Single? It's Not You, It's Your City

The city you choose to work in could have far more impact on your future than whatever company you’d be joining.

- John Birger

This is the time of year when college seniors get deluged with grown-up advice—and, like Dustin Hoffman’s character in The Graduate, start running for cover. I had the misfortune of having a father who actually worked in plastics, which turned every family friend into a backyard comedian. (“Hey, Jon, I’ve got one word for you.”)

Well, I have my own “one word” advice for this year’s graduates, and mine is way more interesting than plastics. It’s sex—or sex ratios, to be precise. Okay, that’s two words. But hear me out on why young people should consider sex ratios before accepting their first job—and also why Silicon Valley recruiters should turn these ratios to their advantage.

Women outnumber men when it comes to higher education. In 2016, 33% more women than men will graduate from four-year colleges, which is four women for every three men. In 1971, it was four men for every three women. Few people go to college just to find a spouse, of course (and it’s important to note that not every student is heterosexual or interested in dating).