Kirkland resident Nelson Yong believes an online profile is very much like a first date – first impressions count.

Yong will take that outlook to NBC as he has been selected to on First Dates, a reality dating TV show starting on April 7.

The show is executive produced by Ellen DeGeneres and narrated by Drew Barrymore.

One of Yong’s friends got him connected with the show and a casting call.

“I was connected to a casting producer by a good friend of mine who was thinking about the most eligible bachelors she knows in Seattle,” Yong said.

The Kirkland bachelor has more than 12 years’ experience in marketing in various roles such as brand and marketing management, digital marketing, analytics and account direction. He also has more than 34,000 Instagram followers.

Despite having a contact with the show the casting process was still tedious.

“I was asked to interview several times via phone, email and Skype; when I learned I made the cut, I was flattered,” Yong said. “As an Asian American guy, I knew I had a specific angle and specific platform.”

Yong said the show is a voyeuristic look at blind dates set up at a fine dining restaurant in Chicago.

“What you see if what you get,” Young said.

Hidden cameras are set up and there are absolutely no scripts, according to Yong.

Yong had some advice for those on the dating scene.

“Be yourself, but practice helps,” Yong said. “Talk less, listen more. Be prepared to ask good questions. As a guy, take the lead by being a chivalrous and generous host: lead conversation, make her feel comfortable, and pay for dinner.”

The experience also taught him a lot about dating.

“I learned that, whether you’re in private or potentially viewed by millions via hidden cameras, be genuine and be yourself,” Yong said. “Your reputation is really important and something you don’t want to sully. And… have fun.”

As for his perfect match: “My future Mrs. Yong is strong, confident, beautiful. She’s somewhere out there.”

He is a Kirkland Chamber of Commerce member and a board member of the Seattle Chinatown Development Council (SCIDpda). He has also held board positions with the Asian Hall of Fame.

“Several years ago, I learned my core values in life are family, life, and redemption,” Yong writes on his website. “Every single day, I try to live my life with a desire to do three things: make dull things shiny again, be a bridge and a connector, and build community around me…”