What Dating Teaches Us About The Job Search

Statistically, the average person will have two long-term relationships, two heartbreaks and a whole number of bad dates before they find “the one”.

For most of us the path to true love doesn’t run smoothly, and the same can be said for the journey to finding the perfect job. It can feel like an endless cycle of applications and interviews, with no offers at the end of it.

Whether you’re searching for a new relationship or a new job, a lot of the same hurdles exist, but never fear, there are ways to get over them and get what you deserve:

1) Stand out

Trawling through job websites trying to find the perfect one for you can feel a lot like Tinder. You come across one you like the look of, you apply and anxiously wait to see if it’s a match. Even if you do match the criteria, there’s so much competition out there, how do you know they’ll be interested?

As with dating, the key to finding the one is to stand out, be honest and, most importantly, be confident. On average, 118 people apply for any given job, so don’t be afraid to big yourself up! Make that CV and cover letter as good as it can be. Always relate your skills back to the job specification and let them know you’ve done your research. Fight for what you want and make it your time to be noticed.

2) Get back in the game

Rejection in any aspect of life is never a nice feeling, but rejection after you thought you smashed an interview can be extremely disheartening for a job search.

After getting over the initial disappointment, remember that resilience is key, so the best way to recover is to re-group and come back stronger (think a Khloe Kardashian-esque glo up, post-Lamar).

Use their feedback, write down the tough questions they asked and absorb as much of the experience as possible. Interviews are a skill and you can and will get better at them. Come back stronger and it’s onto the next one!

3) Interview = first date

Essentially, a job interview is a much more professional first date. You’re meeting for the first time, trying to be memorable and make a good impression. The only major difference between a first date and an interview is that talking about your ex (jobs) is a must!

It’s important to get your personality across but you also don’t want to scare them off (so don’t let your crazy show until you’re at least a few dates deep, or in job terms, until you’ve secured the job)!

It always helps to come prepared, so for an interview, arm yourself with answers for the standard interview questions as well as those pesky behavioural “describe a time when” questions. Now, go get ’em.

A sense of perspective is one of the most important things to remember with the job search. Rejection is part of life but it’s also not the be all and end all. So, you didn’t get the job you really wanted? Take it on the chin and press on because there’s plenty more fish in the sea.

Ellie Abraham is a guest contributor for Inspiring Interns. Based near Brighton, she has a Geography degree from MMU and is now turning her hand to writing. Check out her blog here.

Inspiring Interns is a graduate recruitment agency which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships and giving out graduate careers advice. To hire graduates or browse graduate jobs London, visit our website.