Advice
Why LinkedIn Dating Should Not Be A Thing
Wait, who would have guessed that LinkedIn dating would boom?
LinkedIn, what we believed to be a website dedicated to professional networking, has now added a new feature: LinkedIn Love.
Users can even indicate that they’re open to romantic associations by setting their profile to #OpenToDM, which means they don’t mind being approached by others. I mean, sure, work on that ideal relationship, but I can’t help but cringe whenever I see one on what I’m used to seeing as an all-professional app.
While LinkedIn seems determined to assist like-minded people in discovering both career and romantic achievement, I’d say the chances of success are slim.
What Makes LinkedIn Dating Unsuitable?
Now, before you think I’m unfairly judging, let me explain why I don’t think it’s a smart method to find your one true love:
It Reduces the Original Value of the App
No, the workplace won’t become any more interesting with LinkedIn Love. But, it might be the reason for the site’s decline. Not everyone is interested in making relationships seem like work, where you have to impress your crush with a fancy cover letter and work experiences rather than genuinely connecting on a deeper level.
I’d feel uncomfortable if someone sent me a message saying I’m cute because I can write effectively and could write him a book of poems as I scan through possible business partners. Just no. Gentlemen, apply your rizz to an actual matchmaking website.
It Could Create Misunderstandings
Unprofessional encounters and misunderstandings may result from using it as a dating app. Even the hashtag #OpenToDM is too vague to interpret as a romantic declaration that you’re open to dating. LinkedIn is more than a group of Gen Zs who can decipher a hashtag’s potential meanings.
It’s also a community of subject-matter experts who spend less time learning about the latest pop culture and social media trends because they’re too busy for that. Imagine how thrilled you’d be to receive tons of messages in the hopes of finally landing a job, only to discover that they’re just people looking to date you.
It’s a Shallow Approach to Finding a Match
Don’t get me wrong — knowing someone’s career experiences and achievements can be a good tool to assess your compatibility with each other. But it shouldn’t be the cornerstone for finding your true love. Let’s normalize establishing more profound connections that go beyond professional certifications.
Learning about someone’s values, communicating healthily and productively, being able to rely on them, and supporting each other’s goals are better ways to determine whether you’re aligned with them.
She’s not necessarily the perfect wife just because she has a glamorous career. What if you have always loved animals and she is not good with pets? What if she’s not even emotionally available enough to commit?
To each their own, I understand, but I truly believe that there are dating apps expressly created to help you discover your forever companion. LinkedIn dating is just not one of them.
If you insist on utilizing LinkedIn for purposes other than those for which it was designed, I suggest you start by establishing a solid relationship with that individual. After a close friendship or business relationship with that individual, then maybe. A huge maybe, that is.
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