Exactly right, you send out the resume 100 million times and its like it disappears into a black hole.
The apply online is the kicker. The algorithms they use can easily disqualify any resume and there is no way to verify why you were not presented to the hiring manager.
I have determined that if you list experience or education before 1996 means you are over 40 and it disappears into the black hole. I have tested this by editing my resume and had a few in-person interviews. You can see the shock on their faces when they realize your age. Most companies won’t consider someone who is 53.
I have an MS in Applied Physics and I probably won’t be able to get another job anytime in the near future. I can’t even get a minimum wage job because of the MS Degree and past experience as engineer, manager.