Before I married, I had extremely high standards when I was screening a man for his dating potential: he must be able to breathe without assistance, walk upright at least 75% of the time, and have a vocabulary that includes my name (or something close to it).

But that's just me.

Every woman will have a different set of preferences when she's on the lookout for a potential new squeeze - however, some standards are (or at least should be) universal.

Without a good grasp of the key fundamentals, no man will ever make it past Friend Status; the less gifted ones won't even make it that far.

PINNOCHIO, HE'S NOT
Before you even consider pursuing a relationship with a guy, check the facts. If he seems like a teller of tall tales, you'll want to steer clear. Start by running - no, sprinting - in the opposite direction if his fish stories are unbelievable!

A guy with good potential won't tell little fibs; every girl knows that little fibs grow into big, fat lies later on.

OPPOSITES DON'T ALWAYS ATTRACT
Sure, opposites can complement each other - but if he's a fitness nut and you can't even look at a pair of gym shorts without getting chest pains, you might be barking up the wrong tree. Similarly, if you don't speak the same language, things may not work out (although it sure would be fun to try reading body language)!

You've got to have a few things in common, at least; basing a relationship on nothing just sets it up to crumble.

HE'S NOT "BETWEEN JOBS"
A college degree isn't a necessity, but the ability to get and hold a job is. You don't have to snag a copy of his resume; you do need to make sure that you only date guys who are gainfully employed. It's a testament to his level of responsibility, and if he can't seem to hold a job because his bosses are always jerks and didn't understand him, a red flag should go up.

He doesn't have to make the equivalent of a Major League Baseball player, but he does have to have a place to be in order to get a paycheck.

HE MUST NEVER HAVE APPEARED ON "COPS"
If he's been on "Cops" so frequently that his name now appears in the closing credits, put your siren on and squeal on outta there! It's not that criminals are bad, it's just that criminals are... bad. If his arrest record is as long as your apartment lease, he may not be the guy for you.

Bonnie and Clyde didn't have a happy ending - try to stick with the good guys.

HE'S HIGH ON LIFE
Keyword: life. Not drugs. If you end up dating someone who uses drugs - even if you justify it by saying "recreationally" - you're not doing as well as you could be. There are lots of guys who use drugs recreationally; for those guys, there are lots of girls who don't mind.

Don't be that girl.

HE'S NOT A POLYGAMIST OR POLYDATIST
Okay, so polydatist isn't a real word - but it should be. You definitely need to avoid men who already have a ball and chain; it's too hard for them to try to drag more than one, and that's not fair to you! If he's married, stay out of the picture - no guy is worth a trip to the emergency room because his rightfully angry wife caught you two making out!

Make sure the guy you're considering is unattached and free of excess baggage!

By following these simple rules and combining them with your own set of standards, you'll be able to determine fairly quickly whether or not a guy has dating potential. If he doesn't, it's no big deal - there are plenty of others who do... and one of them has been waiting his whole life to meet you!

Learn more about this author, Angie Papple.
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