IS LINKEDIN the new Tinder?
We all know LinkedIn as a platform where businesses and employment opportunities are discussed. Meanwhile, a report by Business Insider claimed that the well-known social media platform for careers is now being used as a dating app.
According to a Gen Z respondent, she uses the platform to find someone who is financially secure and has a steady job. She also unequivocally said that she was searching for someone who can genuinely take care of themselves rather than a sugar daddy.
She felt that by looking at a prospective romantic partner’s work history, educational background and career ambitions on LinkedIn, she could determine whether they fit her relationship requirements.
In an article shared by Timothy Tart on LinkedIn, there are seven reasons why people are using the business platform for dating:
1. For a relatively honest profile
2. For easy vetting
3. LinkedIn–a great dating pool
4. No fake accounts
5. Can be used for connections/reference if it doesn’t work out
6. Knowing that they’re serious people who are capable of commitment
7. They could be a source of your success
While the idea of looking for a mate on LinkedIn seems like a smart idea, Dustin Kidd, a sociology professor from Temple University, explained that the use of a platform such as LinkedIn originated from a custom of “dating hacks,” which involve using Internet resources intended for other purposes to secure a date.
Kidd pointed out that a key factor was the use of a direct-messaging feature.
Meanwhile, netizens on X have different takes on LinkedIn as a site to find a potential mate:
