Employment in the Time of Situationships

Have you ever felt that in the era of being ghosted by potential love interests, you’re getting ghosted by potential employers? If yes, then you’re in a career situationship.

In GenZ terms, a situationship is the messy middle ground between a confused "Are we something?" and a confident "We are this". Situationships make promises of tomorrow without clearly defining what tomorrow means for each party. It’s confusing, anxiety provoking and truly UNNECESSARY.?

At a basic human level, you seek relationships that stimulate your mind, heart and body. When it comes to job hunting, the rest remain the same with the added need for something that fills the pocket. When you find that all your boxes are being checked by this one person or this one entity in this case then you’re filled with hope and optimism for the future.

The Anjali Syndrome

I thought that there’s nothing worse than being in a one sided relationship but you know what’s even more terrible? Being in a scenario which feels equal at first but it ends with one person being left in the dust without any clarification of what happened. This situation makes you feel like Anjali from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai but even the ever problematic Rahul had the conscience to confess that he liked Tina instead. Why aren’t we all being told that Tina was the one and not us??

Turning Situationships into Relationships

I believe that your best case scenario here would be taking unsolicited advice from a 23 year old. So here it goes, there are a few ways to know whether your situationship is going to turn into a full fledged relationship.?

i. Ghosts of Jobs Past

You don’t talk about the ‘EXES’. Stop spending a majority of your time talking about why things didn’t work out with your past employers or employees. Follow the MM rule, mention and move on.?

ii. The Story of Us

You make plans about the future. Not the company's future or your future but your future within the company.

iii. Talk the Talk

Clear and effective communication throughout. When you’re on a date with a potential partner, discussing who pays for dinner can get awkward. Job negotiations can have their own awkward dance around salary expectations. Remember, whether it's love or money, it's all about finding that sweet spot where everyone feels appreciated and financially secure.

Expect the Unexpected

I call the above advice unsolicited because situationships are anything but predictable. Remember, even if the signs seem promising, just like in situationships, job prospects can still fizzle out without explanation. So, while it's essential to read the signals and communicate openly, sometimes, things simply don't go as planned.

Convenience vs. Righteousness: The Harsh Reality

Is it okay to string someone along, give them hope and then disappear like nothing ever happened? No. However, it is the easy way out and human beings will mostly prioritise convenience over righteousness any day. Remember Rahul only chose Anjali after Tina was no longer in the picture.?

It’s Complicated or Is It?

Be it love or career, the right thing always comes knocking in especially when the doorbell stops working. Until then, stay tuned while I try to make sense of how our employment status is jarring similar to our relationship status; it’s complicated.

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