<p>“You do have leverage. You’re the most qualified applicant for the position.”
-This is a dream…while in reality they have thousands and can easily pick up more if they want.</p>
<p>^^^Actually that’s not true. I may get a lot of resumes, but it doesn’t mean they are all qualified. Once I get to a point of wanting to make an offer, I want THAT person. This is very much like college application. When students are applying, the school has the option, but once the decision is made, then the students have the option. That is why some schools would negotiate on their FA package for very strong applicant.</p>
<p>^^^ Sort of. But we know that students on the waiting list at college are just as qualified.</p>
<p>They maybe just as qualified, but their profile may not be as good of fit when you are trying to build a community. </p>
<p>When you have only one position to fill, I would rank the applicants I want to hire and we’ll go down to the next one, but we would prefer to get the first choice within reason.</p>
<p>…exactly “sort of”… There is no black a white, 100%, clear cut line in anything. The sepcific person could have sold himself better than others. There are many others who would qualify and it is normal for an average business to hold to many candidates and not to rely on one person decision, who most likely has several options on his/her plate. It has happened to me personally many times over. First, you are dry, then 3 offers come at the same time and not always that I made a best decision for myself, sometime the mismatch beween me and my new position became apparent after several weeks at work. However, appparently I was a top qualifier at the time of offer.</p>