I've been out of the work force since the holocough. Back in my day, you'd get an interview, meet with the manager and he'd pretty much hire you on the spot. Before the corona bullshit, I only ever failed 2 interviews out of about 9 and it was because I was high as fuck. Wish I never touched the shit.
Now I've been looking for a job for months and can't get one. Applications are all online. You can't just go and say whats up to the manager and get hired. In fact, managers don't even do the fucking hiring. They tell you to go fill out the application on indeed or whatever. 9/10 times this goes completely unanswered. In the rare occasion that it does not go unanswered, the first step is a "phone interview." This consists of some fuckwit on the other end reading off borderline incoherent questions.
"Tell me of a time when you dropped your work to do anything else, and this could be with your friends, family or other."
The fuck kind of question is that? Physically dropped? Like on the floor? Dropped as in the slang for "stopped what you were doing?" Fucking morons write this shit. Of course I fail these phone interviews every single time even though I give precise and excellent answers to this drivel.
In person interviews are no better. You meet with some dumb 20 year old girl who asks you the same questions, but you get to see what goes on behind the scenes.
"Tell me of a time when you left your work incomplete, but had to work harder to finish your work" is one I got yesterday.
That question doesn't even make fucking sense. If I left the work incomplete... then is was left INCOMPLETE! Of course I answered by saying there is no time in recent memory that I left my work incomplete.
This dumb little bitch writes "did not answer."
So... the process is this.. You meet with some stupid little whore who asks you questions written by a pajeet on SSRI's, paraphrases your answers, then hands them off to some dumb fat bitch ("hiring manager") you've never met who glances over the paper the first bitch filled out for you.
JOB INTERVIEWS LITERALLY DON'T EVEN EXIST ANYMORE. This must be hell.
Oh yeah, and one job asked me 2 questions only through an email link. What is my race and gender? They denied me within 15 minutes of me answering those.
You could try local businesses instead of corporate retail companies too. Those are notorious for wanting to meet "diversity quotas".
If you don't have one, get a certification in something, almost anything. Are you in [one of these dozen states](https://www.iccsafe.org/jurisdiction-specific-contractor-trades-exams/) or if not, are you in [one of these](https://www.iccsafe.org/jurisdiction-specific-contractor-trades-exams/)? If so, get a book, pass a test, you're a licensed general contractor now.
Many states don't even require that much, some require nothing. Once you're licensed, you can use that to snag a job in construction, building sales, inspection, QA, or similar.
Or start a mold remediation LLC with that general contractor certification/license. Can you wear PPE gear while ripping out drywall, carpet, cabinets, and carefully double trash bagging it all? That and running HEPA fans for a few days is 95% of the job. Most companies don't even use chemicals or bleach anymore, just have to remove the non-structural surface areas and HEPA filter the indoor air enough that there is a low airborne mold count.
Without knowing your work history and/or education, this is about the best advice I can offer.
Best of luck.
Once HR has filled a position they generally prefer to not fill it again right away. I guess I'd say whatever got my foot in the door tbh. Sounds like you'll rarely ever have to interact with the people filling these positions anyway.