This has to be some sort of logic fallacy. With multiple offers you are guaranteed to be able to get higher pay, more time off, and/or better working conditions. You can't see the opportunity cost for one job offer, but tradeoffs to other jobs still exist. You might still be happier more productive and better qualified for a different job at a different company.
When I took my current position, I had only one offer. I was moving cities and my response rate was lower than I'd like (some jobs explicitly requested locals), plus I had a shorter window in which to jump ships.
Needless to say, I wasn't negotiating from a position of strength. A nice bump, for sure, but I could have done much better. I regret having to move so quickly.
But now that I have a strong name on my resume, companies are lining up to interview me and this time around I can pit their offers against one another.
Sure, having to pick companies might be slightly stressful, but knowing you got the best deal is an amazing feeling.
I've been able to negotiate 5-10k increase on offers, and improved contracts whilst unemployed and without any competing offers, i've never felt the need to play companies off each other. Being candid has served me well and makes me feel a lot better about myself than trying to play salesman.
I benefit from a lot of privilege and circumstance, but any company making me an offer probably knows that not having another offer right now doesn't weaken my hand, at any moment i'm only a few days away from another offer if I really want it.
So yeah, I suffer from anxiety-related issues, I'm going to choose the route of less stress.
> With multiple offers you are guaranteed to be able to get higher pay, more time off, and/or better working conditions.
Actually, you aren't. You are, however, free to pick one of many offers, and one of them may suit you better than the others. Perhaps you can negotiate better offers, but this doesn't mean that a potential employer may be willing to present a better counter-offer.
They don't have to be willing to present a better counter. If they don't, you just eliminate them from the pool and your decision is that much easier. If you are afraid to do that, then the multiple offers are only illusory anyway, since you would clearly have a preference you should be acting on.
> If they don't, you just eliminate them from the pool and your decision is that much easier.
You're somehow assuming that salary is the only relevant parameter in choosing a job, or even that all jobs are equivalent in career growth and creating more job opportunities. Some jobs are dead-ends and career killers, even if they pay more. This sort of stuff needs to be considered.
