How Do I Write a Good Introduction for my Profile?

You only have one chance to make a first impression, so make sure that it's a good one! One of the biggest things that people ask me in customer service is, What should I say in my profile? Have I said too much? Do I sound boring? Do you think that people will 'get' my sense of humor? What else should I say?

The answer to this question is very personal in nature. Some of us are more private about the information that we share online while others are much more open. Let me start off by sharing what NOT to include in your introduction.

Thou Shalt Not Include

1. Don't complain about your past relationships. While you may be over your ex(es), when you talk about everything that went wrong in past relationships, it leads others to believe that maybe you aren't quite as over them as you thought you were and that you might be carrying some baggage with you.
2. Don't leave anything blank. By filling out each section of your profile, you're showing others that you're serious about finding a match and because of that, they'll take you much more seriously as well. And no, answering a question with "Ask me" doesn't count!
3. Don't share too much information. Your profile is being viewed by people who you've never met before. Some of them, you may not want to meet. Make sure that your workplace, street name, last name, or other personal information can't be identified by the information in your profile.
4. Don't write everything in one big paragraph. Walls of text are intimidating and hard to read. Because of that, it may not be read at all. Make sure to add a blank line between each topic so that your reader isn't getting lost in a wall of text.

Now that you know what NOT to include in your introduction, what exactly should you say?

Say This Instead

1. Start by thinking about what makes you, you! If you were to ask a friend to sum you up in just a few sentences, what would they mention? For example, my friends would say that I'm very spontaneous, that I love trying new things, I write way too many lists (seriously, even this blog post is a list), and that I would go out of my way to help a friend in need.
2. What kind of life do you envision for yourself? Maybe your goal is to be the next Mark Zuckerberg, maybe you want to live in a cabin in the mountains, or travel the world. Whatever that is, being clear about your goals for your future can help others to determine if their life goals align with yours.
3. Be descriptive, but don't tell all. The goal is to mention a variety of topics, without sharing so much information that there isn't anything left to discuss on the topic.