> This seems like terrible advice for most people though. But why? Maybe reducing number of companies you apply to lets you focus much more on getting prepare

> This seems like terrible advice for most people though. But why? Maybe reducing number of companies you apply to lets you focus much more on getting prepared and this leads to you standing out from other candidates? Remember, you don't need a thousand jobs, you just need one. One that suits you. If I am interviewer and I see a candidate that looks like he/she is prepared, did their research and genuinely care and want to work for the company I work for, don't you think this is huge advantage when comparing to other candidates, all else being equal? And it is rare that all else is being equal. People who are genuinely prepared typically tend to do a lot of other things right.