> leveraging their networks

Just finished a search - agree. The resume process is fundamentally broken, but a strong network makes it irrelevant. Lean on connections - there's a ton of opportunity out there.

I'm looking for jobs after my PhD and I notice the same things. I only get interviews and advance in processes when I target the right jobs and companies. Sadly, not too much network to leverage.

so you either are well connected or you starve, got it

guess it's death and destitute for introverts

edit: please explain the downvotes, i'm curious why you think i'm wrong

if what op says it's true, that today only networking works, then it easily follows that if for some reasons you do not have a network then you don't get hired