Struggling to gauge how job search is actually going

[u/Longjumping_Tip_9463]

I'm a recent CS graduate (finished my bachelor's at 19) and I'm having a hard time figuring out whether my job search is going reasonably well or if I'm falling behind expectations.

For context:

B.S. in Computer Science

Graduated with honors

Currently working on a Aerospace-related software project through my university

Most of my work involves CI/CD, automation, GitLab pipelines, testing infrastructure, and scripting

Have built and maintained automation that runs hundreds of tests and significantly reduced build/test times

Personal projects include backend, automation, and mobile development work

Since late February/early March I've submitted roughly 100-120 applications, mostly targeting entry-level software engineering, DevOps, automation, and aerospace-related roles around Houston.

Results so far:

Several recruiter screens

One onsite/final-round interview

Multiple phone interviews that I was verbally told I would be advanced from

Currently active with a few companies, including one that appears to be moving forward and another large aerospace company where I recently passed an initial screening stage

Plenty of rejections as well

What's throwing me off is that I seem to get much farther with smaller companies and faster hiring pipelines, while larger companies often move so slowly that it's difficult to tell whether I'm still being considered or not.
I've seen people online say things like "100 applications isn't that many" while others say getting multiple interviews in the current market is a good sign.
For those who graduated recently or have been involved in hiring, does this sound like a normal trajectory for a new grad in 2026? At what point would you start seriously worrying if you still didn't have an offer? The role I have with my Aerospace company is likely to end in August and I’m not looking to re-enroll either so that’s really my deadline. I’m looking for honest feedback.

[u/Own_Abrocoma9601]

finishing bachelors at 19 is pretty impressive but job market for new grads is rough right now, your numbers seem decent considering the state of things

the fact you're getting to phone/onsite rounds means your resume is working and you can interview, which honestly puts you ahead of lot of people who just get ghosted. larger companies moving slow is super normal - some take months to make decisions while smaller ones can hire in weeks

100-120 apps since march with multiple interviews active sounds like you're on right track, especially with august deadline still few months away

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