[iamflimflam1]

I really don't want this to come across as snarky, and things are very tough out there right now, but if you think the OP's CV is fine and yours is similar to his then that might explain some of your own difficulties.

It's no good being a "star" employee if you can't communicate that fact to other people.

[sam8401]

Thank you I needed to hear this, but I also detest self propaganda. Maybe I need to find a middle ground. Or just reach out to one of my old employers ... which again, I am not a big fan of :)

[iamflimflam1]

I think as someone else said - be authentic.

We can have a tendency to underplay what we have done. Often in tech we pull amazing rabbits out of hats - and then when people say how great it is, we'll respond with how it was nothing and anyone could have done it. It's nothing special...

Someone gave me some advice a few years back which was - if you don't feel mildly embarrassed when you read your CV you are probably underselling yourself.

On the reaching out to old employers - unless you left on really bad terms - drop them a line. You are a known quantity, it's a low effort hire that won't cost them anything (apart from your salary).