What's it like to work as a matchmaker?

Amélie Guerard has 20 seconds to matchmake couples based on the image they portay in their profile photos

Amélie Guerard matchmakes 500 couples a day based on her “gut feeling” about their profile pictures. She is one of the real-life Cupids working behind the scenes of dating websites and apps to pair people's profiles together.

While some online dating services rely solely on automated algorithms or users swiping right when they like the look of someone, the 25-year-old handpicks couples she thinks will work well together by looking at their profile pictures.

Guerard works for start-up dating app Once, which allows users to choose who they would like to date based on age, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, location and educational background.

The matchmaker then has around 20 seconds to pair the user with someone from a shortlist of 15 candidates that fit their criteria.

“I use my gut feeling. When you see the photo you know if people are going to get along, if they are party people or kind of more creative types,” she says.

Working at such a fast rate means she has to pick up on hints about someone's personality quickly from their profile picture.

“It's about everything: the style, the outfit, piercing, tattoos, haircut, make-up or no make-up. It's all about those tiny details,” she says.

The modern dating world doesn't leave much room for the old saying that opposites attract. Guerard is not sure they ever did.

“Usually it's people who are similar who end up together. Even if you look around at your friends, it's true,” she says.

The communications graduate fell into her job after finishing university. She had always enjoyed trying to set up her friends on dates, but now likes seeing whether the couples she puts together might work.

“Maybe they're going to meet, maybe they're going to get married, or have kids - who knows? It's fun to spread love and play Cupid,” she says.