They say that in the New Year, you can be a “new you.” But while you’re resolving to revamp your fitness routine, don’t forget to refresh your dating profile too. January and February are two of their most popular months for singles to look for love in the winkiverse.
“We often see a major influx of people joining JDate in January as many people are adding ‘find love’ to their New Year’s resolutions,” says Rachel, JDate.com’s Community Manager. “And that excitement always extends into February as Jewish singles everywhere prepare to find their Jewish Valentine!”
Since your profile is your very first impression to a match – the moment when there will either be instant virtual attraction, or an on-screen fail – it’s also the best place to start when your love life needs an eMakeover. Make sure your profile stands out from their other potentials by using my tips for these five JDate profile questions.
1. About Me
Creative freedom abounds in a section as open-ended as your “about me” essay, so think outside the text box. Start by removing any and all generic lines — turn “I’m close to my family” into an anecdote about your family vacations each year and “I’m adventurous” into a quick story about your latest exploration. Keywords like family and adventure are only awesome when they are used in descriptions that will resonate. Keeping your profile action-oriented will help your personality traits pop off the page more than simply listing your qualities outright.
Ideally, this section should be around two paragraphs since JDate’s profile questions allow you plenty of other opportunities to highlight different parts of your life. Ultimately, your messages are where the conversation will really happen, so it’s OK if you feel like a tease!
2. My Perfect First Date
Your profile isn’t a rom-com, so rather than pretending like you’re Hugh Grant or Julia Roberts, focus on something you might do within your first three dates. The more real-life and interesting it seems, the more it will resonate with the cyber cuties checkin’ you out. Remember to always opt for something unique (like perusing a museum exhibit) whenever you can. However, if you’re going to go with a classic choice like “dinner and a movie,” give it a twist by featuring something special, like name-dropping an old-timey theater where you’ve always wanted to catch a flick.
3. The Things I Could Never Live Without
It goes without saying that your friends and family would top this list, but avoid blending into the background by mentioning things that everyone else will type too. In my book, Love @ First Click, I explain that your answers to some profile questions will be more impactful when you don’t take it so literally. Think about this section as a place to include your favorite locales, activities, etc that will illustrate your lifestyle.
4. My past relationships
None of your past relationships have worked out, right? While answering this question might come off as negative, when done right, it can give your matches some insight into your compatibility. So, rather than ex-bashing or making things virtually awkward, ask yourself what you’ve learned from your experiences. It’s implied that you’ll apply these lessons with your next honey.
5. You should definitely message me if
This is your very last impression before your matches click to message you, so no ultimatums are allowed! Being a negative nelly takes the energy down a notch and can cancel out everything you’ve mentioned so far. Remember that what you say here might help you meet your “click mate!” Focusing on three traits that you’re looking for in a match will allow you to target a specific crowd without limiting your options.
While powering up your love life by writing a new profile might take some time, it’s worth the effort. After all, starting fresh in the New Year could finally land you and your “right click” on the same page.