The fastlane involves interviewing for jobs when you already have a job, to get ongoing signals of what others think you are worth as well as getting counteroffers to blindside your current employer in matching or beating.
Never interview for jobs when you don't have a job, if you can help it.
In tech this is even easier because some companies allow for standing offers that can last a year (despite other companies bluffing with 24 hour exploding offers), or they have matchmaking that last upwards of a year as well.
So you can literally keep your job or be laid off and the next employer never even knew but you already had the offer from them.
Never interview for jobs when you don't have a job, if you can help it.
In tech this is even easier because some companies allow for standing offers that can last a year (despite other companies bluffing with 24 hour exploding offers), or they have matchmaking that last upwards of a year as well.
So you can literally keep your job or be laid off and the next employer never even knew but you already had the offer from them.