Some job-seeking professionals focus all of their energy on just one opportunity, waiting for success or closure, before considering other options. This is usually a mistake and an ineffective strategy.
When you’re looking for your next position, get busy. Consider every option that fits your basic criteria.
Job searches are unpredictable:
- It could take weeks, even months, for a company to determine if they’re going to hire you.
- You don’t have the inside story. You have no control over how quickly a company moves, and you probably don’t have a true sense of where you stand in their process.
- You have competition. Other candidates may be a better fit for the company’s needs.
- Companies want to hear that your job search is active. They want to hire go-getters who are busy applying and interviewing with many companies. Passive, low-energy, unmotivated candidates aren’t attractive to companies.
- Your market value tends to decrease the longer you’re out of work. The clock is ticking, and not in your favor. After some time has passed, companies will assume that no one else wanted to hire you.
When unemployed, explore all of your options. You may be very busy, but many interviews often turn into multiple offers. That’s a good problem to have!