Standing out in today’s (Under 25) Landscape

Dating and Business Go Hand and Hand

I am going to be honest with you as a college student in the world that is changing around us so quickly in terms of technology and uniqueness it can feel overwhelming at times to stand out from the crowd and prove you are more than just another college student to potential employers.

The same can be said about standing out in the dating world and not just being part of the stereotypical dating profile page that mentions “I am new to this”, “My friends say…”, or a picture of you in a swimsuit(Girls) or working out (Guys). The under 25 demographic of college students and recent graduates have found ourselves in a difficult position not just because of the current global pandemic we are living in, but also in the fierce competitive world we live in.

Companies are becoming more flexible and going more remote, cutting back staff, virtual commerce is hitting all time levels, and even the way we commute is changing as we speak. This in turn is making it very difficult for students and recent graduates to stand out from the crowd both in our social and professional lives.

In what world did you ever think that dating and personal development in the corporate environment would ever coexist. I’ll tell you that I certainly would have laughed had I heard something like this a few years ago.

You may think I am crazy, but here me out. We all want to stand out from the crowd. It is part of our human nature to get recognition and acknowledgment in our daily lives. In fact we thrive off of it. In our social lives this can be seen with friends, family, and the dating scene. In our professional lives this can be seen with our co-workers and impressing our higher ups. Companies and your potential romantic interests want the same thing! The rule of unique pairings!

Now, you may be thinking Connor what is the rule of unique pairings? If you search the web for this term it can come up as a lot of different things. However, this is strictly related to what you have to offer someone else that is different from the norm.

I’m sure you have had plenty of advice from your parents, siblings, co-workers and friends on how to ace an interview or create a magical first date. Even though it can be great advice and I am sure most of it truly is, do me a favor and throw it in the recycling can to be used for later because in today’s landscape you need unique pairings.

The goal of unique pairings is to become the most attractive version of yourself. This is extremely beneficial to both your work life and your personal life.

To be honest, I believe we have a serious problem today. This problem is an overcrowded marketplace. There are no barriers to entry anymore in both landscapes. There used to be the idea that you actually had to go out, walk up to somebody and take a risk to ask them out. Today the playing field is much different where you can literally be sitting at home on your couch watching tv and setting up your personal dating profile. It used to be the same way in business as well. It used to be that you had to get specific qualifications such as build a business plan, find office space, and achieve something interesting just to be in the marketplace or get your foot in the door.

The reality is even though it isn’t always more successful, today’s landscape has created a big problem. There is a huge abundance of competition that is created as a result.

How do I stand out in a fast food dating culture? How do I build my business as a personal trainer when there are thousands of personal trainers in my town alone? This can span across all industries such as a nutritionist, photographer, website developer, etc.

Standing out has become more important than it ever has. I look back at some of my experiences with trying to stand out in high school, college or even in some of my previous jobs and internships and end up laughing at some of the things I did. I looked at some of my heroes or role models and tried to parody what they did or change my mindset to think a certain way. There were times where I became a very cheap version of other people.

I used to think that qualifications were a way to get people to listen to me and get people to tune into what I was saying. But I was wrong. It all changed when I started to focus less on impressing people and starting to connect with people. My advice to any young professional is to ditch the qualifications and the setup and start speaking from the heart in your own voice, in your own experiences, what you have found to be true, and in turn trusted that people would then be able to connect with that voice.

That is a very special moment when you come to this realization because that is when you realize you are not in competition with everyone else in the dating world or the working world or even more specifically your industry. Once you truly figure out what your voice is you are in the separate league of your own. It is simple nobody can compete with you being you.

Honing your voice within the first five to ten minutes, whether it is online or in person is what allows you to take an initial opportunity and blow it up into something much bigger in your life. Whether it is turning a first date into a life long relationship or a pitch about yourself and your business into doing something that you love.

This in turn will help you become more attractive in both the marketplace for your business future and perhaps your dating life. Remember to invest in those who invest in you, and if you have two qualities in you that you don’t normally find in the same person — that’s a unique pairing. It is the combination of qualities that makes us really attractive. Not just being dominant in one area. This is what businesses are looking for as well as your potential soulmate.

(Thus They Co-Exist)