Making your next move your best move

There are a ton of similarities between dating and looking for a new job. Both tasks consist of a lot of putting yourself out there with no real guarantee of any interest from the other party. You have to figure out the right amount of information to give initially and try to read in between the lines for signs that you might be a mutually beneficial match. You also have to deal with competition from an unknown amount of other suitors. As hard as it is (usually) to gauge what the opposite sex is thinking, it's even harder to gauge the same thing from a potential employer. Some will be straight up with you, but the vast majority seem to be determined to have you jump through a lot of hoops. Like an overly kind missed connection, they'll want you to keep in touch afterwards in case something comes up down the road. Rejection is tough to swallow though, and even tougher when your livelihood is tied up in it. As mixed as the results of dating might be, you'll still go home afterwards for the most part unscathed and live to fight another day. With job hunting, the losses are a lot harder. In both instances, the temptation to settle can be overwhelming. But you have to ask yourself if you think that you could be ok with being stuck in that life, mired in some ultimately mediocre situation with no real opportunity to escape because you let it pass you by. For the time being, I'm resolved to chase down my dreams. How long this drive will last, I'm not sure. I am sure that I hate being stuck and as long as I can I will keep striving to put myself in an optimal situation.