One quick tip is not to restrict yourself to shooting electronic applications to strangers. Like sending messages in online dating, submitting applications online has a low activation barrier, so your competition is carpet-bombing the market with their own applications. Even for very good people - top students or professionals without the stigma of already being unemployed - the response rate for such interactions, just making it to a phone screen or skills test, is only a few percent. Maybe less. At a company whose offer I recently turned down, the recruiter actually told me that she hasn't even been bothering to look at any of the applications arriving in her inbox because she's been so busy with face-to-face campus recruiting. One necessity is to hit the pavement and make some face-to-face connections. Job fairs are good for this. Shake lots of hands, make lots of small talk, hand over a nice, polished 1-page resume and a good business card. A good interaction with even a junior employees may bring back the feedback you need to come out on top.

Hi Kerrie, Have you called the companies you've applied at to follow up on your application? I suggest always doing this 1-2 days later to make sure they received your application. Then again 1 week later to see if you are being considered for the position.