Finding a job using Tinder | Hot Take Tuesday

In a move that suggests the modern job market has officially reached “end-of-days” levels of desperation, bored professionals are ditching the buttoned-up cringe of LinkedIn for the digital meat market of Tinder. Job seekers are reportedly updating their bios to swap “loves hiking and tacos” for “proficient in Python and looking for a creative director role,” turning the swiping experience into a high-stakes game of corporate speed dating.

Career experts, who usually spend their time telling people to use “action verbs” on their resumes, are baffled by the shift. The overlap between professional networking and romantic pursuit creates a unique set of challenges, such as the inherent risk of accidentally seeing your future boss in a swimsuit—or worse, a bathroom mirror selfie.

While Tinder has not officially rebranded as a headhunting firm, the platform’s “swipe right” mechanism is surprisingly similar to the way HR departments skim resumes. The primary difference is that on Tinder, you might actually get a response, even if it’s just a “hey” followed by a request for a Zoom interview you didn’t ask for.

As of Thursday, Tinder has not released a “Professional” tier, though the transition from “Searching for Long-Term Relationship” to “Searching for Long-Term Disability Benefits” seems like a natural evolution. Until then, job seekers are encouraged to keep their bios professional, their photos high-resolution, and to remember that asking for a 401(k) on the first date is still considered coming on a little too strong.