A few nights ago, I was flipping through channels and stumbled upon a show called Catching Kelce. The premise of the show involved Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, searching for love while 50 women from 50 states competed for his heart. While I must admit that the drama surrounding the show was quite riveting, what also intrigued me was coming to the realization of how similar the job search process is to this reality show.

Travis Kelce is similar to a company such as Deloitte, Accenture, or Caterpillar that searches for potential employees. The 50 women represent the diverse and talented set of applicants who are all applying for the same position. The company is going to carefully vet each and every applicant. Recruiters will scrutinize them against their criteria, just as Travis carefully evaluates his compatibility with each woman based on his own preferences.

However, dating (and finding the right job) is a two-way street. The women on the show must also evaluate Travis and see if he is the right fit for them. Recently, one girl chose to withdraw herself from the competition because she came to the conclusion that Travis and her were better as platonic friends, instead of as a romantic couple. As a job applicant, you must also perform your own due diligence on companies within your interested industry. Do you share the same values that the company has identified itself with? Do you feel as if you “clicked” with the employees you met from the firm? Can you envision being with the company in the long-term?

While I don’t normally indulge in reality TV, I found myself rooting for certain women who I felt fit with Travis’s personality and lifestyle. I was often sad when some of my favorites were eliminated from the show. It made me realize that sometimes, even a seemingly good fit, just isn’t chosen. This holds true when candidates are applying to jobs. I have seen some of my friends who were more than qualified for a job get passed over for someone else. It’s hard to always know how companies (or pro football players such as Travis) make these decisions. A rejection (romantic or otherwise) clearly involves more elements of subjectivity than the contrary. So as you go through the job search process, just remember that there is a plethora of great jobs out there. Even if you don’t get the job you want or think you deserve, it’s possible that you will simply find a better fit elsewhere!