Throwaway account for anonymity...

I graduated in May from a rather good architecture university (not ivy, but probably at the top of the next tier), and I'm at my absolute wit's end in my hunt for a first job. I've tried probably everything there is. Let me outline my general job search in bullet points below:

• Approximately 20–30 instances of "I know a guy! Let me put you in touch."

• Approximately 50 applications to job listings

• Approximately 50 cold emails

Out of these, I have managed around five interviews, a conversion rate I'm not too upset about. But every single one has come back with a rejection, and every single time, they've come back with the same reason:

We went with a candidate with more experience.

They've all been very complimentary of my work and the way that I think. They've all liked my portfolio and CV. They've all been generally impressed. Where are the true entry-level positions for people with no CD experience? I don't understand what I'm supposed to do. I've even expanded the search beyond pure design positions, but those have been difficult to find.

Now, I'm barely even seeing any listings for entry-level positions.

I know posts like this are frequent in this sub, but I just need some level of advice from people in the industry. Even if it's "hang in there." I've worked to develop strong connections with important people in the industry, and those don't seem to be helping.