"Employers care about skills, not tools" is the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard

Worked 3 years as a Data Analyst and have university master business degree.
Proficient in Python (not just dabbling) SQL, SPSS and data visualization using Highcharts (which is a JavaScript framework).
I basically had to create every chart requested by project managers which they needed for client deliverables.
Unfortunately for me, which I wish I knew, and would have changed jobs sooner, is that we didn't work with popular BI/data viz tools like Power BI or Tableau.

Have been doing a lot of applications the past months.
After I explain my role and mention dataviz, the first thing they ask is almost always do you have experience with Power BI/ have you worked with Tableau? I say no of course, and their interest fades. Which I get.

I did the 50 hour Data Analyst in Power BI career track which is hands-on exercises in PBI Desktop in each chapter, and a lot of stuff was familiar for me, like data modelling, chart types, which chart to use when etc.
As my job entailed cleaning and transforming raw data into clean data and dataviz.

But because I didn't use that specific tool in my job, recruiters and hiring managers keep rejecting me, often don't even get to the first stage after a phone call. They literally say we are looking for someone with hands-on experience with Power BI. Or Tableau.

So yeah, recruiters care about tools, not skills.
They didn't give a shit about my 3 years of data(viz) skill.

I would probably have had a job if I had worked for 1 year or 2 years solely with Power BI, and no Python or SQL.
Because many jobs require mainly only Power BI and then some SQL which you can learn easy and other stuff is more of a plus a lot of the times.

The reason this upsets me is because if I could have worked 2 years as Power BI analyst and could have gotten a fulltime freelance or payroll job by now as Data Analyst/Power BI analyst.

A lot of Data Analyst roles have Power BI as required experience.