Any professional dating sites out there?

November 7, 2006 10:23 AM

Any professional dating sites out there?

I am interested in trying to meet someone thhrough an online dating service. Problem is I want to use a professional executive online dating service that filters members and assures the quality, safety and viability of their members. I've tried using the more accesible sites and find myself discouraged by the contacts I've made.
Can anyone recomend a professional dating online service that will help me meet professional men of quality?

posted by sandrapbrady to Human Relations (11 answers total)

I've had friends that have used It's Just Lunch, with decent results.
posted by pdb at 10:31 AM on November 7, 2006

Have you thought at all about signing on with a professional matchmaker?
posted by Carol Anne at 10:35 AM on November 7, 2006

A lot of the speed-dating places limit themselves to professionals. Not online, but would help you meet men.
posted by smackfu at 10:36 AM on November 7, 2006

This is what It's Just Lunch is all about. I don't know if they've changed their policies, but a friend went to sign up about two years ago and they required the $2000 joining fee in cash or certified check (in order to ensure clients were of a particular professional economic class, although they don't explain that's why they do it). I don't know if it was worth it because she didn't sign up.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:06 AM on November 7, 2006

It appears there is not an It's Just Lunch franchise in Montreal. But there is one in TO.

My (male) friend in SF hasn't had the best of luck with It's Just Lunch. He thinks it's because he's younger than their average customer (he's 25 and they set him up with woman between 28 and 32, despite his protests). Though he did end up sleeping with two of them, but I digress. And it's expensive--they wanted ~$1500 for 16 "lunches", but he held out and got in for $1300. To my surprise, they charge women the same price as men (I guess this isn't surprising to most people, but I guess my mind keeps going back to the club that lets woman in first/free or the pool at the Hard Rock in Vegas that charges 1/2 price for women, etc). He was interviewed very thoroughly about what he was looking for, so I think their intentions were right but the supply/demand dynamics were not in his favor.
posted by mullacc at 1:03 PM on November 7, 2006

My mother used to work for Its Just Lunch. From the stories I've heard, you'd be better off just looking for men on your own. According to her, they cater to the desires of new men, and men with accouts up for renewal. On more than one occassion, she was forced to "sell" a woman on a guy who didn't meet her requirements in any way whatsoever. This was a widespread practice throughout the whole company, part of corporate training materials and all! She eventually quit because she couldn't sell a product she didn't believe in (yep, it required actual sales skills to get some of these people matched up on dates).

Oh, in response to mullacc, they don't actually charge women the same as men. Pretty, young women never have to renew, they just stay on as long as they want, and they are used as bait for men who are new or up for renewal.
posted by necessitas at 1:11 PM on November 7, 2006

Oh, by the way, the whole fee to prove members are of a certain economic status, well, it doesn't always work well. There was this one guy, his parents paid his membership. He didn't have a job abd the best thing my mom could say about him was that "he has a new car," there he had no hobbies, nothing. That was the only thing he had to say about himself. Oh, such fun stories came out of that job of hers!
posted by necessitas at 1:14 PM on November 7, 2006

There's The Right Stuff . It isn't based on your being a professional, but instead only lets people who went to top tier colleges and universities join.
posted by zazerr at 3:17 PM on November 7, 2006

I don't think you'll find any online site that will vouch for the "safety" of any men they'd introduce to you. Talk about a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Here's a suggestion, something that a female friend of mine did on Craigslist. She posted W4M with her criteria. Anyone she was interested in she wrote to, but instructed that his reply back to her come from his work e-mail. While safety was her stated rationale, at one fell swoop this got her the guy's real name, verification of professional status, and in many cases a link to his picture, bio, etc., and enough information to google guys to her hearts' content.
posted by MattD at 4:19 PM on November 7, 2006

I have a friend who joined It's Just Lunch after one of her friends married a guy she met there and another is in a very serious relationship. So far my friend has been on three dates and all of the guys are professionals, and nice, but not keepers. BUT I've read a few articles online about how they're scammy, so I have the feeling it just depends on the franchise you go to. You might want to ask for referrals if you're considering signing up for them?

I like MattD's friend's Craigslist idea, too (did she get lots of responses?) -- I've actually also met a few guys via CL, stating that I only want to go out with professionals, and that's who replied. I dated one of them for a pretty long time, too.
posted by echo0720 at 4:58 PM on November 7, 2006

nth It's Just Lunch. My boyfriend's best friend's wife was a manager for one, so we got to see behind-the-scenes. Seems pretty cool. The only scamminess was that the person in question made record sales for her francise, but was never paid any of the bonuses she was promised. If I'm not mistaken, upwards of $15k and an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Bahamas. That was her final straw and just up and left.

But per her, nothing scammy as far as the actual memberships. =)

The Craigslist idea seems legit, too. I might have to use that...
posted by damnjezebel at 11:49 PM on November 7, 2006