Why Interviewing Is Like Dating

We have many opportunities in life to leverage our experience in one area of our lives, with another.  If, for instance, you are a good parent you’re probably a pretty good party planner or project manager. If you are very detail oriented, and love that about yourself, you might be a kick ass editor even if you’ve never considered it as a career path.  If you have not been on a date in many years, or if you just went on one yesterday, you can also apply those social skills (or fond memories of the experience of dating) to interviewing.

Yes.  Scary, but true.  Think about it.  You talk on the phone or email to confirm the details.  You do a little bit of research on the internet about the other person beforehand.  (Or…um…is that just me?)  You want to make a good first impression.  You consider the outfit you’re going to wear and might even make a trip to the dry cleaners or get a haircut before hand.  Sound familiar?

Whether you’re on a date or an interview you have an opportunity to meet someone new, to present yourself and skill set and personality for their consideration, and decide if that opportunity to spend more time together (via a job offer) is one that suits your needs.

Tip of The Day

Interviewing is like dating, so have fun and be your genuine self!

The inspiration for today’s blog came from a conversation I had this past week with my BFF.  I was recounting how jobs are like men.  I wish I could take the really short commute from this job, the great pay from that job, the nice boss from the other job, and the great workspace from the other one….to create the perfect job.

But, alas, there is no perfect job, or man, or woman.  Whether you are dating or interviewing you'll weigh the good and bad aspects of an opportunity, find your deal breakers that would make you run the other way, and decide that although you understand that you don’t really know what the end result will be; you’re willing to take the risk and move forward with what you do know....and hope that it’ll all work out.

A few years ago I published my first book, Women Seeking Men.  It is a compilation of several ads that I placed in the Women Seeking Men section of Craig’s List, and the men’s responses to them.  Looking back, I deeply appreciate what a really great learning opportunity it was for me. I stepped out of my comfort zone and listed my strengths and weaknesses for the world to see and asked complete strangers “What’s wrong with me?”

There is nothing wrong with me. (unless you ask my ex-husband, he might disagree here.) There is nothing wrong with you. (and I’m sure you can find an ex-boss or ex-lover to find a flaw in your perfect self as well.)  We are all just different grades of perfection in progress. How refreshing! Just think, there actually is also no perfect candidate, manager, employee, interview, job, or company.  Stop trying to find one!!!  Instead, take a step back and view them all with your dating glasses on, weighing both the positive and negative attributes.

Finally, when interviewing (and dating, of course) have fun but most importantly, be genuine.  If you are your true self you'll get a far more accurate perspective of how well you and your employer can work together than if you were to "fake it till you make it".

Don't forget, if the job does not work out as you planned, you at least had the opportunity to learn something new about yourself and move on.  After all, nothing ventured.....nothing gained.