The document discusses 5 lessons from online dating that can be applied to job searching: 1. Describe a shared future between the employer and candidate by envisioning how your skills could help advance the company's mission rather than just stating your interests. 2. Choose a great profile photo that presents you professionally and gives insights into your personality and qualifications. 3. Put yourself in the employer's shoes to understand their perspective and tailor your application accordingly. 4. Use proven strategies like action verbs, quantifying results, and mirroring the language in the job description. 5. Have confidence and apply to positions you may see as out of your league since taking bold risks can pay off.

1. 5 Lessons For The Job Search
From The World Of
Online Dating
Diana Ecker
3.19.22

2. Originally delivered at the
Connect-Work-Thrive
Conference in
Santa Clara, CA

3. How can the same principles
that make online dating
profiles more successful be
applied to the job search?

4. LESSON ONE
Describe a
shared future

5. Some online dating
profiles just list a bunch
of interests:

6. “I like to read.”
“I like to hike.”
“I like to cook.”

7. “I like to read.”
“I like to hike.”
“I like to cook.”
K

8. Why not help the
reader envision a
shared future together
instead?

9. “We can go on
weekend hikes and
bring our dogs!”

10. “We can go on
weekend hikes and
bring our dogs!”
J

11. “I love getting to
cook for someone
special.”

12. “I love getting to
cook for someone
special.”
J

13. The Job Search
Equivalent
(what someone might be
saying in a cover letter):

14. “I want to expand
my skill set.”

15. “I want to expand
my skill set.”
K

16. “I believe that I’m an
excellent candidate.”

17. “I believe that I’m an
excellent candidate.”
K

18. Again, no shared future.
Just “I want” and
“I believe.”

19. Here’s how you might
offer a vision of a
shared future instead:

20. “I’d like to contribute
my skills to help
advance your
mission.”

21. “I’d like to contribute
my skills to help
advance your
mission.”
J

22. “With my experience,
you could expand your
programs.”

23. “With my experience,
you could expand your
programs.”
J

24. LESSON TWO
Choose a great photo

26. We see photos first
+
We experience
confirmation bias

27. In online dating, many
people will look at
photos first and make a
decision just from that.

28. LinkedIn is such a
powerful tool for the
job search…

29. …and we forget that
people are drawing
conclusions about us
from our photos
there too.

31. J

32. • Lighting
• Background
• Signifiers of status
• Expression

33. What does
your photo tell people
about who you are?

34. LESSON THREE
Put yourself in
their shoes

35. When people write
their online dating
profiles, sometimes
they lose sight of how
their reader will feel:

36. “I put a lot of effort into
annoying my friends.”

37. “I put a lot of effort into
annoying my friends.”
L

38. “You are never bored
when you’re with me,
unless you’re boring.”

39. “You are never bored
when you’re with me,
unless you’re boring.”
L

40. “I think I like cats
better than people.”

41. “I think I like cats
better than people.”
L

42. Cats are great!

43. Cats are great!
But they’re not using
online dating sites.

44. When you don’t put
yourself in the reader’s
shoes, you write things
that may prevent a
connection.

45. The Job Search
Equivalent:

46. “I am who I am.
Why should I tailor
my resume?”

47. “I am who I am.
Why should I tailor
my resume?”
L

48. But when you put
yourself in the
employer’s shoes, of
course you’d tailor your
resume to a position:

49. “They especially need
those skills? Okay, I’ll
emphasize them.”

50. “They especially need
those skills? Okay, I’ll
emphasize them.”
J

51. • Re-order bullet points
• Add highlights section
• Edit skill list
• Change category
names

52. LESSON FOUR
Use proven strategies

53. The way readers react
to language is often
predictable.

54. OkTrends,“Exactly What to Write in a First Message”

55. Use what works!

56. Yale Undergraduate Career Services,“Resume Action Verbs”

57. • Resume verbs
• Results
• Numbers
• Language from the
job description

58. LESSON FIVE
Be bold

59. With online dating,
sometimes people get
intimidated…

60. “Forget it.That person
is out of my league.”
L

61. The Job Search
Equivalent:

62. “Forget it.That job is
out of my league.”
L

63. Not so fast!

64. “Fortune befriends
the bold.”
— Emily Dickinson

65. IN SUMMARY:

66. IN SUMMARY:
Describe a shared future

67. IN SUMMARY:
Describe a shared future
Choose a great photo

68. IN SUMMARY:
Describe a shared future
Choose a great photo
Put yourself in their shoes

69. IN SUMMARY:
Describe a shared future
Choose a great photo
Put yourself in their shoes
Use proven strategies

70. IN SUMMARY:
Describe a shared future
Choose a great photo
Put yourself in their shoes
Use proven strategies
Be bold

71. J J

72. Photo by
Yogendra Joshi:
“Expressions @
Times Square, NY”
Creative Commons Attribution License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
*Yogendra174 on Flickr *

73. J J