In job hunting, advancing multiple applications simultaneously is a common approach, but there are many cases where people are unsure of how many companies to apply to at once or how to prioritize them. Applying to more companies than you can manage carries the risk of your preparation for each individual company becoming inadequate.
Here, we explain practical know-how for conducting a job search you won’t regret — from the merits and demerits of multiple simultaneous applications, to specific ways to set priorities, schedule management techniques, and how to choose a company when you receive a job offer.
Is It Normal to Advance Selection Processes at Multiple Companies Simultaneously in a Job Search?
In job hunting, applying to multiple companies simultaneously is by no means unusual. Rather, applying simultaneously is considered common practice for broadening your options and comparing and examining each company.
If you narrow down to just one company, the psychological damage if you are rejected can be significant, and the period of activity may drag on.
By advancing multiple selection processes in parallel, you can spread risk and determine the one company most suited to you with peace of mind.
How Many Companies Is Everyone Applying To? The Average Number of Applications by Successful Job Changers
Data on how many companies people who successfully changed jobs actually applied to serves as a useful benchmark for your own activity.
According to multiple survey results, the average number of applications by successful job changers ranges widely from 8.4 to 32.0 companies, and there are cases where people apply to even more. There are also survey results indicating that the average number of applications needed to receive a job offer is around 10.
What is important is not simply getting through as many as possible, but identifying the range within which you can submit high-quality applications — taking into account your own career history and skills, as well as the time you can devote to the job search. Since the number of applications varies depending on the industry you are targeting, it is realistic to adjust the number of applications according to your situation.
3 Benefits of Advancing Selection Processes at Multiple Companies Simultaneously
There are many advantages to advancing selection processes at multiple companies simultaneously.
Specifically, these include the ease of finding the company best suited to you by comparing and examining each company, the increased likelihood of completing your job search in a shorter period as the selection process advances efficiently, and the peace of mind that comes from having multiple options — which leads to psychological stability.
Understanding these merits and strategically advancing your activity is important for realizing a career change you can be satisfied with.
Compare Multiple Companies and Choose the One That Suits You
With the selection process at only one company, the offered conditions and the impression of the interviewer become everything, making objective judgment difficult.
However, by looking at multiple companies simultaneously, you can compare and examine from multiple angles — such as business content, company culture, treatment, and the atmosphere of the people who work there. The strengths and weaknesses of each company become clear, and it also becomes an opportunity to reconfirm your “job change criteria” — what you are looking for in a job.
Since you can make a calm judgment based on real information obtained through the selection process, you can prevent mismatches after joining and make a choice with a high degree of satisfaction.
Easier to Secure a Position in a Short Period of Time
Job hunting generates a lot of waiting time — waiting for the results of document screening and interviews. If you apply one company at a time, when you are rejected you need to start searching for companies from scratch again, and the activity period tends to drag on.
By advancing multiple selection processes in parallel, you can make efficient use of time — such as attending an interview at another company while waiting for the results of one company’s selection process.
Even if the selection process at one company comes to a stop, the overall activity does not stagnate since other selection processes are progressing. As a result, the likelihood of being able to shorten the overall period of the job search increases.
Having Options in Reserve Creates Peace of Mind and Mental Breathing Room
If there is only one company whose selection process you are undergoing, the pressure of “if I fail here, there’s nothing after this” can negatively affect your performance in interviews. The psychological blow of receiving a rejection notice also tends to be greater.
However, if there are other companies where selection processes are ongoing, these serve as “options in reserve” that provide psychological support.
Mental breathing room — the feeling that “it’s fine even if I don’t fixate on this one company” — is created, and you can approach the job search as a whole calmly, without being swayed by the result of any single company.
Caution! 3 Drawbacks That Tend to Arise When Advancing Multiple Companies Simultaneously
While there are merits to advancing selection processes at multiple companies simultaneously, there are also drawbacks that require attention.
Specifically, these include preparation for each individual company becoming thin as the number of applied companies increases, being overwhelmed by complex schedule management which invites mistakes, and feeling a psychological burden when declining offers.
By understanding these drawbacks in advance and taking countermeasures, you can reduce the risk of failures associated with multiple applications.
Company Research and Interview Preparation for Each Company Becomes Insufficient
The more companies you apply to, the less time you can inevitably spend on each. As a result, company research becomes shallow and there is a risk that you can only prepare generic statements of motivation that could apply to any company.
Since recruiting staff try to gauge how well you understand their company and how high your motivation to join is, insufficient preparation is easily seen through.
If statements of motivation and self-PR tailored to each company have not been crafted, your enthusiasm will not come through, and you may end up lowering your own chances of passing the selection process. Care is needed not to become fixated only on the number of applications.
Schedule Management for Interviews and Communications Becomes Complex
When multiple selection processes advance simultaneously, the tasks that need to be managed surge — adjusting interview schedules, document submission deadlines, replying to communications from companies. In particular, the risk of double-booking — where interview dates overlap or you make a mistake about a date or time — increases. Such management errors can give companies a negative impression.
It is also necessary to accurately track the selection phase and the name of the person in charge at each company, making management extremely complex. If you increase the number of applications without a plan, your schedule may collapse entirely.
You Must Contact Companies to Decline When You Receive a Job Offer
When you receive multiple job offers, you need to contact all companies other than the one you ultimately decide to join to decline their offer. For many people, having to turn down companies that invested time and effort in your selection process carries a psychological burden.
Especially when you have built a good relationship with the recruiting staff through interviews and the like, the feeling of guilt can intensify. However, this is an unavoidable process when making multiple applications.
As a sincere response, contacting the company as soon as you have decided to decline is business etiquette.
Your Job Change Criteria Are Key! How to Determine Priority Order When Applying to Multiple Companies
When applying to multiple companies, rather than proceeding haphazardly, establishing your own priority order holds the key to success. First, it is important to understand your own capacity and clarify what you prioritize in a career change — that is, your “job change criteria.”
By grouping the companies you apply to based on those criteria and flexibly reviewing your priority order in line with selection progress, efficient choices that you won’t regret become possible.
First, Decide on a Number of Applications That Matches Your Capacity
The number of companies that can be managed simultaneously varies greatly depending on individual circumstances. Taking into account the workload at your current job and your personal time, the first step is to set a number of applications that you can handle without strain while giving careful attention to each. Generally, having around five selection processes ongoing at any given time is considered a manageable benchmark.
Too many applications and your preparation for each company becomes inadequate; too few and you may become anxious when your options run out.
It is important to start with a manageable number and adjust as you get a sense of your own pace.
Clearly Articulate Your “Non-Negotiable Conditions” and “Conditions You’d Like to Fulfill if Possible”
The foundation for prioritization is your basis for judgment in a career change — your “job change criteria.”
From elements such as treatment, work location, job content, and company culture, put into words what you separate into “conditions that are absolutely non-negotiable” and “conditions that are not mandatory but that you would like to fulfill if possible.”
For example, “annual salary of 5.5 million yen or more” and “weekends and holidays off” are non-negotiable conditions, while “remote work two or more days per week” is a condition you’d like to fulfill if possible — something along those lines.
When this criteria is clear, there is less uncertainty when choosing companies to apply to or when you receive a job offer, and you can make objective judgments.
Group and Manage Companies According to Your Level of Interest
Grouping the companies you apply to according to your level of interest makes it easier to allocate resources.
For example, classify them in the form of “First Choice Group,” “Second Choice Group,” and “Third Choice Group,” and assign companies to each group. Place in the First Choice Group the companies that best match your job change criteria.
This grouping makes it clear which companies to invest the most time and effort in.
Company research and interview preparation should naturally be done more deeply and with priority given to the higher-interest group of companies, allowing you to strengthen your preparation for your top-choice companies.
Update Priority Order in Line with Selection Progress
Priority order in a job search is not fixed. As the selection process advances, it is frequent to notice new attractions of a company, or conversely, to feel a gap from your initial image.
It is not unusual for a company that was initially your second choice to surge dramatically in your interest level through dialogue with the interviewer.
For this reason, flexibility is required to periodically review your priority order based on the selection stage at each company and new information gained in interviews. It is important to update priorities in response to changes in the situation and continuously optimize your behavioral guidelines.
Don’t Get Overwhelmed! Schedule Management Techniques for Smoothly Advancing Selection Processes at Multiple Companies
When advancing multiple selection processes simultaneously, schedule management is an important factor that determines success.
It is indispensable to centralize information about applied companies — which tends to become complex to manage — and to visualize the status of selection processes.
By effectively utilizing tools such as calendar apps and spreadsheets and knowing how to make adjustments when interview dates overlap, you can avoid confusion and advance your activities smoothly.
Visualize Selection Status Using Calendar Apps and Spreadsheets
Trying to manage the selection status of multiple companies from memory alone will inevitably result in omissions or misunderstandings somewhere.
Using tools such as Google Calendar and spreadsheets to centrally manage information is the surest method. In the spreadsheet, record in a list the company name applied to, the selection stage, the next action, the interview date and time, the name of the person in charge, and the deadline for submitting documents.
In the calendar, registering not only interview dates and times but also application deadlines with reminders can prevent mistakes.
It is important to visualize information and create a state where the overall picture can always be grasped.
Smart Tips for Requesting Adjustments When Interview Dates Overlap
When advancing selection processes at multiple companies, overlapping interview dates can happen. In such cases, responding calmly and politely is important.
When you receive a communication about schedule adjustment, make a point of replying as quickly as possible.
If adjustment is necessary, rather than one-sidedly conveying your convenience, it is good etiquette to proactively propose multiple candidate dates and times from your side. At that time, adding a cushioning phrase such as “I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, but I have a prior commitment at the time you proposed” and showing a forward-looking attitude throughout leads to a good impression.
Two Interviews Per Day Is the Limit for Maintaining Concentration
In pursuit of efficiency, packing three or four interviews in a single day should be avoided.
Interviews are more draining — both mentally and physically — than you might imagine, and it is difficult to maintain high concentration through multiple rounds. It is generally said that around two companies per day is the limit for maintaining the quality of your responses.
When travel time is also taken into account, three or more companies makes the schedule excessively packed, and fatigue leads to insufficient preparation and a decline in performance.
In particular, for interviews with companies you are highly interested in, build a schedule with ample breathing room so you can attend in peak condition.
How Do You Answer? Sample Answers for When You Are Asked About the Status of Selection Processes at Other Companies in an Interview
Being asked about the status of selection processes at other companies is frequent in interviews. This question contains the intent to confirm the consistency of the applicant’s preferences, their level of motivation to join the company, and the objective evaluation they are receiving from other companies.
The basic approach is to avoid lying, honestly convey the situation, and at the same time appeal that this company is your first choice.
Preparing specific sample answers in advance and giving responses that convey your motivation to join in any situation is important for getting through the interview.
The Basics Are to Honestly Convey the Selection Status While Also Demonstrating Motivation to Join
When asked about the status of selection processes at other companies, lying and saying “I am not applying elsewhere” is not the best approach. Applying to multiple companies in a job search is natural, and recruiting staff are also asking the question with that premise in mind.
The basics are to honestly convey the facts: “I am currently advancing selection processes at X other companies.”
On top of that, it is important to add a statement that clearly shows your motivation to join, such as: “However, among them, I am most strongly drawn to your company’s [X] business and am considering you as my first choice.”
The fact that you are also applying to other companies can also indirectly serve as an appeal that you are a person who is valued by others.
[By Situation] Sample Answers That Make a Good Impression
How you convey the status of selection processes at other companies requires ingenuity depending on your progress. If there are no other companies where you are in a selection process, conveying “I am currently focusing my selection process entirely on your company” demonstrates high enthusiasm.
If there are other companies where you are in a selection process, it is effective to convey your high level of interest while demonstrating the consistency of your criteria — for example: “I am interviewing at two companies in the same [X] industry, and I am waiting for the results of first-round interviews at both. Among them, I most strongly sympathize with your company’s vision of [X].”
If you have already received a job offer, conveying “I have received an offer from one company, but I am considering making my final decision after hearing the result of your company’s selection process” demonstrates a strong will to join.
You’ve Received Multiple Offers! Final Checkpoints for Choosing One Company You Won’t Regret
When you receive offers from multiple companies, the final important decision awaits. If you rush into a decision at this stage, there is a risk of regretting it after joining.
It is important to return once again to your “job change criteria” — what you were hoping to achieve through this career change — and calmly compare and examine the conditions of each company.
In particular, check the letter of employment conditions — which specifically describes the job content and working conditions — in detail, and conduct a final check for choosing one company you can be satisfied with.
Once You Receive an Offer, Cross-Reference It Against Your “Job Change Criteria” Once More
The euphoria of receiving a job offer can make calm judgment difficult. It is indispensable to stop once and go through the work of cross-referencing each item of your “job change criteria” — set before you began your job search — against the conditions of the company that offered you a position.
Objectively evaluate whether the “absolutely non-negotiable conditions” are met and to what extent the “conditions you’d like to fulfill if possible” can be realized.
Rather than just the immediate conditions of salary and position, thinking from a medium- to long-term perspective — such as the fulfillment of the work, the future potential of the career path, and compatibility with the company culture — leads to a choice you won’t regret.
Check the Contents of the Letter of Employment Conditions in Detail
Before accepting a job offer, it is important to check every corner of the “letter of employment conditions” or “notice of working conditions” presented by the company.
Check the breakdown of salary (base salary, various allowances, bonuses), working hours, whether there is overtime (including whether deemed overtime hours are included), holidays, work location, and job content to confirm there are no discrepancies from what was discussed in the interview. In particular, the possibility of transfer and the conditions during the probationary period are points that are easy to overlook.
If there is even the slightest question or unclear point, make sure to confirm it with the recruiting staff before accepting the offer and have it resolved.
[With Sample Phrases] How to Politely Decline a Job Offer
After choosing one company from multiple offers, you must contact the other companies to decline. Once you have decided to decline, contacting them as soon as possible with sincerity is good etiquette.
Basically, the most polite method is to convey this directly to the recruiting staff by phone.
If the person in charge is unavailable, first send an email notification, and then call again later.
Keep the reason for declining brief — such as “after careful consideration” or “after considering my own aptitude.” With gratitude and apology, convey it politely in a form such as: “Thank you very much for informing me of your offer on this occasion. I sincerely apologize, but I would like to respectfully decline your offer at this time.”
Summary
In job hunting, advancing multiple selection processes simultaneously is an effective strategy for broadening your options and finding the one optimal company through comparison and examination.
To maximize its effect, it is indispensable to manage the number of applications after gauging your own capacity and to determine priority order based on clear “job change criteria.”
Thorough schedule management and careful preparation for each company prevent missed opportunities.
From the way you respond in interviews through to the final decision after receiving an offer, maintaining a consistent set of criteria will lead to realizing a career change you can be truly satisfied with.
