- Harmelin, 27, said the message caught her attention as she'd "never" been asked out on LinkedIn.
- Both she and hundreds of TikTok viewers had mixed feelings about the move.
Dating apps can be tough to navigate for some, so other social platforms — even professional ones — have become alternative ways to find a match.
Philadelphia-based TikToker Hannah Harmelin, 27, told Insider she wasn't shocked to see that someone from a dating app had found her on another social site, but an unexpected date invitation on professional site LinkedIn was a first for her.
"I actually receive messages like this almost every day on Instagram, but have never gotten one like this on LinkedIn," Harmelin told Insider.
The message from the unidentified suitor read: "Hey Hannah–skipping the line on a dating app and coming straight to you. Aggressive move, (I know I know). Life's too short not to go for what I am highly interested in. Happy to connect regardless of your openness to meet."
@hannahharmelin #greenscreen dare i say the bar is restored above he #lol #dating #linkedin #hinge #bumble #datingapps #date #2023 #men #guys ♬ Morning Train (Nine to Five) [Edit] - Sheena Easton
Harmelin's TikTok video sharing his message was captioned, "this mans really came to LINKEDIN." Of the over 700,000 views, many comments applauded the bold move. However, Harmelin and others had mixed feelings about his efforts.
"I was in between feeling flattered, and feeling creeped out that he found me on LinkedIn, especially given that my last name is not on any of my dating apps — my full last name is not even in my Instagram – so he had to do some digging to find me," she said.
She added: "As far as LinkedIn goes, he definitely had to Google me and do some more in-depth research to access me on that platform."
Although she didn't say whether or not the pair plan to meet up in person, Harmelin told Insider she did reply to his message.
"Some girls say they would 'hate this, but something about his message is attractive,'" Harmelin said. "Other girls referenced the 'if he wanted to he would' mentality – some said that this was a 'red flag.'"
The LinkedIn mystery man isn't the only one looking for a perfect match on the site meant for professional networking. One Colorado-based woman wrote about meeting her husband on LinkedIn and another user wrote that the site "worked better than real dating sites," according to a report from Insider.
A 2017 blog post on LinkedIn detail the seven reasons why someone might use the platform for dating instead of job-hunting. The points include generally honest profiles that can be vetted easily, a "great dating pool," and a failed romantic connection could still be a part of your professional network.