Dating

Don't you wish online dating came with an instruction manual?

Oh wait - it does!

Well, sorta. If what you're looking for is "a complete step by step guide on how someone would seduce you," then yes...online dating comes with an instruction manual. It's called the Seduction Style Guide, and you can find it (where else?) on POF.com.

Get those grains of salt ready, and let's dive in...

The first section of the test is called "Flirting." Choose up to three of the listed flirting styles that appeal most to you, and up to three that don't interest you. Do you prefer your dates "Playful," "Confident," "Coy," "Charming," or "Prim and Proper?" Then answer a question about your communication preferences. How would you like a date to ask you out? By phone? By email? In person at a dating event?

Section three delves deeper into your personality. Read each statement and indicate the degree to which it describes you: "Strongly agree," "Disagree," "Agree," or "Strongly agree." Statements to rate cover topics like humor and spontaneity:

• I enjoy trying different kinds of ethnic foods
• I brood for a long time in an attempt to solve some fundamental problem
• There is humor to be seen in just about everything

Of course, it wouldn't be a Seduction Style test without questions about seduction! The next sections ask questions about your first date habits and your sexuality. Again, you must rate the accuracy of words used describe your sexuality. Are you the "Sultry" type? Or maybe you're better described as "Adorable?"

The test wraps up with a free response section and the most salacious section of all. The free response questions inquire about what you most and least enjoy while on a date, and your turn ons/offs. Answer each with three responses, all in your own words.

The final section...well...let's just say it's a pretty intimate look at your favorite kinks, fetishes, and fantasies.

Put it all together and you get POF's take on how best to woo you. Got that salt ready?

The results page is surprisingly detailed. First, there's The Big Picture. Apparently people like me "tend to love life with zeal, often living in the moment and trying not to let experiences pass them by." (All true, as far as I'm concerned...perhaps POF knows me better than I would like to admit.)

Then there's the three step seduction plan: Approach Me, How To Date Me, and How To Sexually Seduce Me. Much to my surprise, POF also manages to sneak in some genuinely useful information amongst all the silly stuff. The report includes info on favorite dating conversation topics, online dating safety, preferred dating activities, and do's and don'ts.

To show others your results, send the link included at the bottom of the results page (and consider sending some salt with it).

To find out more about this popular dating site you can take a look at our Plentyoffish review.

Lately I've found myself consumed by the world of marketing. A new job as a social media assistant has me learning things I never thought I would - a new vocabulary, new lessons on how the mind works, a new approach to writing and delivering content.

It's been a fun challenge to immerse myself in something so unfamiliar, but what's been most fun is discovering the ways that marketing isn't really so unfamiliar after all. In fact, it bears a striking resemblance to online dating, and there are quite a few lessons from one that can be applied to the other.

Don't believe me? Check it out:

1. Personalization is the way to go. Think about all those marketing emails you've gotten (maybe even from your dating site). Notice how most of them say "Hi _____" and actually insert your name? That's personalization. It makes you feel like the email was sent just for you, tailored to your specific needs. Your online dating messages should be the same. Don't send a generic message to a prospective date - say something that shows you've actually taken an interest in who they are and what their profile has to say.
2. Create a call to action. When successful marketers want you to do something, they tell you what it is. That button that says "Sign up today!" or "Register now for your free trial!" is known as a "call to action." The sense of urgency it creates drives action, a tactic that you can also use when online dating. Why not add a call to action in your profile? "Send me a message if..." Or in your messages, by asking a question for the recipient to answer? It's an effective way to create engagement and encourage interaction.
3. Timing is everything. How often do you message potential dates? How long do you take to respond to messages you receive? Timing is key to both marketing and online dating success. Don't be afraid to reach out to people you're interested in. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Once you're involved in a conversation with someone, pace yourself. A business that bombards customers with marketing emails is going to lose those customers. A dater who obsessively messages a potential date is going to lose that date.
4. Test and evolve. If a marketer isn't seeing the success they want, they'll try something else. An email will get a new subject line. A webpage will be redesigned. The call to action will get a subtle tweak. Each new change will be tested, until the most effective version is found. Do the same with your dating habits - continuously update your profile, pictures, and messages until you've optimized yourself for online dating success.

After a way too long dry stint of no dates and even less prospects it can be all too thrilling to finally score a first date with someone. It doesn't matter if it's with a work crush, blind date, or someone you met through an online dating service, you're exciting that this date could be the first of many. Not to be a wet blanket, but this sense of elation and nerves can often push aside some basic safety precautions that you should take before going on a first date with anyone you don't know well.

Perform a Background Check This might sound like overkill to a lot of you, but a simple background check can pull up a lot of red flags that may have you rethinking a date with someone. Background checks can show you information like marriage licenses (How many exes are too many? What if they're currently married?), not to mention any legal altercations. While every girl likes a bad boy, everybody has a line. Is cancelling a date based off of what you find on a background check fair? Maybe, maybe not. But at the least it will give you things to watch out for and will let you know if they're being honest with you.

Go to a Public Place Never, ever, ever-ever-ever-ever-ever meet for a first date with someone at their private residence or somewhere that's very removed. Meet at a neutral location where plenty of people are sure to be like a restaurant, bar, coffee house, sporting event, or something else along those lines. Along the same lines, don't get in a private vehicle with your date either - even if it's yours.

Let Someone Know Whenever I go on an extended walk or hike I am sure to let someone know where I'm going and what time I'm expecting to be back, and first dates aren't much different. This is doubly true if you've never met your date in person. Let a friend know what you're doing, where you're going, and when you expect to be back. Check in with them afterwards to let them know how the date went and that you're okay.

Have an Out First dates are always iffy and you don't want to be stuck there all night if it turns out to be a big disappointment, for either of you. That being said, it's best to schedule something that won't take too long. But even with short dates, be prepared to excuse yourself from the date. While you don't need an excuse (if you're uncomfortable, just leave!), it can be less awkward for both of you if you have a believable out. I don't mean fake a call from the hospital about your aunt you just got in a car accident.

First dates are fun and exciting, but they can potentially be dangerous if you're meeting up with someone you've only ever interacted with online, or not at all. Take some basic precautions before the date to insure your safety. That way you can relax for real when everything goes smoothly.

Kristen Bright is a blogger living in San Diego who tries to promote safe online interactions by using background checks on people before moving forward.

In the world we live in today, Latin dating in the workplace has become an alluring and sometimes inescapable facet of life. Plenty of Latin men and women have found love amongst co-workers, and many lasting relationships, even marriages, have sprouted through office romance. Unfortunately, plenty of careers have been ruined by inter-office romances gone-wrong, as nothing is more expendable than an employee that could bring down the firm with a sexual harassment lawsuit. So, as a Latin man or woman, is it worth it to pursue love in the workplace?

Office Romance is on the Rise In recent years, it's become increasingly apparent that workplace romances are on the rise, within the Latin dating community as well as within others. Analysts on the topic cite more women in the corporate workplace (especially more Latinas) and longer work hours as the two major reasons that workplace dating has not only become more apparent, but in some ways, more essential.

The Upsides There are plenty of reasons that workplace romances can be beneficial. In the workplace, you actually get an opportunity to get to know the other person before you date them. Your office is not a bar, it's not a fiesta where Latin men and Latin women go to drink and dance and sloppily introduce themselves in hopes that something will come of it. In the workplace, people can create meaningful friendships that will blossom into something more, instead of rushing into something that may seem forced. On top of that, women are not catcalled and ogled in the workplace (and if they are, you may want to get in touch with HR), and men are not constantly on their guard and putting up the macho façade that they think helps them pick up women. And, of course, as easy to look over as it is, the fact that you are both working in the same place generally shows that you share some sort of common interest.

The Downsides The downsides of workplace dating, on the other hand, are innumerable and generally lead to more severe consequences. Also, while the beneficial aspects of dating would affect your and your partner in a positive way, the negative aspects affect you and your co-workers as well. These aspects include co-worker jealousy, gossip, and inferences of favoritism-what's more is that these aspects can affect a relationship even when it is going well. When a relationship isn't, well, you're opening up Pandora's Box.

If you are a Latin single looking to explore inter-office romance, consider these tips:

• Don't date your boss. If you are considering dating your boss, or you are the boss considering dating your subordinate, you are in a tricky situation. The repercussions to cultivating a relationship that poses a "conflict of interest" are severe, so if you are in this situation and intend to pursue, you will absolutely want to alter your working arrangement beforehand. One of you should consider a lateral move within the company, or switching your career altogether. If you don't, you might be forced to switch careers anyway.
• Weigh your options. Consider how much you value your job versus how much you value the potential relationship. Even the most seemingly benign relationships can explode in your face and leave you filling out unemployment paperwork. So you have to ask yourself, "Is that beautiful Latin man/woman worth losing my job over?"
• Set boundaries. Make sure that you communicate to each other what is and is not appropriate to do at the office. Even though Latin dating tends to be impassioned and romantic, you will want to keep a professional distance while at work.
• Keep in on the DL. In the beginning, keep your relationship on the down-low. If you go "public" from the get-go, you risk the gossip and extra looks that inevitably ensue with office romance. Once certain checkpoints in your relationship have been crossed, then it will be the right time to announce your relationship, but until then, and until you know that it's going to be serious and long-term, keep your relationship hush-hush.

About the Author: Miranda Santiago is a dating advice expert who loves to all things Latin dating, and contributes to Corazon.

So when does "just dating" become a real relationship?

Is it defined by an act or by time? If it is time, how long does it take before you should be calling the person you have been seeing your boyfriend or girlfriend?

Take our new poll and help answer this question!



If you don't see your relationship defining moment listed above, add a comment to the poll to see what others say! If you would like to vote on more dating and relationship questions, you should check our other dating polls in the system.

The review for David DeAngelo ebook called "Double Your Dating" can now be found in our Dating Books category. This ebook was so popular that the author updated his source material and released a second edition. Double Your Dating is not designed as a quick fix for someone’s dating problems. David DeAngelo approaches are designed for single men who is interested in self-improvement and are looking to empower not just their dating lives but other areas of their life. This ebook is ideal for beginners.

To find out more about this popular dating book for men you can read our new Double Your Dating review now.