It started with a conversation on a plane.
The idea for Date a Career came from an unexpected encounter. Our founder was sitting on a plane next to a man and, as strangers sometimes do when they're stuck beside each other for a few hours, they started talking. She asked what he did for a living. His answer: professional scubadiving. That conversation stayed with her. Not because she suddenly wanted to become a professional scuba diver, but because it made her realize how much of our career journey is shaped by exposure and chance. We tend to consider the careers we know. The ones our parents have. The ones our teachers mention. The ones our friends pursue. The ones we happen to see around us.
Your future shouldn't be left to chance.
We believe a career is too big a commitment to make before you really know what's out there.
Yet too often, we choose from the small world of careers we happen to be exposed to, shaped by where we grew up, who we know, what our parents do, or the one person who happened to inspire us along the way.
At Date a Career, our mission is to change that.
We want to open up the world of work and give everyone the chance to discover careers they never knew existed, meet the people actually living them, and experience what different paths really feel like.
Because you shouldn't have to commit to the first career that looks good on paper.
Explore. Get curious. Meet a few possibilities. See what sparks something.
You might find the one. You might discover it's definitely not your type. Either way, you learn something about yourself.
Because when it comes to one of the biggest relationships of your life, we believe you should date a career before you commit.
Our values
Exploration over assumption
You can’t choose what you don’t know exists. We open the door to careers, people, and possibilities beyond the usual paths, from trades and entrepreneurship to emerging fields and traditional professions.
Experience Before Commitment
You wouldn’t marry someone after reading their bio. So why choose a college or career before knowing if it’s really right for you? Explore it. Experience it. Then decide if it’s worth the commitment.
Fit Over Status
The “best” career isn’t the most prestigious, impressive, or expected one. It’s the one that fits you: your strengths, personality, values, ambitions, and the life you want to build.
Curiosity Without Judgment
There are no wrong careers to explore and no failed dates. Loving an experience teaches you something. Hating it does too. Every career you explore brings you one step closer to understanding what sparks you and what doesn’t.
Meet the founder
Ilana Souza
Founder & CEOOur Founder is a marketing and innovation leader with nearly two decades of experience understanding what motivates people and creating experiences that move them to action. After a chance conversation on a plane with a professional scuba diver opened her eyes to just how many careers most of us never encounter, she began questioning why one of life’s biggest decisions is so often shaped by chance and limited exposure. As a strategist and a mom, Ilana founded Date a Career to open up the world of possibilities and help the next generation explore, experience, and discover what truly fits before they commit.
Ready to explore?
Whether you're a student looking for direction or a professional ready to open your doors — we'd love to have you.