Recently, I appeared on ABC News Live to discuss a growing trend blurring the lines between dating and career networking: job seekers using dating apps to make professional connections.
According to a Resume Builder survey of 2,225 dating app users, they found found:
Among those using apps for career-related purposes:
- 1 in 3 used dating apps for professional reasons in the past year
- Nearly 1 in 10 said it was their primary reason for being there
- 88% successfully connected for professional reasons
- 39% landed job interviews
- 37% received job offers
What we’re seeing, is the job market is competitive, and job seekers are getting creative.
But should dating apps become job boards?
Watch My ABC News Live Segment
Why This Is Happening
Dating apps are a real-time masterclass in personal branding.
Your dating profile shows how you present yourself. Your voice, your confidence, your follow-through. Those same qualities translate directly into networking, interviewing, and business development.
And there’s a larger cultural truth at play:
Our personal and professional identities now live on the same device.
When candidates feel invisible on job boards or filtered out by AI résumé systems, dating apps can feel like a direct line to a real person. Conversations move quickly. Connections feel direct. Opportunities can move offline quickly.
That appeal makes sense. But that doesn’t make it risk-free.
Where’s the Boundary?
During the segment, ABC anchor Alex Presha asked whether this trend is essentially catfishing.
My answer was clear:
If you’re honest and transparent about your intentions, it’s not catfishing.
But presenting romantic interest to gain professional access crosses into manipulation. And manipulation erodes trust in both dating and business.
Dating apps were built for social discovery and romantic connection. They work best when they stay in their own lane.
Red Flags to Watch For
Dating apps already struggle with burnout and mixed signals. Hidden agendas accelerates that fatigue.
If you match with someone and they immediately ask for a referral or an introduction, that’s not connection. That’s extraction.
It shifts the tone instantly.
When one person is swiping for love, and the other is swiping for leverage, the social contract is broken before the first date even happens.
What This Trend Really Reveals
Thinking outside the box isn’t new for job hunters.
But this trend reveals something deeper:
- Qualified professionals feel invisible
- Algorithms filter out strong candidates.
- Application portals feel impersonal.
- Human connection still drives opportunity.
That last point matters most.
People hire people. People date people. Trust is built through clarity.
Final Flirt
Dating works when intentions are aligned.
If you’d feel uncomfortable looking for romance on LinkedIn, it’s worth asking whether job hunting belongs on dating apps.
Whether you’re swiping for love or building your résumé, transparency creates trust.
And trust is what makes both love and opportunity possible.
Julie Spira is the Digital Matchmaker® and America's Top Online Dating Expert. She's an award-winning certified dating coach who's been helping singles find their perfect match for over three decades. Follow @JulieSpira on IG and @digitalmatchmaker on TikTok.