When Rachel Wong received a connection request on LinkedIn from a former colleague named Sam Souchak, she didn't understand what was going on at first. He mentioned mutual acquaintances, suggested getting coffee, and... honestly, with an apology, admitted he had first spotted her on Tinder, writes the WSJ.

At first, Rachel showed the message to her colleagues, but they vouched for the guy. After studying Sam's profile, she saw an ambitious young man from similar professional circles—who was also handsome. In the end, the date took place, turned into a long-term relationship, and now the couple is choosing a venue for their wedding ceremony. "If it happened on LinkedIn, so be it," Rachel laughs. "Perhaps this is the best professional connection of my life."

Numbers and reasons: Why dating apps are losing ground

According to a survey by resume template platform Zety:

• One in four professionals considers using LinkedIn for romantic purposes to be entirely acceptable.

• 22% of respondents admitted they had sent or received messages on the site with explicit romantic undertones.

Amid total disillusionment with traditional dating apps, singles are looking for alternatives. The business networking platform offers what modern dating lacks so much: real photos, a verified career path, a level of ambition, and a clear background.

The main rules of "business flirting"

The platform's administration itself is strictly opposed to romance on the platform. "Our main priority is keeping users safe from unwanted advances," LinkedIn representatives state. Nevertheless, users find loopholes.

1. Relationship experts advise never being too blunt in your approach. The first message should look like a business inquiry while maintaining a bit of intrigue.

2. Phrases like "Are you single?", "I hope this doesn't come across as weird..." or "You look stunning!" are considered aggressive and inappropriate on a professional platform.

3. Cornell student Katie Istomin notes that LinkedIn is great for filtering potential partners based on ambition. However, the service has an awkward quirk: it shows who has been viewing your profile. Because of this, users even replace their real pages with "anonymous" accounts to spy on attractive candidates without getting caught.