Top 10 similarities between dating and job hunting

Ever notice how job hunting is a lot like dating? I sure have, and I have put together a list of the similarities. Here they are:

1. Dress for success. You put on your best clothes, shave, comb and put gel in your hair for the special date (interview) so you can make the all important good first impression. This can be tricky depending on the industry, the company and region of the country, so do your homework. A good rule of thumb is don’t dress better than the other person on the date (interview)
2. Always be On. When in public, always assume you are being watched from the time you drive up to the time you drive away from the event. Have your car clean, dress for success, use professional language and manners. Always speak well of others because you don’t know who knows who, nor their opinion of the person. That is also why it is important to be on because you don’t know who could make that important introduction or that the next great relationship is standing right in front of you. This can happen at a networking event, a sports event, while going to the store or at your kid’s football practice.
3. Market yourself. You are on the market for a new relationship, even if you have been dumped and don’t feel ready to get back out there, you must. Figure out your brand. What is it? What is your tagline? What is your elevator speech? What is your advertising campaign like? What is your message that is being conveyed through your reputation, your network, your clothes, etc. This is vital to attract the next great relationship with someone (company) which shares your values.
4. Do your research. You cyberstalk the person (company), to find out all you can about them, so you can speak with them intelligently. You want to know what they like and dislike. You want to be able to answer questions and speak to topics that are important to them and ask leading questions that help you decide if this will be a good relationship.
5. Utilize your network. You speak to people in your network, your friends or their friends ,past employees (boyfriends/girlfriends) and learn about the true nature of the person that might not be revealed in the first meeting. Get set ups with good people (companies).
6. Create positive questions. Make statements that will cause the person to ask you more positive questions so you can keep the conversation going and they see you as a person they want to have a relationship with.
7. Value yourself. Don’t be easy. No one respects a person that is easy or undervalues their contribution to the relationship. Hold out for what you are truly worth regardless of how long it’s been or that the offer seems to be attractive at that moment. Anything worth having is worth waiting for, so if an offer is made, think about it before jumping into a bad relationship.
8. Be yourself. In order to have a good relationship, it needs to be built on trust and who you really are. It does no good to pretend to be something your not because we are looking for a long term relationship. This works on both sides. How many companies have we worked at turned out very different from the image portrayed in the interview?  Save yourself time and money by being yourself.
9. Stay positive. You may have just been dumped; the person tells you it’s not you but them; your going in different directions, etc. Remember it is not a reflection on you personally. You need to stay positive. The right one is out there for you. You won’t attract the right one by being negative. Face it, who wants to be around a sourpuss.
10. Follow Up. Ok, you had the date (interview) and you thought it went very well. But there is no call the next day. A week, a month goes by and no call. By this time you are angry that the jerk led you on. You put in all of that effort for nothing. This works two ways as well. You can follow up with a call and a thank you card. keep following up about once a week or so to show your still interested. If you don’t get a response after a month, then you probably don’t want to be with them. They have poor communication skills and are unable to be candid with you up front.

So there is my list. Do you have any to add? let me know…