I know what you’re thinking, what on earth does recruiting have to do with online dating?
Allow me to explain.
Over the years, recruitment has changed a lot.
From newspaper and billboard ads to online ads on job boards and social media channels.
We’re living in the 21st century, where everything is digital and involves technology in some shape or form.
Whether you’re chatting to people via Facebook, sending an email on the go or buying a new pair of jeans from a high-street retailer, the way we communicate and process information taps into digitalisation.
The way people find love has also shifted in the past five to ten years as well.
Very rarely do singletons simply approach each other when they’re out and about.
Today’s generation feels much more comfortable swiping and matching from the comfort of their homes.
And who could blame them?
At least a rejection doesn’t have to happen in public!
Interestingly, the whole online dating scene is strangely similar to the way we recruit as well.
Here are five remarkable similarities.
Matching both parties needs and demands
The idea of dating apps like Tinder and Bumble is to find your perfect partner.
It’s free to register and you could find your soulmate – what’s not to like?
When signing up, you are usually encouraged or required to enter a few details about yourself – including age, physical appearance, traits and what type of person you’re looking for.
As a singleton, you can then pick whether you “like what you see” by swiping left or right.
In recruitment, we use a very similar process.
When you’re looking for an ideal candidate, you search for experience, soft skills, technical skills and traits to suit your work culture.
Once you find a match made in heaven, you’ll offer them an interview.
Just be sure to assess for personality and work culture fit, as well as the face-value elements.
You’re required to make the first move
Reaching out to a potential love interest is quite daunting – but so is contacting a potential candidate.
At some point, you’re required to make contact and sell the job.
Whether you like it or not, the dating game involves you selling yourself.
Why should someone go on a first or second date with you?
Have you got the qualities the other person likes?
With both recruitment and online dating, you have to just throw caution to the wind.
An interview might not go well just like a first date doesn’t always hit the high notes.
But the main thing is that you tried.
Being proactive in your recruitment game is a positive.
Talent is scarce
While there are millions of talented professionals out there, very few of them will have what you want.
Online dating also shares this scarcity issue.
You could be browsing a dating app for hours, days, weeks, months or even years and still not find anyone.
And then when you finally find someone you’re interested in, they don’t always reply!
It’s a cruel and unforgiving reality.
When recruiting, how often does a promising candidate drop out on you at the last minute? Or turn down the job offer right at the end?
The key is to keep calm and carry on!
You’re following the market
As I mentioned earlier, everything is digital nowadays.
Naturally, this has lead to a shift in the market where people flock to use new apps, processes or features.
In regards to online dating and recruitment, it’s your job to follow where the market is.
For online dating, the world strives for apps.
Whereas with online recruitment, job seekers flock to a job board or social media to find their dream role.
Just as singletons will switch to the latest dating app, it’s important that you stay in the loop with the most popular job boards.
If you don’t, it might be harder to find a match.
Shortlisting is a piece of cake
It sounds extremely cutthroat, but in the dating world, everyone shortlists.
After all, nobody wants to invest their effort and money into a timewaster.
It’s all about speed and convenience.
Finding a match needs to be on our terms, as there simply isn’t enough time in the day to meet everyone face-to-face.
You see, meeting each other on eye level is a valued thing to a lot of companies and singletons.
Like online dating, you have the power to sift through applications and only invite those with potential to an interview.
However, doing it in both the online dating and recruitment worlds takes practice.
Or if you haven’t got time to test the water with your recruitment drive, you can always check out this handy guide on shortlisting.
Final thoughts
So, there you have it.
Contrary to belief, online dating really is like recruitment!
It’s convenient, utilises the market’s needs and it cuts out the rubbish.
As a company, you can learn a lot from this way of thinking.
Tap into this digital world and you can find your perfect match in no time at all.
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