Tick tock… Valentine’s Day is tomorrow!
As cards are doled out in classrooms and frantic Casanovas make last-minute dinner reservations, I can’t help but see the similarities between romance and the job search.
After all, the job search is kind of like dating. In dating and the job search, you start out unaccompanied and are looking for the right match. Getting fired or quitting is a lot like breaking up, and, when a good match is made, long-term commitment is inevitable.
So, on a light-hearted note, check out the six job search lessons we’ve all learned from dating:
It has to be the right fit
Anyone who has been dating can tell you about one time or another where a date wasn’t going to go anywhere because the fit wasn’t right. It’s nobody’s fault, it’s just that something didn’t click.
In the job search, rejection happens. Sometimes, it has nothing to do with your qualifications or personality – it’s just not a good fit. The key to career happiness isn’t to find whatever (or whoever) will take you, it’s to find the right company that gives you as much as you give it.
Don’t come on too strong
You wouldn’t propose on the first date, would you? That would be ludicrous! Your date would high-tail it faster than, well, anyone. Both parties might be looking for marriage, but coming on too strong too soon can have nasty consequences.
The same goes for the job search. A desperate cover letter or interview can be awfully scary to an employer. They might want to hire you, but they don’t want it all on the table that fast.
Have mutual friends
Online dating may be the hip thing to do, but nothing beats meeting someone through friends. There is something comforting about dating someone who has your friends behind them, isn’t there?
In the job search, you can connect with dozens of employers through job boards, but having a mutual connection is so much better. Your colleague can vouch for you and the company, so that you’re not starting out cold.
It’s not all about you
Let’s say you go on a date with someone who talks about nothing but how great of a boyfriend/girlfriend they are. They go on and on about their superb kissing skills, ability to open doors, not to mention their good looks. Yikes, right?
When it comes to your resume, social media profiles, and interview, you should know that it’s not all about you. In fact, it’s not about you much at all. Instead, it should be about how you mesh with a company. Make it easy for the employer to connect you to their team.
You have to kiss a lot of frogs…
It might be cheesy, but it’s true. Unless you’re a character from Up, the first person you meet might not be your true love. And that’s OK.
Just because you hit a dud company doesn’t mean your chances of working your dream job are lowered. If anything, you know more about yourself and you can strike another line off your list.
There are plenty of fish in the sea
What would a blog post about dating be if this wasn’t included? I know what it’s like to be a dater and a job seeker. Sometimes, it seems as though there is nothing out there, there’s no perfect fit for you.
That’s simply not true. With roughly around 30 million businesses in theUnited States, there’s bound to be a good company for you.
What do you think? What other lessons have you learned from dating? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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