How to Score a Date with Your Potential Employer

THE BIRDS AND THE BEES… There are a lot of similarities between looking for a job and dating; putting yourself out there for someone to notice you, accept you and ultimately date/interview/hire you. There’s a getting to know you stage, evaluating if you want a second date stage, and deciding if you want a long term relationship stage. And like dating, there are some rules of engagement. So before you’re released into the world of job seeking, I’m going to exercise my parental obligation to walk you through the birds and bees of employer dating.  One difference between personal relationships and relationships with an employer is that it’s not monogamous. In other words, it’s okay to date multiple employers at once before finding “THE ONE.” A matter of fact, it’s encouraged! So take this one opportunity in life to spread yourself around and get to know as many employers as possible before landing your first professional relationship.  It’s okay to flirt in the relationship. There’s no better feeling than having multiple employers interested in you. It’s a stroke to your ego and validates your marketability. So take advantage of the situation if it happens to you. The rule of thumb in the professional world is that it’s best to have another job before leaving your current relationship. So make sure you don’t burn any bridges with the other employers you “dated” during your job search. Remain in the friend zone and keep the lines of communication open because you never know when someone from the friend zone may think of you for a new opportunity. Also, employers are notorious bird-doggers. In other words, they like going after candidates who are already taken and performing well so remember this as you progress through your career