Parenthood means taking great pleasure in activities that would drive you crazy under other circumstances. In that category, I include a whole range of little-kid board games: Candyland; Hi! Ho! Cherry-O; and Chutes and Ladders.

If it weren’t such fun for the little ones, would any self-respecting adult want to deal with the frustrations of climbing ladders of progress, only to be set back by an unlucky spin that sends you sliding further away from your goal?

Alas, that’s a pretty good description of a typical job search — except you’re trying to play multiple pieces at once. Sometimes it seems like every forward move — from application to interview to offer — is met by a reversal. And just as you’re moving forward with one prospect, you’re sliding backwards on another.

How can you play the game without losing your marbles? In this package, business writer Kevin Fogarty talks to career experts about the ups and downs of a multi-tiered job search and offers some suggestions about how to keep your focus – and win the right job.