I moved to the US after meeting my boyfriend on LinkedIn – here’s why it is better than Tinder
One woman moved all the way to the US after finding love on LinkedIn, and even though it didn’t work out, she still used the platform through Tinder or Hinge.
In 2014, Shann Ng from Singapore had been in a seven-year relationship and wasn’t looking for love.
But love still found its way to her, connecting with someone on LinkedIn in the most unexpected way.
Although the relationship ultimately ended six months after she took an intercontinental trip to live with him, she still believes the platform is better than traditional dating apps.
Shann Ng (pictured), 41, from Singapore had just gotten out of a seven-year relationship when she first met her ex-partner on LinkedIn – even though it didn’t work out, she would still use the platform via Hinge or Tinder
Shann told MailOnline: ‘I will definitely continue dating on LinkedIn. I’d say the odds of me dating someone from LinkedIn rather than a dating app are 99.9%.
‘The chance that I will meet someone from a dating app is 0%, unless that person adds me on LinkedIn.’
She continued, “Honestly, I don’t see myself re-downloading dating apps. Seeing all these things that happen to women every day helps me focus on myself.”
Shann, who works in the FinTech industry, first contacted her ex-partner on a purely professional basis and asked for his opinion on a product.
The lovebirds soon discovered that they not only shared a similar industry, but also many interests, from video games to their passion for technology.
The 41-year-old admitted she was in the middle of a “midlife crisis” and her career was “at a standstill”, adding: “He taught me a lot of things and we got along so well.”
‘When I first clicked with him, I thought, ‘I’ve never clicked with someone who was so similar to me.’ He is the male version of me. We look a bit like twins.’
Just a month after they met, Shann’s former flame made the 8,000-mile journey from LA to Singapore.
She initially approached him to ask his opinion on a product, but the pair soon discovered they had a lot in common, from video games to their love of technology.
After getting to know the fellow FinTech professional for a few months, Shann took the plunge and moved 8,000 miles to the US to be with him, adding that she was “very excited about this new chapter.”
After a blissful trip filled with getting to know her family and friends, the couple soon realized they couldn’t be apart.
According to Shann, the couple vigorously texted each other throughout the flight home.
She added: ‘When he left we were like, ‘Hey, I really miss you,’ so he said, ‘Why don’t you fly to the US and we can go from there.’
“It wasn’t even a question, it was like, okay, let’s do it.”
For many, an international move would be quite intimidating, but the 41-year-old admitted she wasn’t scared of the move at all.
‘I know the US very well, so I wasn’t afraid to move there.
“I was actually really excited because I had never lived there permanently,” she said.
“I was just really excited about this new chapter of my life.”
The couple initially enjoyed their honeymoon when Shann first moved into their LA apartment – a time she likened to “a rom-com.”
But six months, another life change and a Dachshund dog later, the couple’s relationship quickly came to a standstill.
But their honeymoon didn’t last long. Six months after her arrival in LA – one dog and another move later – the couple decided to put their romance on hold
Citing their work-a-holic nature and mounting arguments for their divorce, Shann made the long-haul flight to Singapore.
‘It was the longest flight I’ve ever had in my life. It took me a very long time to get over the pain of having to overcome two broken relationships at the same time.”
‘Looking back, I wouldn’t have changed anything about it. Maybe there are regrets, but now there are 0.
“Everything comes together perfectly, including teaching me a life lesson.”
Despite the heartache, the 41-year-old would still use LinkedIn over any other dating app.
In fact, it’s a requirement to be connected on the career-oriented platform before even attempting a first date.
“If someone tries to get to know me, add me or hook up with me, I will always ask them to add me on LinkedIn and if they say they don’t have Linkedin, I won’t meet them.”
She joked, “It’s 2024. Who does great work but doesn’t have LinkedIn?”
According to the Singaporean, LinkedIn gives you much more insight into who a potential suitor is, from their educational background, their job and their interests.
She also believes that the platform allows you to gauge someone’s personality based on the recommendations of colleagues and bosses.
But the 41-year-old has no regrets about her decisions and jokes that she would much rather use LinkedIn than a dating app. She confessed that she doesn’t meet men unless they connect on LinkedIn
“In fact, recently my boyfriend even said that LinkedIn is a great dating tool. LinkedIn is kind of like submitting your resume to start a relationship.” she joked.
However, Shann doesn’t encourage everyone to jump on the career-oriented social media platform and start taking advantage.
‘I think professionally you shouldn’t just reach people on LinkedIn because you want to date them. It’s a bit intrusive.
“I didn’t really use it for dating, I just happened to meet my previous partner on LinkedIn.”
Since her ex-boyfriend, Shann hasn’t met new people on LinkedIn, adding that she uses it “in a very professional way.”
“If I’m interested in someone, I take the conversation offline.”