JOB HUNTING IS JUST LIKE ONLINE DATING!

I’ve been reading about this online dating trend that the millennials are so into these days and honestly, it’s quite fascinating.

It’s this trend that I want to talk to you about today because of all the similarities it has with how the online job search works.

Now, I’m sure you are aware of the many dating apps that are available for use and their primary task is to match you with someone with similar interests so you can find the right partner for you. Most apps have a system of swiping left or right to select of reject someone based on an initial profile and isn’t that a lot like sharing your resume on various platforms and waiting to be selected, waiting for that right swipe?

If you think about it, for the longest time now, job search is largely done on the internet, just like online dating. The employers and job seekers are suitors, looking to match with the perfect option, each one trying to establish if the other has the qualities that will keep them happy and create a lasting, mutually beneficial alliance.

Now, obviously, a lasting alliance cannot be decided upon with just one date or in our case, the initial interview.

The fact is, smart companies, hire slow and fire fast. Which means that they will take their time to evaluate whether a candidate is the right fit for the organisation. This means that the interviewers are trying to gauge two things - 1) Can you do the job, do you have the competencies? and 2) Do you want to do the job and will you be a good cultural fit?

Isn’t it the same when dating?

What I mean is, when you go on a date, you don’t decide whether the person you are meeting is right for you immediately. You take your time, you talk to them, you try to figure out if you like the same things. In short, you try to evaluate your similarities and your differences to determine whether this person is right for you.

If you think about it, looking for the perfect job, applying for it, interviewing, and finally getting selected is a long and competitive process, much like online dating. I say competitive because one side has more control; in dating, it’s the lady who has an advantage and while job hunting, it’s the companies that dictate the terms.

You have to understand that during this pandemic, and let’s face it, Covid is not going anytime soon, the quantity of demand will not grow, that is, companies are not looking to hire a lot of people because their ability to generate income has been disrupted. Instead, the demand for quality of candidate is what will grow. Which means that organisations will want to hire one highly skilled person who can do the job of multiple average people. This is why it is critical to learn how to differentiate yourself in the job search and application process.

Building your job search skills and is no longer optional. The average professional changes their job over a dozen times through the course of their career and if you don’t go about securing the right opportunity for yourself, you will experience a mediocre career at best.

Worse, the world will never know all the great things you are capable of and that is the cost of not learning the extremely essential skill of job hunting. In such a scenario, everyone loses.

The ideal job for you is where you use your skills, your education, all the knowledge you have acquired and where your value system is aligned with the values of the organisation. Only when all of these things happen, will you fit well into the culture of the organisation and add value not just to the company but also to yourself. You are looking for certain specific attributes for accepting the ideal role for you.

It’s the same way in online dating. You are constantly looking for all the right qualities in your mate. It may be their physical appearance, their mindset, their attitude, or something else. You are always looking for that one person whose thoughts and actions align with your own, whose value system matches your own because it is vital that you share some similarities to make things work long term.

You must also understand that you are a unique individual and cannot solve every problem. The sooner you accept it, the better it will be for your peace of mind. However, you can solve specific problems better than others and that is your strength. So, when it comes to jobs, much like when it comes to dating - there is certainly some truth to “finding the one that is made for you”.