Creep Alert! Why Are Men Sending Unsolicited DMs On Professional Platforms?

When you create a profile on professional platforms, what do you expect? Job offers? Increased professional connection? Potential employees? Or people sending you unsolicited DMs? Many of you might be perplexed by the last question because it is completely unrelated to what professional platforms aim at. But let me burst your bubble, professional platforms too have now become a space for flirtatious conversations. Creepy isn't it?

Let me share a personal experience. I received a personal message from a person who claimed that he got my number from one of the professional platforms. Considering him as a recruiter, I took the conversation further. However, I was shocked to know that he was a second-year graduation student who just wanted to have a flirtatious conversation. Of course, I blocked him immediately. However, I was still in shock at how could professional platforms lead to such a breach of privacy. 

You are not safe even on professional platforms

Professional platforms were designed so that people seeking jobs or hiring employees can connect easily. Earlier, it was very difficult to know about job openings or apply for them. With the advent of many professional platforms, the potential for career growth has increased. It is because of the need for jobs or for hiring employees that people become active on professional networking platforms. They post about their requirements, resumes and portfolios so that they get noticed by recruiters or job-seekers. To authenticate the profile, people put up their photos on the profile. However, who knew that even on professional platforms, you are not safe? 

Difference between unprofessional and professional platforms

Getting unsolicited DMs on other social media platforms is quite normal yet creepy and disturbing. Such platforms are made for informal social interactions. So getting DMs from unknown people for small talk is anticipated and sometimes leads to good friendship. However, lewd demands still are not permissible or acceptable. 

So if DMs for small talk make people uncomfortable and suspicious on social media platforms made for social interactions, imagine the level of disgust people feel when they get such DMs on professional platforms. 

In conclusion, I would only say that people need to understand the difference between professionalism and social interaction. The former allows you to grow your career while the latter is conducive to growing your social circle. Initiating small talks or other unsolicited DMs on professional platforms, you not only disturb the other person but also degrade your personality as a professional. While unsolicited DMs are wrong whether it is on professional or unprofessional platforms, if you create a profile on professional platforms, don't let yourself and your career down by randomly messaging professionals. 

Views expressed are the author's own.