This is the message I get all the time, whether I cannot find a job or make friends ... etc. It must be me, and I receive all kind of responses that emphasize that.
About friends, all the time I am the one who must introduce himself, and initiate things, and then keep initiating them. This has happened with all the people I was trying to befriend. The message I get, and I will probably get again, is that there must be something wrong with me and my approach, although I initiated talk with them to make genuine connection with them. But for some reason my attempts weren't reciprocated. This has happened recently with a colleague at work, where I was checking on him while working from home and chat with him, while he didn't show any attempt or interest in initiating that, not even once.
About finding a job, I submit applications, and make the effort to prepare my applications and projects, but all I get is rejection. The response I get is that I am not showing interest in the company, and that I just want a job ... etc.
It seems whatever I do is not good enough, and I must bend all the way all the time to be accepted and get what I want/need.
I feel everyone functions out self-interest. If they feel I am of no benefit to them, then they don't need to connect with me.