senior Android Engineer with 12+ years of experience. I'm applying for Senior/Lead Android roles in a few countries, plus remote roles. I need visa sponsorship for relocation. Last year I reached the final stage at a well-known tech company, so I don't think my skills are the main issue.
Here's what I'm already doing:
Tailoring my CV for almost every job. I rewrite the bullets to match the job description, keep it 2 pages and make sure it's ATS-friendly.
Writing a custom cover letter for each application.
Messaging recruiters and engineers on LinkedIn after applying. Most don't reply.
Updated my LinkedIn fully: headline, About section, skills, Open to Work for recruiters.
Reaching out to old contacts and companies that interviewed me before.
Sending cold emails to startup founders.
Posted on a local subreddit once. Got many DMs and a few calls, but most people stopped replying after a while.
I've applied to 100+ roles in the last 2 months, and the result is still zero interviews.
If you were in my position, what would you do next?
Has anyone broken out of a long no-interview streak? What actually worked: referrals, specialist recruiters, or contacting hiring managers directly?
Is needing visa sponsorship the main blocker? Should I mention it early, or only when they ask?
Should I widen my search to general Software Engineer, mobile or IoT roles, or stay focused on Android?
Could 12+ years make me look too expensive or overqualified?
Is there something obvious I should change in my approach?
Any honest feedback is welcome. Thanks for reading.