India, July 19 -- A decade ago, when surveys tried to determine which careers made for the least desirable partners, it was pretty easy to tell who'd make the list. No one wanted to date or marry a chef, an airline pilot or a flight attendant. Their hours were so erratic - when would you ever see them? In 2025, like everything else, that list has been turned upside down. Every job demands long, ridiculous hours. Everyone's pivoting. So, there are new flavours of crazy in the mix. Among dating and matrimonial services, software engineers are no longer cool (Were they ever, guys?), the ring-light is fading on online influencers. If you're wondering why your Bumble likes have plateaued (and why no one's sent you a Raya invite yet), maybe it's not you, it's the field you're in. Is your job a red flag? Let's do a quick meeting in Conference Room B. Ravi Mittal, founder of dating site QuackQuack, says that people with high-pressure jobs (the ones that scream overtime and no flexibility) suggest emotional unavailability and fail to score with potential dates. So, sales and investment banking are filtered out fast. "Startup founders might get matches quickly," says Mittal. "But things fizzle out when the other person realises that the startup is still in its early stages." It's tough to date a person who's already tethered to their dream venture. The constant layoffs in IT, and the industry's obsession with 70-hour work weeks means they've lost aura points in the dating world. There's growing resentment toward rigid 9-to-5ers too. "The belief is that people who are tied to their desks aren't really living," says Arouba Kabir, psychologist and founder of Enso Wellness, who co-hosts the dating podcast Aisle Talks. In a world where both partners make money, your date doesn't care how much value you create for shareholders. They want to know how much value you'll bring to their lives. Professions that were once matrimonial gold are now giving people the ick. Family businesses are squarely in the line of fire. "There's a perception that it comes with too much parental control," says Kabir. "Clients say, 'He works with his family, so he probably doesn't have his own life'." Some careers are still victims of old cliches. "The nightlife industry, event managers and models included, is viewed with suspicion, mostly because of possible substance use at parties, and the odd hours," says Tanya Bakshi, a 30-year-old clinical psychologist, who counsels several single clients. Journalists aren't considered attractive now. They are seen as constantly under pressure and get paid peanuts (Newsflash: We're still nice people, though!). Lawyers, once at the top of the food chain, are mostly a Swipe Left - there's a sense that they might bring their argumentative skills to the bedroom. And people assume that therapists might gaslight and subtly manipulate their partners so they're left on the shelf. But sales gets the worst rep, says Bakshi. "They're seen as slimy. The type who will lie to get what they want." So, who's winning in 2025? Finally, it's the creatives. "Photographers, artists and designers are seeing more matches," says Mittal. The starving-artist trope is so 2010. Now, choosing your passion isn't just sexy, it's a viable career too. "Gen Z wants a partner who goes to the gym, plays a sport like Pickleball or Padel," says Bakshi. It's why fitness instructors are a big draw now too. Anyone with a remote or hybrid job is a green flag - it suggests that they have more time for leisure, travel and you. "It also means more time for therapy. And emotional intelligence is high up on everyone's list," says Kabir. "My clients, especially those in their 20s, list 'Must go to therapy' in their requirements." The viral 2024 track - "I'm looking for a man in finance, trust fund, 6'5", blue eyes" - still holds true. Both women and men are seeking partners who aren't scrounging financially, and can afford some kind of freedom. "They all believe that their partners should be able to support them if they want to take a week off for their mental health," says Kabir. Few jobs have managed to maintain their siren-like allure over the years. Doctors, public-sector employees, and marketing people still give off the sense of stability, which seems attractive in a volatile economy. In the last decade, they've been joined by startup folks (minus the founders), says Jasveer Singh, CEO of Knot.Dating, an AI-driven matchmaking service. App engineers and developers, many in their early 30s, earn up to Rs.70 lakh annually. "There are only a handful of professions that match that bracket. And the skillset has currency across the market. If the startup tanks, they'll land on their feet," Singh says. Other new arrivals are still suss. A 2025 survey in the US tabloid New York Post found that "being an influencer" was a red flag for one in five respondents. "I haven't heard anybody tell me that their aspiration is to marry an influencer," says Radhika Mohta, a matchmaker and relationship coach. "If someone's built a career doing something incredible, and now has a huge Insta following because of it, that's different. But someone who just posts videos all day isn't really a top pick for dates."...