Here are the things you should not waste your time on otherwise you find out after months: LinkedIn or applying to vacancies. To get a real sense of what is going on try to talk to people who are on the hiring side like agencies and HR.

But not in the context of showing up as a candidate. The only thing that will work will be personal contacts. Join user groups and do something without the actual purpose of finding a job. Volunteer for things in an IT context.

You might say this will mean weeks to months of wasted activities, but believe it will be way better than weeks or months of applying for non existing jobs.

Here is a tip that I dont find unethical, call agencies but as in the role of a job offer not job seeker. Have a conversation, and you will then have the full picture.