Women Don't Date Unemployed Men. But The Other Way Around Is OK?

As if losing your job doesn't suck enough, a recent survey conducted by online dating site It's Just Lunch found that 75 percent of women wouldn't even go on a date with an unemployed man. Well, 42 percent of women would consider it. But 33 percent said there was no chance, while the other 25 percent said they would go on a date with a jobless guy.

"Not having a job will definitely make it harder for men to date someone they don't already know," says Irene LaCota of It's Just Lunch. "This is the rare area, compared to other topics we've done surveys on, where women's old-fashioned beliefs about sex roles seem to apply."

I know this sounds a bit superficial — like we need a man to have a job so they can shower us with gifts and take us on dates. But I think whether he can hold down a job tells us more about a man than his net worth. It is a sign that he's responsible, ambitious and has goals in life. In today's economy, it's not unusual for people to be out of work or between jobs, but even a man working a non-ideal part-time job while looking for and applying for work in his field is sexier than one who is content with living off mommy and daddy's hard-earned cash.

Men, on the other hand, are much more accepting of unemployed women. Nearly two-thirds of men said they would have no problem going on a date with a woman who doesn't have a job, while only 8 percent said they would absolutely rule it out.

Ladies, I know where you're coming from. Nothing is sexier than a man with a plan, but try to keep in mind that nowadays it's not so simple to land the high-paying job of your dreams. Give it time. And please, if you're in a commited, loving relationship, don't kick him to the curb just because he's out of work. Try encouraging him and helping him in his job search.

As the It's Just Lunch blog notes: "Unemployment shouldn't disqualify you from dating, but remember to focus on your own life too. The dating market isn't as tough as the job market, but for both — having a plan is the difference between finding a successful match and being left out in the cold."

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Women Don't Date Unemployed Men. But The Other Way Around Is OK?

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