...Love on LinkedIn?

Why I think Linked Love will be a great success.

A random Friday evening, Prisicilla, a forward-thinking public health enthusiast had stumbled upon the profile of a charming good-looking young lawyer with sparkling smile and unique haircut who profile name read Chukwuebuka Adelana.

It wasn't his looks that drew her in, it was first- the unique combination of names-an indication that he was an offspring of an hybrid tribal marraige, but more importantly, the fact that he was a former YALI RLC participant as well as a Walter Carrington fellow.

Priscilla checked him out on other digital platforms before reaching out to ask for a professional help. Chukwuebuka, a versatile lawyer who was always drawn to empowering and inspiring youths was marveled at Priscilla's zealous passion and guided her through the YALI fellowship application. Of course, she got the fellowship, and shared the good news while asking for some guaidance on how to maximise the experience, and they talked throughout the flight and conference.

Well, they are still talking today after exchanging their vows last year and I am very sure this is just one of the many stories of people who have found love on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn launched a featured "LinkedIn love" few days ago and while the reactions have been ambivalent , I think it is going to be a great success

Why will LinkedIn love, you may ask? A lot of reasons of which I'd highlight below.

1. (Relatively) Honest Profiles: Most people do not lie about their profiles on Linkedin especially when you compare it to other dating platforms. Amongst many other reasons, most people know that companies can cross-reference their LinkedIn profile at any point in time during the recruitment process and this element of honesty adds to the authenticity and credibility of who you are interacting with.
2. Easy vetting and alignment check : For me, this is a huge selling point. According to Meg Jay, the author of defining decade, people spend a lot of time between 19 and 29 chasing their careers. Guess what? LinkedIn is one of the major platforms where that career journey is often documented. By stopping at a profile, you can figure out if you are attracted to their profession, the unique demands that comes with their day-to-day job, their career trajectory, etc. You can also pick up traits; for instance, someone who has a B.sc in a course and two different Masters in two diverse fields is most likely an adventurous person vs someone who has a B.Sc, M.sc, and Ph.D in a single field. This conclusion might be subjective, it's just a spontaneous reference.
3. There is 'minimal' risk: The exciting trait of a platform like LinkedIn is that you can stay as professional connections if dating doesn't work out since you were attracted to one another's career profile, eitherways and who knows, you might be able to provide some help professionally in the nearest future. An additional advantage is also how the platform shows your 'real-self' and doesn't leave the room to hyper-inflate like other platforms. As a user of the app said "Dating apps offer an opportunity for people to conceal their identities and accomplishments while on LinkedIn you tend to be verified by other users" .

There are probably a lot more reasons I can't think of right now but I am really looking forward to how this plans out.

Dear Singletons, will you be using the LinkedIn love feature to find love?

What are your general thoughts about the features?

Leave your comments below