WSJ: Despite 'No-Dating Rule,' LinkedIn Emerges as an Unexpected Dating Tool

Rachel Wong was momentarily unsure how to react when she received a connection request on LinkedIn. The sender, Sam Sawchuck, was a former colleague at her current company. In the message, he mentioned they might have mutual friends and colleagues and suggested grabbing coffee. He also sheepishly admitted he had first seen her on Tinder.

Was this a date invitation?

Tired of the hit-or-miss nature of online dating apps, more people are turning to LinkedIn to find romance.

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Although LinkedIn's community guidelines strictly prohibit any form of romantic solicitation, the professional networking site is increasingly becoming involved—directly or indirectly—in users' dating lives.

A survey by resume template platform Zety found that about a quarter of working professionals believe it's acceptable to use LinkedIn as a dating tool; 22% of respondents said they've either proactively reached out to someone romantically on LinkedIn or responded to such an overture.

"I happened to show that connection request to everyone in the office," Wong said with a laugh. It ended up helping her a lot—her colleagues vouched for Sawchuck's character. After reviewing his LinkedIn profile, Wong noticed their professional circles were close, and he seemed highly ambitious. Plus, he was good-looking.

She accepted Sawchuck's connection request and messaged him professionally, asking if he could help her solve a work-related problem.

Now, they've been in a relationship for years and are picking out wedding venues. "Even if we met on LinkedIn, that's fine," Wong said. "I mean, he's the best connection I've ever made."

Growing fatigue with dating apps has driven many to seek alternatives. Singles are trying speed dating, meeting new people through real-life shared interests, or even using spreadsheets to beat dating app algorithms. So it's no surprise that a public platform with clear profile photos and detailed personal resumes has become a top tool for modern love—after all, this is exactly what today's dating apps lack.

Dating coach Jaime Bronstein supports using LinkedIn "without intent." But she warns that the first message must match the platform's tone and never show clear romantic intentions.

She recommends phrasing the outreach as networking while leaving a hint of ambiguity. Three opening lines should be avoided: "Are you single?" (comes off as pushy or even creepy); "Hope this isn't too awkward, but..." (sets a strange tone from the start); "You're really attractive!" (also potentially creepy; never lead with appearance on a professional platform).

Of course, these behaviors aren't officially endorsed by LinkedIn. "Our focus is on ensuring users are protected from unwanted romantic solicitations," said a LinkedIn spokesperson.

After her internship ended, Esme Gordon-Craig reached out to a former colleague on LinkedIn, suggesting they grab a drink to continue discussing career development. He chose a pub near the office.

"I think he said, 'This is a date, right?'" Gordon-Craig recalled. "I said, 'Yes.'"

The 24-year-old Londoner is now a freelance journalist working remotely. Without a team or office, it's hard to meet new people, so she still frequently uses LinkedIn to expand her network—whether professionally, socially, or perhaps even beyond.

"If sparks fly, great. If not, it's still a good networking opportunity," Gordon-Craig said.

LinkedIn is also a powerful background-check tool.

Katie Istomin, a rising sophomore at Cornell University, wants anyone worth her time to match her ambition and understand her busy schedule.

"LinkedIn kind of solves that," Istomin said. She often checks potential dates' professional and extracurricular involvement. "You can see where they're headed, that they're impressive, things like that."

Just don't expect to browse someone's profile incognito. LinkedIn sends notifications when someone views a user's profile, which could either help or hurt your dating plans.

One of Istomin's sorority sisters even created a burner account so they could evaluate others' profiles without revealing their identity.

"In that way, LinkedIn is kind of a snitch," Istomin said about the visitor notification feature.

Amal Hagisufi, a financial advisor based in San Diego, sent a connection request to Moustafa Madkaur to fill an open role on her team.

"Working in banking, I often get these recruitment messages," Madkaur said. Initially, he ignored her invitation. "But she was very persistent."

So he replied that the office was on the other side of the city, a 40-minute commute—too far.

But later, when Madkaur was swiping through the dating site Plenty of Fish and happened to come across Hagisufi, he changed his mind.

He revisited her LinkedIn profile and thought she seemed "driven, focused on personal growth," he said. "And you could kind of sense she might be looking for someone to grow with, to build something with."

Madkaur sent a new message on LinkedIn, this time including his phone number. He told Hagisufi he wasn't interested in the job but had seen her on a dating site and, if she wanted to meet up, she could text him.

"That felt way more natural than anything I'd gotten on dating apps before," Hagisufi said.

As it turned out, dating was clearly a better motivator than commuting across town.

Madkaur took Hagisufi to a seaside restaurant, where they discussed career, finances, and personal life goals. "Everything just aligned," Hagisufi said. "We knew we both wanted to grow together, to be a power couple."