Honesty in your online dating profile is essential; what is the point of attracting someone who is looking for an adventurous, outdoor loving, polo playing playboy, if you are really an accountant who likes nothing better than to watch the footie at home with a can of larger and a packet of crisps and has never travelled further than your nearest large city? The fact is there are plenty of people who are looking for a nice solid accountant that they can snuggle up with at home. So telling the truth is always better as you will attract someone who is actually interested in YOU!
However there is such a thing as being too honest and exercising some constraint when you are describing yourself is essential if you want to achieve dating success. There are a few common mistakes that people tend to make when they are too 'honest' in their dating profile;
Being too specific about what you don’t want; If you have spent any time at all browsing dating sites you will have seen headlines like 'time wasters need not apply' or 'I'm fed up of kissing frogs' or maybe ' no bunny boilers wanted here'. The trouble with this type of comment is that it makes you appear angry or bitter which is simply not appealing. Instead stick to things you are looking for and do make them specific, they'll say a lot more positive things about you!
Being self-critical; We all tend to feel a little nervous about talking about ourselves and a little self-deprecating humour can be attractive but describing yourself using negative words will just put off your potential dates. This where a little 'spin' can pay big dividends, you shouldn't be dishonest but carefully choosing your words will have a massive impact on your online dating success!
Take our accountant – he could describe himself as a footie loving, larger drinking couch potato with a flair for sums…which is probably accurate but doesn't paint a great picture; or he could describe himself as a professional accountant who loves to relax watching a little football and likes to balance his hectic business life with a his much loved home comforts, which is also true!
If you are a particularly curvy girl looking for a partner then deciding what to write can be fraught with difficulties. Try using words like voluptuous, rubenesque, shapely or curvaceous, which are appealing and accurate. These sorts of positive words give an impression of confidence and self-appreciation, which is an attractive quality in any potential partner.
Giving away too much; Your online dating profile is not the place to write your entire life history! It's an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and entice your reader to want to find out more.
Appearing too keen; You will need to describe the sorts of personality traits you are looking for in a potential partner. Spend some time genuinely thinking about what you look for in a potential partner e.g. positive attitude, sporting ability or an interest in music perhaps and mention it. Don't end up being too specific though as you may appear overly critical or difficult to please. It's easy to get the balance right – just make sure you focus on the things that are really important to you and leave anything out that wouldn't put you off talking to someone if you met them at work or in a bar.
You shouldn't be afraid to talk about yourself in glowing terms; after all you are trying to sell yourself! Describe some of your achievements or your hopes and desires for the future. Try to give an insight into the real you without giving it all away and tinge your honesty with a good old dose of optimism and positivity - it'll work wonders!
