LinkedIn is the new Online Dating Platform?

It is no secret that many single people despise online dating apps. So why not to try the less conventional way? LinkedIn.

It could seem at first like a great option how to find love. But is it?

For the past few years, we have been pushed to work more remotely than on site. Some of us have less opportunities to meet new people. We got used to being home. We got used to working alone. The new norm is online meetings from our living room or a coffee shop instead of the office. This has a significant impact on our socializing; on the chance of meeting new people; on the chance of meeting a potential partner.

Humans were born to live in groups, we need connections with other humans. If you look at the Stone Age where people lived in caves, they all lived in groups. Those who were alone barely survived. And nowadays society is no different. Those that nowadays are alone maybe don’t really struggle to survive physically (as it was in the Stone Age) but struggle to survive mentally and emotionally. We are programmed to have physical, emotional or mental connections with others.

But back to our 21st century. Is it a good idea to use LinkedIn as a dating site?

“LinkedIn is a professional networking platform, not a dating site.” Many would say and that is true!

Women especially find it invasive to be contacted on LinkedIn in a romantic way. Well, there is no sticker in their profile picture that says, “open to date” and yet men do try their luck. But women are no different! There are many videos and articles on the internet that offer tutorial on how to find especially wealthy partner via LinkedIn. Some might say it´s crazy and some might say “good for her”.

The main reason is that people are tired of online dating apps. Catfishing, old pictures, lame profiles, profiles full of lies. It is hard to trust people these days. On LinkedIn we all put ourselves out there as professionals with neat looking pictures, with endorsement of our skills and support from our fellow professionals. And this is what makes it feel safe that the person is a real deal.

In my opinion LinkedIn should remain a professional networking platform. But if someone decides to use it in their romantic favor, then do it in a more subtle way. Don’t come off flirty in DM. Find a way to use LinkedIn for networking and meet people in a good old fashion way – organically. At the end of the day that´s how we all want our love story to start. To say how our eyes met, how their smile was enchanting and how beautifully awkward our first encounter was…