Dating for a Living
When did dating become a job search? We’re all creating what boil down to LinkedIn and Monster profiles, and looking for open positions online.
Like with job hunting, the search for a mate has become far less personal in the transition to the digital age. Just like you no longer hear stories about your friends walking in to a Barnes & Noble and getting a job, you don’t hear of as many romances starting this way. What’s happened to the spontinaiety of meeting someone in real life? And even when we do, that short meeting isn’t followed with a call a couple of days later, it’s coupled with a Google search when they leave the room.
We pour over one another’s social media desperately looking for similar interests to see if there is…something… anything in common — that we can work with. And if there is, great. But more times than not there are little things that stop romances before they begin. Maybe she liked a Trump news story on FB or retweets buzzfeed lists of 90s kids references too often. The fact is, just like with job applicants, we’re prescreening. For more on this, read Diana’s post about Google and Love.
But you know what? There’s actually more opportunities out there than anyone could have found at a bar 15 years ago with the sole exceptions of maybe Pamela Anderson or Bert Reynolds. The number of applicants for our vacancies is much larger nowadays. It’s on us to actually evaluate the applicants rather than sifting (read: swiping left) through them looking for reasons to toss their resumes for a typo or a pic with an ex.
More and more relationships are starting online just like more and more job postings have shifted online. And with the growth of messaging, you can interview your top candidates at the same time from your couch.
When you do find the right candidate for the role though, it’s important to still do a real-life chemistry check. Meeting for coffee, lunch, a walk or a quick bite are the 2nd interviews of the dating world. They’ve made it to the next round — you’re willing to spend some more time learning what they’re all about.
