# How Dating and Sports Explain the Job Market

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/if-then-6755579/how-dating-and-sports-explain-the-job-market
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/if-then-6755579/how-dating-and-sports-explain-the-job-market.md
Podcast: [If/Then](https://stenobird.com/podcast/if-then-6755579)
Published: 2026-03-11T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://op3.dev/e/tracking.swap.fm/track/zA4xtlPBvf2K1K9zesjz/mgln.ai/e/p853501/rss.art19.com/episodes/a99caf38-7fd9-4b57-95c9-b7280fd72b0f.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIg90cmFuc2NyaWJyBjoGRVQ%3D--952c5701c84ad333c69d5faa668f8177091704f0
Audio file: https://op3.dev/e/tracking.swap.fm/track/zA4xtlPBvf2K1K9zesjz/mgln.ai/e/p853501/rss.art19.com/episodes/a99caf38-7fd9-4b57-95c9-b7280fd72b0f.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIg90cmFuc2NyaWJyBjoGRVQ%3D--952c5701c84ad333c69d5faa668f8177091704f0
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/if-then-6755579/episodes/how-dating-and-sports-explain-the-job-market
Duration seconds: 1519

## Resource

Seemingly unrelated activities — like taking a soccer penalty kick or crafting an online dating profile — involve an embedded economics.  “Understanding and applying economic logic can be valuable in pretty much any job or any other endeavor in your life,” says Paul Oyer, a professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business.   On this episode, Oyer digs into the shared economic logic of online dating and the labor market, explains why pro athletes and sports fans think like economists, and explores how AI has reduced the beneficial friction that was once a part of job searches.  Got a question about the economics of dating, sports, or the job market? Ask us at ifthenpod@stanford.edu . Related Content: Paul Oyer faculty profile Utility Player: Paul Oyer Explains How Economics Can Make Sports More Fun Chapters: 00:00 Strategic decision-making in air traffic control 03:06 Introduction 03:27 Why sports are a useful lens for understanding economics 09:53 Why economics matters far beyond money 10:54 Economics & online 14:36 Applications of game theory 16:54 How AI is reshaping hiring and the labor market 22:25 The labor market challenge economists still have not solved 24:18 Conclusion If/Then, from Stanford GSB, features conversations with faculty that explore how their research deepens our understanding of business and leadership. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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