If you thought LinkedIn was only for updating your resume, showing off your latest promotion or liking “I’m excited to share” posts, it may be time to think again. Some users have found a particularly surprising use for the professional social network: looking for a romantic partner.
A new survey by resume-building website Zety, conducted among more than 1,000 U.S. workers, found that one in eight respondents had been in a romantic relationship that began on LinkedIn. Meanwhile, one in five admitted using the platform to research a potential partner before a first date.
Not everyone is comfortable with the idea. Sixty-five percent of respondents said they feared that looking for romance on LinkedIn could harm their professional reputation. Still, about a quarter said the platform was a perfectly legitimate place to meet potential partners.
The survey also found that nearly half of respondents believed information on LinkedIn profiles was more reliable than details posted on dating apps. In other words, if someone says on LinkedIn that they are a product manager or software engineer, users may be more inclined to believe it than if the same claim appeared on Tinder.
Age also plays a role. Millennials, born from the 1980s through the mid-1990s, are leading the trend, with 33% saying they had used LinkedIn to research a potential partner. They were followed by members of Generation Z, born in the late 1990s and early 2000s, at 27%, and Generation X, born in the 1960s and 1970s, at 19%.
LinkedIn is widely used by journalists, business professionals and tech workers
(Photo: LinkedIn)
The survey also examined what attracts the attention of people looking for love on LinkedIn. Profile photos and personal biographies topped the list, followed by the number of mutual connections, career history and level of education.
Experts said the findings reflect the increasingly blurred line between people’s personal and professional lives. A LinkedIn profile no longer shows only what someone does for a living but can also offer clues about their personality, values and credibility.
As a result, more people are viewing the platform not only as a professional networking tool but also through a more personal lens.