Work on a side project to demonstrate your skills over other candidates. If you have 9 years of experience, you should be schooling them in terms of knowledge, and the best way to do this is a side project. When companies reject you, its nothing personal, you need to find a way to stand out from the rest of the pack.

Side projects are a great way to reaffirm your self worth. People that only climb the career ladder can't build a project from ground up. Its only those that hone their skills that do. As an added benefit, it might even become a real business. Keep yourself busy.