Early Career Advice

[TeacherGuy]

I'm just starting out my teaching career (graduated with PGCE - Primary specialism - last April) and am looking for advice on how to get onto the job "ladder". I have been working as a supply teacher in various local schools for 6 months now (ever since I graduated I hardly had any time off, which is good) and have been actively applying for jobs, but I am struggling to get interviews (about 20 applications so far and only 1 interview).
Most schools I apply to aren't even willing to share any feedback about what could have made my application better; they simply ignore me completely or (if prodded) tell me that they just had better applicants. This is becoming a bit demotivating.

Can anyone offer any advice on what I could do to improve my chances of being hired (or at least get an interview) in a Primary School (I've also done supply work in Secondary Schools, but I prefer the work format of Primary teaching)?

Are you visiting the schools you’re applying to? And are you tailoring your application to each school & job description?

Could you ask someone in one of the schools you are doing supply at to take a look at your application & see if there’s anything you could change?

I've never applied to a school which I haven't visited (I wouldn't want to do that anyway for my own sake). I do write new application letters each time I apply, although most of the success criteria are pretty generic on job descriptions (however, my experience is constantly evolving so I have new things to write about and add).
I have even applied to schools where I have worked as supply and each time I was simply told my application was good but there were better candidates available. Like I mentioned, this is beginning to feel demotivating mainly for this reason.
I know there is a lot of competition for Primary School teachers with the schools getting dozens of applications per place, so I guess that's what keeps me going.

I wonder if there is anything extra I can do.

Are you in a position to move for work? In the v large town where I live it is impossible for us to recruit enough primary teachers. Some areas, especially if you’re near a big teacher training university have too many teachers for the jobs available, but other parts of the country it’s a very different picture.

I did consider moving, but I was unsure if I will get supply work as regularly in a new area (Headteachers know me here now and I get plenty of work). I'm giving it until the end of this academic year and if I don't find anything permanent I will move.

I guess I just mean you could apply for jobs in a different area. I know at my school we’re desperate for teachers to start in January (maternity cover) and get so few applicants.