Is there a specific organization you are interested in or job title you are looking for in your next position? No matter where you are in the search process, you absolutely must start making connections with organizations or individuals who can help you make that step.
You should start by scouring the openings at those organizations and measure your current skills with what they are looking for in a new hire.
Additionally, I would suggest reaching out to a friend of a friend or a former colleague to see if you could be connected to a recruiter or a hiring manager, ideally, through an email. LinkedIn is a great place to find connections (just make sure your profile is professional and up to date!).
For example, you could asl your mutual connection to send an email like this:
Hi NAME, my friend [YOUR NAME] is looking to [get back into the industry, take the next step in her/his/their career, change career paths, etc.] and is very interested in our organization. I wanted you to meet her/him/them in case you have any openings that might be a good fit for her skill set or you might have time to connect. I’ll let you two take it from here!”
Here’s an example I recently wrote:
Hello, NAME! I wanted to introduce you to our mutual colleague NAME. [DETAILS about who colleague NAME is and the connection/reason I’m writing]. She’s [job title plus a job-related compliment or achievement] and is an all-around really fantastic person.
Then as the person who is looking to make a change, you could reply, reiterate your interest in the organization and inquire if the person would be willing to talk [phone is preferred, though email can also work] suggestions and recommendations to make your candidacy stronger.
You did not build a network to look at, do not be afraid to use it!