A LinkedIn conversation turned into what I thought was a job interview. It turned out to be more like a date – and left me feeling gross and dirty.

Sat, 10/28/2023 - 05:54

Jenna Vaught was a college student using LinkedIn to get started with her career.
But what she thought was a job interview turned out to be a country club lunch with an older man.
"He knew he could do this. It just felt like I was a thing for him to play with," she says.

This is an as-told-to essay based on a transcribed conversation with Jenna Vaught about her experience of being baited on LinkedIn. Insider has verified her LinkedIn messages with the man as well as the details he posted on the site. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

A few years ago I was a college junior at Florida Gulf Coast University. I had just one more year to go before graduating with a bachelor's in marketing.