Online Dating Virtual Assistants
Monday August 4, 2008
A recent posting on Elance asks to hire a Virtual Assistant. Not that out of the ordinary, sure. But this 'employer' is looking for a contract of a very different nature than most of the freelance projects posted there:
I am looking for someone to manage my Match.com profile. I will go on to match and mark potential dates as favorites. I need my VA to write the initial email to these potential dates. You should be able to write in English very well, and be able to craft emails that are short but fun, and reflect having read their profile on their profile.
Now, I've had my fair share of responses from online dating sites. My first week on Lavalife about six years ago found me with a couple hundred messages to sift through. But I never, ever considered hiring someone to sift through my messages or contact users on my behalf. No, part of the fun was reading through every single note.
How would you feel if you found out that the person you've been chatting with online employed someone else to deal with first contact? Or do you think this is just another internet dating scam?
Comments
The Virtual Online Dating Assistant is an interesting concept that is emerging in the worlds of Online Dating.
Not only are people going to the likes of eLance and other sites that act as an employment service for Virtual Assistants – but we are now seeing businesses springing up on the web, designed exclusively for sifting through your online dating account and sorting out who would best be suited to you.
Personally, would I use a Virtual Assistant to sort out my contacts on a dating site? Could be useful in areas of the definite “No’s and if they had read my profile they would understand we have nothing in common” type of contact. Perhaps even as a tool for sorting through the critical criteria that you have out lined – the “deal breakers” so to speak.
But, the thousands of people I have interviewed on sites around the world all held the same fears about dating in a virtual world – they want someone who is “real” and I don’t think anyone, no matter how good their English is, or how witty you need them to be – will ever replace the words that come from and originate from you.
Remember you are “sorting” through real people – this is not a list of potential jobs that you may or may not go for – treat people with the respect they deserve – if you wish to be treated with the same in return.
If that’s the case, then what’s the point of online dating. Why not just date the virtual assistant?
am finding it difficult fo meet new friend on the net all because am a black guy, why is it so and how can i conceive them that, blacks are not that bad.
Online dating virtual assistants are alive and well!