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If anybody has warned you never to date within your industry, that person is just bitter because they did and it didn’t work out for them. It’s probably safe to say that if you and another person decided to dedicate years to studying a profession and then more years to investing your time and energy into it, you probably have some common interests and even complimentary personality types. Perhaps dating someone who works in the office right next to yours isn’t always the smartest idea, but dating someone who understands the world in which you spend 8 or 9 hours of every day, five days a week, could be a good thing. Here’s why dating someone in your industry is actually the best.

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They won’t get mad if you’re tired

They won’t question why you’re so tired. They know. They understand exactly what a day in the life of you is like. When you date someone outside of your industry, sometimes you can feel judged as if they don’t really think your work is that exhausting.

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They understand the hours

They aren’t attached to some picture perfect image of having dinner at 6 pm, and going on all-day excursions on the weekends. They know that in your industry, the hours fluctuate and when something important comes up, you have to be on it. They don’t mind working with your hours trying to find a date night because they have very similar ones.

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They get the small victories

Your parents may not understand what it means to have gotten this or that score on this or that exam, but your partner knows all of the opportunities it opens up for you.

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They get the big victories

And your partner definitely understands the big victories. It’s rare in life that other people get as excited about our big victories as we do, but when your partner understands your career path thoroughly, he will! He’ll pay your big victories all the attention they deserve.

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You can attend work events together

Your partner won’t be doing you any favors, and you won’t be doing him any favors by attending one another’s work events. These are mutually-beneficial events where you can both make good contacts and learn about something you care about.

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You’ll end up getting more time together

Because you both genuinely like going to work events together, you get to spend more time together! The work events are inevitable, so at least you can bring your boo along and sneak in some snuggling between shop talk.

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You don’t need to limit work talk

You don’t need to watch the clock and cut yourself off after discussing work for twenty minutes because your partner is really just enduring it. You are both passionate about your work, and you’re free to bounce ideas off of each other late into the night.

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They’ll be understanding when you have to cancel

If you have to cancel big plans you made ages ago because an opportunity arises, your partner won’t get mad. He’ll understand the gravity of the opportunity and, while he’ll be a bit disappointed, he’ll also be really happy for you and that will make up for it.

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You probably have other interests in common

If you work in the same industry you probably have common interests. It’s so obvious! There is a good chance you’re drawn to the same hobbies, films, books and so on.

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You probably have complimentary personality types

Your particular industry requires a particular type of personality to succeed. You and your partner both have that kind of personality. Sure, sometimes you may clash if you’re too similar, but at least you will never think, “I don’t get that person at all.”

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You read people the same way

Your specific education and line of work have taught you to interpret and analyze people in a similar fashion. For this reason, you end up liking and disliking a lot of the same people.

 

 

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You can commiserate together

If something bad happens to your industry at large, you can commiserate together. You won’t feel the need to put on a happy face because it doesn’t affect your partner at all—it affects him deeply.

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Neither of your families get you

Your family doesn’t get you, and his family doesn’t get him in all of the same ways. Your parents have probably said very similar condescending comments to you as his parents have to him. It’s such a relief to be with somebody who understands those feelings.

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When you have to work on vacation…

If you need to answer emails and take work calls on a vacation, your partner will understand why you need to. You can say one or two quick sentences to explain the situation, and he’ll hold your fruity cocktail while you handle it.

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They know the jargon

Conversations are quick and fluid because they know the shorthand, the jargon, the lingo, the code words—you get the idea.