Dating apps such as Bumble and Tinder are an intrinsic part of dating in the modern age, but could they also be useful tools for networking? According to new data from tech giant Kaspersky, the answer may be yes.
The company recently surveyed over 18,000 people from 27 countries around the globe and discovered that 66% of respondents had managed to make successful professional connections through an app specifically designed for dating.
Eight per cent noted that they used the apps purely to find jobs, or for networking opportunities. 13% noted results being ‘highly successful’ in this mission.
A further nine per cent also noted that they had their LinkedIn account linked to their profiles on dating apps like Plenty of Fish and Bumble.
In some cases, the founders of such apps, having seen the uptake in professional usage, created specific spin-offs dedicated to networking and job seeking alone.
For example, Tinder CTO Ryan Ogle launched the Ripple app, aiming to be a mobile-first alternative to LinkedIn. Similarly, female-first dating app Bumble released Bumble Bizz in 2014 for the same purposes.
“Our goal for Bumble is to become the ultimate social networking platform for people you don’t know yet,” Alex Williamson el-Effendi, the company’s Head of Brand, recently told Observer.
“We believe all relationships are imperative to personal growth and success—that includes romantic, friendship and business. Much like dating, there has been an imbalance for so long in professional networking,” el-Effendi added.
However, whilst the trend of using such apps for networking is growing, the data also warns that there are potentially negative ramifications.
For example, 15% of respondents noted that they’d been scammed in some way on the apps, 53% cited coming into contact with fake profiles and 17% had their own identity stolen.
A further 12% noted that they’d had private conversations shared publicly, potentially presenting issues for those linking their professional profiles.
