A new survey report from ResumeBuilder.com exploring how Americans are using dating apps for career advancement found that one in three are leveraging the platforms for professional networking and job-related opportunities rather than romance.
According to the report, which surveyed 2,225 dating app users, 34% of respondents say they’ve used the platforms for job or career purposes in the past year, and nearly one in 10 say it was their primary motivation.
Among dating app users, 75% intentionally matched with people in specific roles, and two-thirds targeted users who worked at desirable or prestigious companies. Popular platforms for career networking include Tinder, Bumble, and Facebook Dating.
“More professionals, especially higher earners, are turning to dating apps as networking tools,” Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at ResumeBuilder.com, an online resource for professional resume templates and career advice, said in a statement. “Exclusive platforms like Raya and The League blur the line between social and professional circles. With fierce competition on LinkedIn, dating apps provide a more personal way to build rapport and get results. In industries where social capital drives success, turning a match into a career connection is strategic relationship-building.”
Among users who used dating apps for job-related purposes, 88% successfully connected with someone for professional reasons. Forty-three percent gained mentorship or career advice, 39% landed an interview, 37% received a referral or job lead, and 37% received a job offer.
Additionally, 38% say they had a physical relationship with the person or people they connected with for job-related reasons.
“On dating apps, people tend to show more personality and vulnerability, which fosters trust and genuine rapport. This creates a lower-pressure environment for conversations that can naturally evolve into discussing career opportunities,” Haller said.
While 12% of users said they weren’t honest about their true intentions, most say they were upfront about using dating apps for networking purposes.
More than half of those who turned to dating apps for professional reasons say they did so because they believed personal connections were the best way to get hired (56%) or viewed it as a creative or strategic approach (58%). Others say they were motivated by a difficult job market (42%), desperation to find work or advance in their careers (29%), or a lack of networking opportunities elsewhere (22%).
Some users who turned to dating apps for networking shared with ResumeBuilder.com what the experience was really like:
- “I made my profile read like a resume, connected with someone in my target field, asked for an intro, and got the director’s email to follow up.”
- “I actually met people in my industry and got useful advice/leads.”
- “It was a great experience. I found a job immediately.”
- “It was definitely weird. Feels like the system is so broken that folks have to resort to doing this.”
- “Weird but effective.”
- “It worked, but you need the audacity to ask.”
“Younger professionals in particular feel a lot of pressure to get ahead in a hypercompetitive market. Traditional networking platforms, such as LinkedIn, can feel oversaturated and transactional, where everyone is pitching rather than genuinely connecting. Dating apps, in contrast, provide a more personal and low-pressure environment for building authentic relationships. The trend signals a broader cultural shift: professionals are moving away from rigid, performative networking norms toward more fluid, human-centered interactions,” Haller said.
Methodology: This survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online in October 2025. A total of 2,225 U.S. adults ages 18 to 55 who had used a dating app in the last 12 months participated in the survey.
Photo illustration credit: Deagreez/iStock
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