Thanks for the replies to my thread!

I tried to network with my community radio station that had an opening for a fundraising position as I'm an active volunteer there. However, the former news director who HATED ME was recently asked to help rebuild their community radio news dept. and when they told her of their plans to hire me as a freelancer, she immediately threw me under the bus so they passed on me. I found this out from one of the volunteers who is hiring the fundraiser. She told me that the news director wouldn't give me a good review so that is why they passed on me.

I agree that its better to get a job through networking. And, when you don't have a network, you literally have to build one from scratch. I'm doing that now. Contacting people on LinkedIn, asking them for informational interviews about their roles. Then, I add their name to my "network spreadsheet." It's time consuming, but I'm 100% done with third party recruiters b/c they are inept salespeople whose only goal is dollar signs. They lie 100% of the time too. I hate recruiters. If you are a recruiter reading this, I hate you.

Yes, job hunting during the pandemic sucks big time. 500 people for every 1 job application practically.