The premise of my column, which comes from one of my career mentors, might sound a bit confusing.

Years ago, when I was finishing graduate school, I spent a significant amount of time searching for the right job.

Occasionally, one would pop up that would seem almost right. It would have a great job description. The company seemed stable. The team seemed interesting.

But there was something about the hiring manager that was off – or perhaps the company wasn’t offering a competitive salary.

I would meet with my mentor to tell him about the jobs I was considering and discuss the pros and cons of each.

If a job seemed like the wrong fit, he would encourage me to walk away. The thought of turning down an offer without another in hand was nerve-wracking. It was like torture.

This is especially true when you’re unemployed or unhappy with your current job.

“Jobs are like buses,” my mentor would remind me. “Just wait; another one is always coming.”

He felt it was more important to find the right fit than take the first job that came along.

Looking back, I realize these were wise words. Who else in your life do you spend as much time with as your boss and co-workers? For most, the answer is your spouse. You typically don’t choose to marry your first date. Why would you expect that at work?

Often, we want to take every job when we’re feeling desperate. We’re miserable in our current position and think that anything would be better – even if it were just for a short time.

We assume this job may be the best thing we’ll get right now. We may be stuck forever if we wait longer.

The problem with this strategy is complex.

First, your next job might have just as many problems are your current job, if not more. As the saying goes, sometimes the devil you know is better than the one you don’t.

More important, planning to take a job for a short time forces you to explain why you’re looking for a new job just after accepting one. This means that you’ll be explaining all the dirt on your old company, including the ways that you didn’t get along with your boss or co-workers.

When you choose to wait and select the right job, you’ll find yourself there for more than just a short time. While you’re interviewing, you’ll be able to focus on the positives of what you want in the future rather than the negatives from the past.

Whether it comes to interviewing or negotiating your offer, focusing on the positive puts you in a much stronger position.

When you’re having a tough day, just try to remember that jobs are like buses. Just wait. Another one is coming, and you want to be sure you get on the right one.

Angela Copeland, a career expert and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.