Biglaw lawyers on <reddit>.

I was recently laid off and have been trying to lateral, but the market seems incredibly tough right now - a big contrast to 2021. It feels like everyone is laying off and the only way to get hired is through networking or being deemed "special" enough for an exception.

I've been applying through job portals, but it's tedious (creating accounts, retyping my resume, etc.) and seems like a waste of time. Ironically, the only interviews I have actually gotten have come from networking with alums, some of whom say the portals are useless. Is that true?

Are there other strategies besides networking with alums? I tried a recruiter with little success.

Any advice is appreciated!