The internet really messed with things. We put a help-wanted ad in the local paper in 2000, specifically said in the ad "local candidates only" - I received 400+ applications in the first week, ~300 of them from out of town, 20+ of them from other countries. Sorting through the pile (they were still snail-mailed in those days) I came across a local candidate who worked with a company we regularly did business with, had our guy call his ex-manager and asked one question "would you re-hire him if you had the chance?" Answer was yes. We hired him, he was good.

My sincere apologies if your application was in the bottom of the stack and you were better qualified. Life is like that most of the time.