Photo: Courtesy Of LinkedUp.It used to be that dating was a horrifying crapshoot in which you had to hope and pray that one day, by random chance or act of God, you might find someone who's compatible with your particular brand of crazy. But, today, thanks to social media and some enterprising app developers, it's seemingly possible for every type of person to connect with someone out there who — surprise! — happens to be just perfect. With little to no effort, everyone from outdoor adventurers to devout Christians to foodies to STD-positive individuals can find someone who's theoretically compatible with them — at least on paper.
Now, there's even a dating site exclusively for the LinkedIn set. LinkedUp!, which is available today, uses your LinkedIn information to set up your profile, unlike Facebook-centric apps like Tinder and Swoon. Other than that, the app's process is a bit like Tinder's (which means there's a lot of mindless swiping involved). LinkedUp! describes itself as "the smart new way to date," presumably because you can make more educated swipes based on your potential suitor's career industry — or, you know, based on whether he or she is employed at all.
Here's the catch, though: This app is not affiliated with LinkedIn in any way. Call me cynical, but I wouldn't be surprised if LinkedUp, LLC finds itself slapped with a big, scary lawsuit in the near future. Plus, there's something just a little bit icky about taking the exact same approach to dating as to finding a job. Whatever happened to #romance?