Unemployment and Dating

I guess this post really only applies to the unemployed person who is also single.

The desire for companionship does not necessarily go away when you are unemployed. In some instances it can even increase. I had moments when I really was really interested in finding someone, and other moments when the thought of adding that to my life just seemed like it would be way too much. During a period of wanting to meet “the one” I visited a local match-making company. Internet dating seemed really scary to me and I couldn’t imaging walking into my dad’s house for Sunday dinner with a guy I met on the internet. So, I thought a local, reputable match-making service was a much better option. After a brief meeting with a consultant, I was very politely told, that I needed to be gainfully employed before I could be considered as a client. Made sense to me, they weren’t some company setting up sugar daddies with dates. This conversation did make me reconsider my position on dating.

I did some real soul searching about whether or not dating was something I should be doing while I was unemployed. Didn’t I have enough to worry about without adding dating into the mix? When it came down to it, I had to take things as they came. It would have been a mistake to not be open to meeting new people just because I wasn’t working. But I had to make sure that if I met someone, I was in the right frame of mind, that I was in a good place as far as how I felt about myself. As I have mentioned before, being unemployed can mess with your confidence and self-worth and when these perceptions are lower than normal, we can make bad choices. For example, if you are in a period where your self-esteem is waning, you might consider dating someone that normally would not have a chance, your standards may fall to the way side because you think less of yourself. Thankfully because I had already experienced a relationship that had begun during a time when I was lacking confidence in myself, I knew what to look for and how to combat it.

For me, I was not willing to sacrifice potential companionship out of fear. I forged ahead and did some dating, nothing too serious, but I did meet a few people whom with I have remained friends. This is something you have to decide for yourself. If you are person that completely ties your self-worth to your job, then during a bout of unemployment may not be the best time to be involved in the dating scene. But if you are able to keep a positive outlook and realize that it your situation does not take away from the person you are, dating can be fun and can take your mind off of your lack of employment.