I have a friend at my company that has access to some insider stuff who (subtley) tipped me off that I'm on the chopping block for upcoming layoffs.
Obviously, I'm trying to resume-spam now, but I am pretty sure that cold applying to companies doesn't work anymore, because every job posting is immediately botted to shit (and a lot of job postings are fake anyway).
So...what do people actually do to find work now? Is it really just going through your metaphorical Rolodex and bothering friends/previous coworkers and asking if that can forward your resume?
But not in the context of showing up as a candidate. The only thing that will work will be personal contacts. Join user groups and do something without the actual purpose of finding a job. Volunteer for things in an IT context.
You might say this will mean weeks to months of wasted activities, but believe it will be way better than weeks or months of applying for non existing jobs.
Here is a tip that I dont find unethical, call agencies but as in the role of a job offer not job seeker. Have a conversation, and you will then have the full picture.
Here are things that have gotten my every job ever, including one in the last year: LinkedIn or applying to vacancies