This is a republished guest post by Renee Slansky from Bella and Darcy.
Another day, another way to meet people, or so it would seem in this world of ever-growing technology.
We have dating apps that allow us to sideswipe possible potentials off our list, or practically stalk them through pin pointing their location on Google Maps. However once again men and women have decided to find yet another social media network to seek out their one and only: LinkedIn.
Whilst this business networking site was originally created just for that; linking like-minded people together for corporate goals, it would seem (at least from my experience) that it has become yet another avenue to pick up! Unlike Facebook, which automatically sends “randoms” to your “other” inbox and Twitter, which caps the pickup lines to only 140 characters, LinkedIn allows people to message you directly, much like a regular email.
Now it’s not to say that we can’t find the love of our life through a business networking site that connects us with millions of potential fish in the sea, but we have to ask ourselves where the boundaries need to be set? If I, a professional woman in my late 20s can’t even have a professional profile to attract business opportunities and contacts without being offered marriage proposals, the chance to be “swept off your feet” and everything else in between, then we have to stop and ask ourselves is nothing taken seriously in today’s world?
Just because a woman (or man) sounds like an ideal candidate for your future partner, does not mean that they are on there advertising themselves for that purpose. Not only does mixing business with pleasure harm reputations, but it also poses a threat to LinkedIn getting boycotted, purely because no woman or man is taken sincerely, and has to spend their time batting off all the unwanted “business proposals” .
People need to understand that whilst technology allows us infinitely more direct access to strangers, it does not give us the right to abuse that policy or the avenues which permit it. Dating websites and apps are a great way to meet someone without causing offence or professional blacklisting, so let’s get back to business and leave LinkedIn just for that: business.
By Renee Slansky from Bella and Darcy
Twitter: @reneeslansky
Facebook: Bella and Darcy