Is the Lateral Market Frozen?

YTD has anyone had success lateraling (sr. Analyst / junior associate positions)? In my experience, I have seen zero bloat in M&A / coverage teams, most have run incredibly lean (typical top MM volume shops with proven deal flow). Every call I get doesn't go past a screener and I can't shake the sense that these firms are going through the motions with no intentions of hiring. Am i delusional or is this a shared experience? 

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