Striking a Balance
- Sunday, August 12 2012 @ 10:13 am
- Contributed by: Jet
- Views: 1,076
Attempting to sum up your entire, multi-layered personality in one online dating profile can be daunting. And not surprisingly, the main “theme” many choose to focus on is the balance in their life: they’re not too serious, but they know when to buckle down. Or perhaps she knows how to have fun watching a football game, but that doesn’t mean she’s not feminine. We all have two sides to ourselves, but the challenge becomes figuring out how to say it without just appearing completely confused.
First, remember that the self-summary is the meat and potatoes of your profile. Yes, most profiles have lots of helpful charts and quizzes and whatnot, but we all know that the self-summary is where we go first, and it’s what we remember. Don’t spend your two paragraphs going on about your birdwatching hobby and then wonder why that’s all anyone thinks you’re interested in, when you clearly selected the bullet point that said “rocket scientist” next to “employment” at the bottom of the page! Figure out what your central message is, and try to fit into two or three paragraphs.
While the self-summary is what tells the main story, everything else in the profile can help color in the details. Maybe you mention you’re a film buff, and elsewhere you get an opportunity to actually list some of your favorites (just remember to avoid laundry lists that fill a page - keep it between five and ten). Perhaps you mention that you’re a chemist, and you include a few pictures complete with “mad scientist” coat and bubbling beakers. Even your user name can help paint a picture of who you are.
Just remember that you’re striving for balance, and that includes in all your peripherals as well. If one of your main points is that you enjoy reading books and being a homebody, but your user name is “Partydude,” your pictures are all of wild nights at the club and you don’t actually list any favorite books, you’re just not going to get that “side” of you across even if you shout about it from the rooftops.
Remember to relax - your profile is meant to be just a taste of who you are, not a document laying out your various moods and whims. However, if you view the various aspects of your profile as a way to tell a cohesive story (instead of a series of disconnected sections), you’ll be well on your way toward creating the first impression you want.
First, remember that the self-summary is the meat and potatoes of your profile. Yes, most profiles have lots of helpful charts and quizzes and whatnot, but we all know that the self-summary is where we go first, and it’s what we remember. Don’t spend your two paragraphs going on about your birdwatching hobby and then wonder why that’s all anyone thinks you’re interested in, when you clearly selected the bullet point that said “rocket scientist” next to “employment” at the bottom of the page! Figure out what your central message is, and try to fit into two or three paragraphs.
While the self-summary is what tells the main story, everything else in the profile can help color in the details. Maybe you mention you’re a film buff, and elsewhere you get an opportunity to actually list some of your favorites (just remember to avoid laundry lists that fill a page - keep it between five and ten). Perhaps you mention that you’re a chemist, and you include a few pictures complete with “mad scientist” coat and bubbling beakers. Even your user name can help paint a picture of who you are.
Just remember that you’re striving for balance, and that includes in all your peripherals as well. If one of your main points is that you enjoy reading books and being a homebody, but your user name is “Partydude,” your pictures are all of wild nights at the club and you don’t actually list any favorite books, you’re just not going to get that “side” of you across even if you shout about it from the rooftops.
Remember to relax - your profile is meant to be just a taste of who you are, not a document laying out your various moods and whims. However, if you view the various aspects of your profile as a way to tell a cohesive story (instead of a series of disconnected sections), you’ll be well on your way toward creating the first impression you want.
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