Yes this. If the employers are acting as if engineers are a dime a dozen, then isn't it safe to assume that that's the case? I've been trying to get interviews as well and haven't got one yet.
Well, there's a slight difference. Candidates are a dime a dozen. In my opinion, from my perspective at my non-prestigious-employer, most candidates are not qualified.
It must be a regional/industry thing. I've had a former manager and colleague contact me out of the blue really desperate for staff. I've never gotten more recruiting spam, it's at double or triple the usual level.
I was a new dev around 2008 and while there were software jobs around, fewer companies were willing to hire newbies. That could be playing out again.