The job search is fragile.

You’ve decided it’s time to look for a new job. While you’re happy with your current position, there are some things that could be better. You feel stagnant in your role and it’s time for a change, good for you!

You’ve taken the first steps.

Your resume and LinkedIn are updated, you’re researching companies and opportunities that interest you, you’ve connected with a recruiter and there it is, the amazing job opening you’ve been looking for.

You apply through your awesome Recruiter and next thing you know you have a phone screen scheduled with the Hiring Manager!

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Too often when we get to this point, candidates say, “let’s put everything else on hold.” I get it, you can focus on that one role. Most job seekers are still working, so time is limited and the process can get overwhelming fast. While stalling to “see what happens” seems like a smart plan, it’s not.

By deciding to not apply or have your resume submitted to any other companies while you wait out a phone screen or other part of the interview process is a huge disservice to your search. Here’s why:

1. There’s so much more out there.

Sure, this job seems great, but you never know what else is out there. It’s possible that another company with an open role could be just as, or even more exciting! You don’t want to risk passing that up just because you think you’ve found a great fit.  

2. Timing is everything.

By putting your search on hold you’re also putting yourself at a distinct disadvantage from a timing standpoint. Recruiting processes can be long and the timing can vary from company to company. If you shut down your search waiting to hear from the perfect job and it ends up not working out, you could be putting yourself a month or more behind. You’ll have to restart your search from scratch and, let’s be honest, you really wanted that job so you’ll probably be a little beat up.

For more thoughts on timing in the tech recruitment market, check out Jordan Zmick’s “Timing is Everything” post.

3. Choice is good.

When you focus on one role at time in your job search, you’re eliminating the possibility of receiving more than one offer at a time. By having two or more offers at once you are provided a great opportunity to compare and contrast them.

Even though you think this “perfect job” is the best fit and can’t be beaten, it could be useful to have another company offering you a role so you can compare their salaries, bonuses, benefits, etc. You could even use this second offer as leverage while negotiating. At worst, having multiple offers will only confirm that the role you thought was perfect really is, or you will realize that it wasn’t all that great after all.

Be a happy egg.

While putting your search on hold as you wait to hear back from your dream job may seem like the smart and easy thing to do, it’s never the right call.

When you put all your eggs in one basket, you make your job hunt harder on yourself – don’t crack, keep those applications flowing!

Ryan Swartzendruber, Technical Recruiter for Objective Paradigm’s Talution Group, recruits on both contract and direct hire positions in addition to his Account Manager responsibilities. Ryan’s focus is in the financial and software industries where he consistently meets clients needs by identifying and placing talent to help businesses scale. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn.