Man walks out on Bumble date after being grilled like a job candidate — one question was the final straw

A 25-year-old man decided to meet a Bumble match for a date. However, what started as a casual conversation turned tense when the 29-year-old went overboard with her not-so-appropriate first date questions. Her never-ending curiosity about his work life left him unsure if he was on a date or sitting through a job interview. The final straw came when the woman inquired about his salary, and the way he handled it impressed people online. The man (u/helpwanted0501) shared his story on May 1, and his post has received over 5,700 upvotes on Reddit. 

The 'interview' date

The Canadian man wasn't quite sure about the woman, but he still decided to meet her because he wanted to get back into the dating pool. "I decided to go in with an open mind and see what happened," he confessed. However, to his surprise, his Bumble match made him feel as if he were sitting through a job interview and not a date. Throughout their conversation, the woman kept asking questions about his professional life. In fact, she was disappointed when the man told her he was a fresher and had been working only for a year. "I don't get why she's shocked; that's pretty normal for 24-25-year-old dudes in Canada since we mostly graduate at 23 here. It hasn't even officially been 2 years since my convocation yet," he added. Moreover, the woman asked the man if he was open to becoming a father in the future, which felt bizarre for his age.

The final straw

The final blow came when the woman asked about his salary. Disgusted, the man started laughing and insisted they end their date right there. He told her that she reminded him of his HR department, and that was the "worst first date" he had ever been on in half a decade. Without much explanation, the man paid the bill and left. "Looking back, I feel a little bad. She looked really sad when I told her that, and I wonder if I went a little too hard," he confessed.

Swipe right for financial stability

While asking about someone's professional life or income may sound inappropriate, studies show financial status plays an important role in choosing a romantic partner, especially for women. In fact, a study by Melissa R. Fales and David A. Frederick, among others, found that men care more about having a "good-looking" partner than other things (92% vs. 84%). Women, however, care more about financial stability and a successful career. Researchers observed that while 97% preferred someone with a stable income, it mattered to only 74% of men. Similarly, 69% of women respondents said they are attracted to partners who have made or will make a lot of money, compared to 47% of men.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Reddit post, u/emuIcy3228 confessed, "When I read the title, I thought you would have been the AH (a**hol*). Dates are meant to ask intentional questions to see if the relationship could ever go anywhere. For example, I think it should be normal to discuss potential kid timelines, etc. That being said, I completely agree with you. Asking about salary on a first date is very rude, and I draw the line there. NTA." Similarly, u/theworldofscience wrote, "Anytime someone asks how much money you make, your reply should be, 'That is an inappropriate question,' then silence. We all need to stop answering inappropriate questions in order to be polite."

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