As you have heard, the job market in 2012 is picking up, that is what every recruiter is saying out there. Unemployment rate in the U.S is dropping, which is good news in recent reports. So yes, the market is picking up, and it is hot right now. Companies are aggressively hiring and that is fantastic news for candidates that are looking for the next new job opportunity.
When the market is picking up, it is good news for the candidates indeed, but it can also be good news for the employers as well. Why? When the market is picking up, it means more candidates is looking for new opportunities, they are more willing to change jobs. It can also mean more applicants applying to a single job. Hence not only does the candidate can choose between offers, the employers also have the chance to select from a pool of quality candidates. Prioritize candidates that they want to hire for a single job.
There is a saying, the "last minute decision only benefits the person that makes it", for a candidate holding multiple offers this is a good situation to be in. But in this case what the candidate is doing is putting job offers on hold. These days the employers are smarter too. There is another saying "jobs don't wait for people, people don't wait for jobs". When this happens, a candidate who put his hopes too high will end up losing all offers as time kills all deal. An employer will choose the second best candidate because he/she has shown more motivation and more confident in accepting the offer.
Hence, if you are a candidate looking for a job in the current market, and you are offered a job that meets your expectation, do accept it or you might lose the good offers and start looking for a job all over again.
