This is a unique
and fairly new organization. The Institute, based in
New York City and founded by Lisa Clampitt in 2003,
seeks to be an educational institute that will
supply the tools to get started in a matchmaker
career. It operates a website and has a network of
“certified” Matchmakers, those who have paid a
$1,500 fee to attend a 22-hour weekend course on
matchmaking.
The Institute
also publishes newsletters and wants to build a
network of certified matchmakers (now numbering
about 40 – one can view detailed profiles of these
matchmakers on the website, and contact them if they
wish.)
The Matchmaking
Institute claims to be the first and only school
providing formal training and certification in
matchmaking, and the only organization referring
singles to professional matchmakers. Singles can get
listed in the Matchmakers Multiple Listing Service,
which is used by professional matchmakers worldwide.
You post your profile and could be matched to one of
these matchmakers’ clients. The cost is $250 per
year, and your personal information is held
confidential, not made public.
Currently, this
seems to be the only organization operating whose
goal is to legitimize and clean up the field, in
terms of matchmakers’ ethics. For this, the
Institute should be applauded. However, others argue
that matchmaking is more of an art than a science
that can be learned in a weekend course. Many
already in the field feel that you are either born
with the ability to find matches for people or you
are not. Nevertheless, the website does provide
useful information, contacts, and discriminating
singles looking for a higher level service than
dating websites may find the $250 multiple listing
service referral fee to be well worth it. Definitely
worth checking out.
Following is the
address, phone, and website of the Institute:
Matchmaking
Institute Inc.
89 5th
Ave., Suite 602
New York, NY
10003
1-877-232-8743