How to Make a Man See You as Girlfriend Material

Asking a guy for assistance, if you need it, will make him feel good about himself. In “What Men Love About Women,” on Psychology Today, psychologist Shawn T. Smith shared some responses from a survey he conducted on what men think about love and commitment. Many responses mentioned that they liked when women let men help or take care of them in certain ways, because it made them feel useful and important. Make him feel needed by requesting help with something he is good at. If he is an athlete, ask him to give you soccer tips, or ask him to teach you how to play the guitar if he is a musician.

Although guys want to feel needed, they also respect a woman who is confident in herself, according to some of the answers in Smith’s survey. One man mentioned his annoyance at females who deny compliments. Project an image of confidence (even if you don’t feel confident) by saying “thank you” whenever he says something nice about you. When you deny a compliment, you are rejecting a guy's opinions of you, which can hurt his feelings. Instead, smile and let him know how much value what he thinks of you.

Guys know that a girl is girlfriend material when she shows emotional support. Although guys generally like a girl who is fun to be around, they will also look for a girlfriend who is willing to stand by him through tougher times. Show empathy or sympathy when he needs someone to talk to. Kind and comforting words will do the trick, but expressing how much you care through actions can be even more meaningful. You can do this by offering to help him study for a test he is worried about or by lending him your class notes when he is sick.

Rather than playing mind games, be upfront about what you want. Although it can be fun to play hard to get, he may not see you as girlfriend material if he thinks you don’t have serious intentions or real feelings for him. In “The Games People Play in New Relationships” on PsychCentral, psychologist John Grohol addressed the fear that people have when it comes to expressing their true feelings toward the person they are romantically interested in. It can be scary opening up and letting him know that you like him (you risk the chance that he may reject you and not return your feelings), but being honest can save a lot of time that can be wasted wondering whether you are on the same page.