Struggling to Land a Technical SEO or SEO specialist job– Looking for Insights

I have over 13 years of experience in Technical SEO, specializing in website architecture optimization, indexation issue resolution, 301/302 redirect management, 404 error handling, website migrations, and malware removal. Additionally, I have experience maintaining VPS environments for clients, ensuring optimal site performance and security. My expertise extends to competitive analysis, keyword gap research, and content structuring using LSI terms. I have a strong background in Core Web Vitals optimization, JSON-LD schema implementation, and conversion rate optimization (CRO) strategies to enhance user experience and search visibility. I hold certifications in advanced Technical SEO from BrightonSEO, a Udacity Nanodegree in Digital Marketing, and training in SEO, CRO, and Analytics from CXL and Market Motive. I stay up to date with Google algorithm updates and industry best practices, but despite my efforts, these credentials don’t seem to be making a difference in today’s job market. I’ve always tried to stay up to date with industry changes, and right now, I’m working on integrating Screaming Frog data into an LLM system (Ollama) using LangChain to generate faster reports and identify SEO improvements from an EEAT perspective. While my strengths lie in technical SEO, I acknowledge that content creation and off-page optimization aren’t my core skills—but I’m confident I can find solutions for those areas when needed. The job market, however, has been brutal. In the past, recruiters would reach out to me regularly, but in the last few months, that has completely dried up. I’ve applied to nearly 200 positions (mostly through LinkedIn and Indeed), but responses have been minimal—let alone meaningful interviews. I know that AI advancements, Google’s SGE changes, and the evolving SEO landscape have made competition tougher, but I’d love to hear from others in the industry: • Are you experiencing the same challenges? • Have you found any strategies that work in this job market? • Is there a shift in how companies are hiring for SEO roles? I’d appreciate any insights or advice from those who have navigated this successfully. I am so lost and don’t know where to start…