Internet Dating - Your Profile

Great - you've decided to give Internet dating a go, and you've chosen a couple sites to trial. Signing up is easy, right up until it's time to write your Profile. You don't know how to write a profile, and if you did, you wouldn't want to write it about yourself anyway. Is it time to panic?

Absolutely not! While it is very important to have a strong profile, it's really not painful to create one. After all, you know what kind of things you're looking for in another person, and you know what things you're not looking for - if you avoid hyperbole and crazy claims, you'll find that this is a very natural process. So take a deep breath and follow these guidelines to writing a realistic and interesting personal Profile.

Basic Statistics
All Internet dating sites are going to ask for the same basic information: relationship status, your gender, who you're looking for, where you live, your height and your body type. Don't enhance or lie about any of these things. If you're divorced, say so. If you're single with kids, say so! These are the kind of things people really don't want to find out later. Absolutely specify if you're looking for men or for women. Since the whole point of listing on the site is to meet someone, be honest about your location. Don't say you're in New York if you're really in Louisiana. That doesn't help anyone. And as painful as it may be, list your true weight and body style. Nobody is expecting an Adonis or Aphrodite, and they're going to be suspicious if you list yourself as male, 6'2", six-pack abs, tan, blonde, blue eyes, athletic. Or if you say you're a female, 5'7", 120 lbs., 34c-24-34 and athletic. We all have some warts - acknowledge them and move on to the things that really matter. After all, if you aren't honest about these most basic things, how can a potential date believe anything else you say?

Your Match
You'll be asked for basic details on what you're looking for - male, female, single, divorced, kids / no kids as well as age range and body type. As much fun as it would be to date a super model, keep these requirements as real as you can. If having kids is a showstopper for you, then say so. But if it doesn't really matter, don't call it out. And don't ask for a perfect body unless you have one!

About Yourself
There will be a section where you can showcase yourself - use your own words to describe what's important to you, what you're looking for and what you offer. In this, don't go for Pulitzer Prize winning material. Realism wins over style hands-down, every time. Use specifics - if you love walking, give details on whether it's long, moonlit walks with a significant other or speed walking in a 10K race.

Overall Tone
Whatever you say, do it with enthusiasm, in a positive voice. And always, always be courteous. No profanity, no disparaging remarks. Ever!

Once you have a profile you think works, read it out loud to yourself. Listen impartially for sincerity and enthusiasm. Are you describing a person you'd like to meet? If the answer is yes, publish it on the Internet dating site!