eHarmony Relationship Advice

Dating and relationship advice you can really believe in.

12 January 2010

What NOT to say in your ‘About Me’ profile

by eHarmony

We all know that good eHarmony profile photos are important, but if you really want to add some magic to your profile, make sure your ‘About Me’ profile page sparkles. Here’s what NOT to write....

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It sounds simple in theory; in order to get on in the UK dating scene, online, you just need to post a photo of yourself and describe who you are. Of course in practice this can be tough. You have to walk the fine line between showing how great you are, and still being honest.  After all, what’s the point of describing yourself as 6ft 1, when you are in fact half a foot short of that in reality?

Now, in our own opinion – formed after reading thousands of profiles – eHarmony users are overwhelmingly honest. In fact, on meeting many of our married success couples, they will often attest to the honesty of their partner’s profile, and cite this as one of their many great qualities. But, often people just don’t know how to present themselves in both an honest and attractive light.

The photo
Science says that an attractive image should be as symmetrical as possible if you are a woman (which suggests health and fertility) and look as wealthy and symmetrical as possible if you are a man, with dark hair and strong features. Unfortunately, there’s no science that can make you fit one of those descriptions. But, to help you along, follow some of our tips for a great profile photo

The profile
More bad news, we can’t tell you what to write that will portray who you honestly are. Yes, we could look at your Relationship Questionnaire answers and put something together, but it wouldn’t really be you. What we can do however, is tell you what not to write. Scientifically speaking, there are some things – listed below – that you can exclude, for profile success.

1.     Things you can’t spell or punctuate
The most common gripe we hear from women, about men’s profiles, is that they are badly spelled and punctuated – and there seems to be a real gender bias here. Gentlemen (and in fact everyone should do this) double check your spelling. If you can’t spell very well, paste your profile into Word (or any word processor in fact) and let the spell check do the hard work for you.

2.    Everything and the kitchen sink
Imagine you’re meeting someone for the first time; you probably don’t sit them down and tell them your life story straight away. The same applies to your ‘About Me’ profile which is your matches’ first impression of you. You should treat your ‘About Me’ profile like the cover of a book, as it should draw people in, without appearing too boastful or desperate. We see many users complaining about ‘subjective incompatibilities’. These are difficult to measure scientifically, but as a whole they represent the things that would never be seen as ‘deal-breakers’ once a couple are in a relationship, but can appear off-putting when presented before they’ve even met.

For example, you may be a great dog lover but if you spend your ‘About Me’ profile talking about how your dog is your greatest friend, someone who doesn’t own a pet may be put off. However, after meeting, your match may come to love your dog as you do – it’s simply a question of being moderate when making a first impression.

3.    Negative things
Following on from point two, the overall tone of your profile is very important. Negativity and aggression put people off, so try to avoid saying what you hate (‘politicians really drive me mad’), or describing the matches you won’t communicate with (‘I can’t stand people with children’). That’s why we have the ‘Must Haves and Can’t Stands’ section separate from your ‘About Me’ profile, making it less personal. Try to be as positive as possible, talking about what you enjoy and what you’re looking for in a potential partner.

4.    Work and family
Your ‘About Me’ profile, as we’ve explained above, is where you give your matches a tantalising glimpse of the real you. However, if your profile only talks about your work and family responsibilities, then your matches may find it hard to connect with you as a person. Where you may think you are giving the impression that you are responsible and caring, others may interpret this as you having no time for someone new in your life. By all means talk about what interests you, but don’t overdo it.

5.    Anything vague
A close second to ‘being unable to spell’ is ‘not saying anything at all’. Some people manage to fill their whole profile without saying anything of interest – if your goal is to show matches you’d be someone great to get in touch with, then you’d better be able to communicate. For example, rather than saying ‘I like to enjoy life to the full’, explain how you do this. Maybe you have an interesting hobby, or you like to go travelling – the most important thing is to provide examples to give your profile some colour. By saying ‘I loved travelling around India last year’ you stand a good chance of drawing in someone who has had a similar experience.

If you find it hard to talk about yourself, then don’t worry; you’re in good company as many eHarmony users feel the same. The key is taking the time to write your profile, re-reading and revising if necessary. If you don’t feel too self-conscious, get a good friend to read it and ask them whether they think it’s an accurate representation of you.

The overall conclusion of our analysis of profiles is that anything is better than nothing. Or rather, in numbers, twice as many people will invite matches to communicate if they have 100 words in their profiles compared with those that have only 10 words in their profiles. If your profile is looking a little bare, it’s time to start writing!

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Rating: 7.4/10 (140 votes cast)
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Comments

1

apr

15 January 2010 11:23

check your spelling :-)
There is no apostrophe in ‘haves’, just as there is none in ‘stands’, as you spell correctly. So the phrase should read ‘must haves and can’t stands’; they are both just plurals.

apr

2

eharmony

15 January 2010 11:26

Well spotted apr! That one snuck past our writers – it’s fixed now. Thanks!

3

Arlene

15 January 2010 13:44

Those were quote signs in haves and stands, not apostrophies. eHarmony had it correct.

4

Michael

15 January 2010 20:05

To my surprise, poor spelling and punctuation are also a regular occurence with the fairer sex I’m afraid to say. There’s no excuse when using a computer!

5

Sean

15 January 2010 20:57

Has made me write some more on my profile cheers

6

Martin

15 January 2010 21:00

My problem is women who can’t spell or use proper grammar. In fact it is one reason I use for weeding them out. Perhaps your list of reasons for closing matches should include ‘bad spelling or grammar’? That might make them think again!

7

Jon

15 January 2010 21:25

Come on Arlene (cue Dexy’s Midnight Runners’ music…I know it was Ilene, but couldn’t resist) having reviewed your website, you’re obviously a bit of a mis-guided activist, but apr was right; you just reviwed the text after the changes had been made. Apr, I’m impressed.

8

yorkiebest

15 January 2010 23:10

problem 1 can not spell i’m dislexic
2 i am boring. i just sit here day after day playing games or watching tv. Unless i have to go and help one of the 2 elderly ladies i ‘care’ for

9

Mike

16 January 2010 14:13

> For example, you may be a great dog lover but if you spend your ‘About Me’ profile talking about how your dog is your greatest friend, someone who doesn’t own a pet may be put off. However, after meeting, your match may come to love your dog as you do –

In my case, you’re right about the first part, but wrong about the second. I find it very useful when people put in their profile that they own a dog as that means it’s one fewer people I have to wait months for a response from as I’m not a dog lover and never will be.

Mike

10

Mike

16 January 2010 14:16

yorkiebest, can’t the first problem be cured by using a text editor with spell checking?

Your second problem only you can cure. If you go around telling people how boring you are then you’ll just bore them and they’ll move on.

Mike

11

ju

16 January 2010 15:35

Ah! Yorkiebest – I feel a bit sad reading your comment. You have self-esteem issues that need sorting. You think you’re boring because right now your life is uneventful – but you don’t have to be synonymous with what you do; I know plenty of people who are not where they want to be right now :-) Just think of the things that are intrinsically “you”: what do you like about the world? What’s your philosophy on life?, etc, etc. And why not write your stuff in a Word doc first and check for spelling and grammar. It’s not a very good programme for weeding-out inaccuracies, but it’s better than chronic howlers.

**Good luck**

12

David

16 January 2010 15:36

John (7) needs to check his spelling: reviwed should of course be reviewd. Sorry, I have a thing about bad speling!

13

David

16 January 2010 15:48

I just spotted yorkiebest(8). Whilst I sympathise with his disability, was he being genuine or has he done what I have just done?(re:spelling) Nice to see he has redeeming features. He’cares’for old ladies. Ah

14

belle

17 January 2010 10:53

I’m not surprised you’re all single.

15

Ben

17 January 2010 15:08

David, I think “reviwed” should not “of course be reviewd”, perhaps “reviewed”?

Yeah, OK I couldn’t resist :P I think I agree with you regarding yorkiebest, I certainly got the vibe that it was not entirely genuine.

Whilst I’m here… ju, Word is not a programme, it’s a program.

16

Howard

17 January 2010 19:44

By mechanically correcting spelling mistakes and incorrect use of grammar a persons personality is being shielded.
Some people may be more comfortable with someone who is not perfect in English language or an expert typist.

17

Megan

18 January 2010 13:26

I agree Howard, eventually a person who can’t spell will be revealed and genuinely are we all looking for the perfectly grammatically spelt profile and if we are … why ?
I am able to spell, generally and can construct a reasonable sentence, most days. However, it is not who I am and I agree with Mike having been with a person who disliked my dog and one who didn’t I know who I would choose. However, Mike should be more open minded as not all of us have dogs who rule our lives …
Ultimately just go with the flow and try to look past what is immediatly seen to what just might lie beneath … :)

18

Mags

18 January 2010 22:42

right on belle… surely there is more to life and looking for a partner, who cares if spelling and grammar is poor…. sorry i know i will have upset a lot of you with my poor grammar.

19

launfel

18 January 2010 23:44

Unless she is stunningly attractive then I am not interested….

20

Joanne

19 January 2010 10:46

I thought the idea of being on this site was to HOPEFULLY find your ideal match, not to pick on peoples spelling mistakes.Theres alot more to a person then just the way they spell.

21

Tanya

19 January 2010 14:05

I think spelling and punctuation is very important.It gives an overall impression of your level of education and also how much care and interest you put into how you appear to others. I instantly reject anyone that makes lots of obvious spelling or punctuation mistakes.Sorry if that seems harsh. Also, its true what the writer says about people that put as little as possible in their “about me”. To me that just reads as “no personality.” Either that or they can’t be bothered and if they cant cant be bothered then why should I?

22

Paul

20 January 2010 22:49

From a genuine psychological interest i have to ask why is spelling so important?

Are you guilty of passing judgement on someone from one outward aspect of their profile in the same manner that most men are accused of judging women on their looks alone?

Is being able to spell correctly relevant to the ability to hunt? (as a base sexual drive that makes men attractive to women in the same way that men seek a fertile mate).

Is it more to do with the relation of fastidious grooming? As Tanya 21 writes – ‘It gives an overall impression of your level of education and also how much care and interest you put into how you appear to others.’

I know many people of under and post graduate level of education who cannot spell well and rely on the existance of the spell-checker. I don’t consider my own spelling to be all that great, but as long as you can understand the intended meaning does it realy matter? How many great people in history have had poor use of language? This also precludes anyone for whom english is not their native language and who at least attempt to communicate in a foreign tongue, are you fluent in multiple languages?

I am genuinely interested in the female reasoning behind this. I feel it does have more to do with the mans ability/interest in caring for and presenting himself in a ‘tidy’ manner and therefore proving he can care for himself, that he cares about how others judge his outward appearance, and that he has taken the time and interest to write his profile ‘correctly’ to prove such.

I personally feel that maybe you should try looking beyond such a judgement at the person behind the text. And no i didn’t spell-check this post, and yes i did just open a sentence using the word ‘and’. :)

23

Alex

21 January 2010 15:10

Can anyone explain why the recent trend is not to post a photograph – and in some cases – not to even give a full first name? My personal view would be to not respond to anyone who posts a profile like this.

Am I alone or does anyone else think like this, and if so, why do they even bother?

24

Yvette . T

21 January 2010 18:25

Well said Paul; I totally agree with you. It should not matter if someone cannot spell or are not grammatically correct, surely its the person that counts and how well they portray themselves.

How awful to judge somebody solely on their spelling & grammar – whatever happened to getting to know people for who they are? At the end of the day, who really cares? I believe it is what a person has to offer, what they have in their hearts; we should all get to know that.

25

Gary

22 January 2010 12:56

No,you are not alone Alex.I am absolutely bewildered as to the ammount of prospective matches who have ommited to include even a single photo alongside their profile.Have also asked a female friend for her opinion,but she was also bemused.There must be someone out there that who can come up with a logical explanation.

26

Bigsy

25 January 2010 17:47

Whassup….!! with all these comments about INCORRECT spellings, well, not all of us england is our first language, Oops sorry wanted to say, ENGLISH …..berg your pardon,,,,as long as you can UNDERSTAND what the person is trying to say or write…. which i think it wasn’t a problem to understand the word or sentence, that is why you found some INCORRECT spellings, eHarmony is not here to correct our miss spelling,is here help us correct our mistakes we did in our past relationships, to find love, not INCORRECT spellings…. note that no one is perfect,otherwise if you were, you wouldn’t be on eHarmony looking for some relationship/love, so DEAL with it, INCORECT spellings happens everywhere even in the parliament… lol

27

Bigsy

25 January 2010 18:32

eemmmmm…well good for you guys, you pell, well some of us we can’t, tough luck if it doesn’t tinkle your fancy, i’m not gonna sit with a dictionary next to me just to make sure i don’t miss spell any word on my biography trying to make sure i impress ladies like Tanya (21) no ways, if you feel i incorrectly spelled any word on my profile and that borders you pls don’t even border ’cause you are too perfect for me and i’m not looking for perfect people i’m looking for a perfect match,…lol grow up guys… leave it up to the school kids….. cheer up..:) sorry guys i had to write twice in a row……Belle (14)…”)

28

Kathy

27 January 2010 00:13

Ha ha this is the best set of comments! Personally I do notice someone’s spelling & grammar but wouldn’t use it to exclude them as a friend or partner – making too many rigid rules might lead to missing a gem!
Er, BTW, wasn’t it Eileen? Heh heh

29

trevor

28 January 2010 22:24

Ben
It’s programme in England, program in USA.
It drives me nuts. Spell check on Word has English English and USA English. Mine has got set to USA English and keeps throwing out words I’ve spelt correctly. Color/colour. There are hundreds of words you Yanks spell wrong.

30

Tony

30 January 2010 20:15

Alex(23)

Some people do not have a camera.ME for one

31

vicky

31 January 2010 19:40

Trevor…get a life.
They don’t spell it wrong….it’s the USA.

32

john

6 February 2010 22:01

One thing that puts me right off is text speak. I see it and move on. Expample:

hi i lke u vry mch & i wud lke to meet u2

33

Vanessa

7 February 2010 02:24

Oh God Lord!!
I am new here and reading all these comments
I want to run away from this website.

I am not English and for sure I will make some spelling mistakes but likely people likes me for what I am and for my sense of humor.
I have met a few politician and I assure you guys that even them are making elementary spelling mistakes.

Why we are so judgmental?
Do we have to be so perfect?

A friend got married this cool, smart girl(an academist) who speaks five languages fluently and him too.
After two years of marrige they split up, They have a polite, formal relationship but not warm unfortunately for the child.
They were not able to speak what I call “the love language” and the good high education makes them miserable.

It is deeply sad to see intelligent people loose what the life gives for the only pleasure to say …I am perfect ”

To Tanya(21) I would like to suggest to reread your comment where you said ” Also its true what the writer..”
If my mind does not loose me now, I believe that you wanted to write ” Also it is true… “!!

As a matter of fact that I am here to be found from my new wonderful partner, I still hope and have faith in what will be a perfect match.
Also thinking how lucky we will be.
Our children could be bilingual or even trilingual.

Good luck to all..

Vanessa

34

Deborah

7 February 2010 03:00

And sometimes, it’s the only way to start a sentence ;-)

35

Angie

8 February 2010 20:40

Say your ”willy” is your best feature. discussting man!!!

36

Caroline

9 February 2010 23:33

Forget the problem with spelling…..if men actually bothered to write anything on their profiles no matter how bad it would be a good start! A high number of my matches are nearly blank!

37

Sandra

10 February 2010 03:36

There are those who think grammer is important,and those who don’t. That is just the way it is.
Personally,I think my spelling,and grammer is part of who I am, and that you should always be yourself – no matter how you write.

38

Nancy

11 February 2010 14:30

Thanks (Paul 22), this is for all those babbling about poor spelling, some of us are not english like myself but at least we are making an efort to write english.
Paul 22 i think you are a wise man,some of you should do some soul search it’s so superficial to judge people purely on their spelling.

39

Sue

12 February 2010 16:39

I agree with belle (14), Stop complaining, you shouldn’t judge people on their spelling ability.

40

MikeyD

12 February 2010 18:35

As a new member I’m astonished and a little disappointed at how many of the Ladies do not post a photograph. I have asked several of my matches for an image and got no response. I may be no oil painting but I’m not afraid to show pictures of myself as, surely, this is what it’s all about right?
If this is a continuing trend I won’t renew my subscription. Or am I asking too much?

41

Joselyn

12 February 2010 22:57

I just want to say that I am not a great speller but spelling is an important part of personality, some are genuine mistake which can easily be overlooked, but some people can really put down some careless sentences that appear irresponsible. People see bad spellings as an indication of low quality, the society is based on presentation and class. I was reading through Paul’s note above, there were some few hiccups towards the end but, that can be overlooked. Consideration for choosing a date can be based on several factors that include spellings.
But some profile can come up with sentences that is appalling; for example “am intrestin in futbol” i like to play fotball with my sons” i av GSH with many intress. Hun! Hun!!!.

42

Catherine

15 February 2010 21:24

I am a new user to this site and I am amazed at the amount of half empty profiles I am being sent – are these men serious in wanting a relationship?? Surely its important to have as much information there as possible to catch the interest of the ladies your profile is being sent to.

43

Anji

17 February 2010 10:39

I am new to this website and the idea I had was to find someone nice. I am concerned that too many of you are too judgemental about un-import things, such as the written word. How someone is and lives is more important surely. Not everyone has had the full and round education of some of the hyper critical people in this feed back page.
I too am disappointed at the lack of photograph’s and proper introduction information on quite a few of the people that I have been introduced to. I am just your average woman who does not enjoy having photograph’s being taken and I feel that if I can put myself though it then so should the men on this site.
The other issue I have is that some of the introductions that have been sent to me have had sex as the top most thing on their mind……. This is only a part of a relationship and not something that you need to throw at someone you have not even met yet.
As for all this spelling and grammar god if that is all you have in your lives to worry about I am wondering if I am on the right site at all. It’s the content and the person profile that you need to look at, spelling and grammar in everyday life is not that important.

44

Kala

17 February 2010 13:12

Hello All….

On the subect of spelling and grammer….yes, I do find it somewhat irritating when no effort is made, but it would not be enough to put me off someone.
The lack of photo’s on men’s profile’s….really annoy’s me I must say!
Also….the total lack of response to messages and Icebreaker’s I send….really does nothing for one’s confidence!!
I must say, I am very disappointed in the eharmony website…and the long-winded, complicated way it works.
Perhaps they should start a forum or a chatroom….thus enabling people to actually communicate!!??

Sorry for the rant peeps ;o)

45

Anji

19 February 2010 15:20

Hi Kala
I am glad that the photo business make some else less than happy. Re: the no reply to ice breakers why is it that people can’t even say “no thank you”, just to leave someone questioning what they have to do to get some feed back is a little deflating.
The other thing that I find hard to take is the closed an introduction without any reason, which also can be a little hurtful. So please if you get an ice breaker respond and don’t close an introduction without giving a reason; there are a lot to choose from in the drop down list.

46

susan

20 February 2010 11:08

I can understand where people are coming from that say everyone should put at least one photo up on their profile, but i am one of those people who at the moment don’t have a photo up, for many reasons!!
I’m usually always the one taking the photo and don’t get a chance to have my photo taken.
I’ve only just joined the site and am therefore hoping to get a photo up as soon as possible.
And the main reason is that i doubt if i am going to get much interest if i put up the most recent photo, which was taken at halloween when i dressed up as the bride of frankenstein with black and pink hair, black shadows under my eyes and a white creepy face!!!

47

Helen

20 February 2010 21:29

Spelling is just a small part of something so huge! I agree that a person who can spell correctly gives the impression of an education, BUT is by no means of importance. I strongly believe it helps also if men on here have photos !! We will always look with our eyes foremost, and without a photo the profile becomes hollow and leads to a closed match..we view with our eyes, similar to sitting down to a meal, we view the meal with our eyes to see if we like it before we taste it….please guys post photos, if us ladies can then what is stopping you?

48

Shirley

23 February 2010 13:45

I’d like to add a few comments to the debate about spelling, grammar and punctuation.
I think Paul (22) makes some interesting observations and I am inclined to agree that for many women – clearly not all – it is a similar process to the judgemental approach men have to a woman’s appearance. Whether a man considers it inconsequential or not, it is nevertheless something many women appreciate – it demonstrates care, consideration and self-respect – and so it would be foolish to limit your chances with a match because you couldn’t be bothered to try to improve the impression made. You are trying to make the best first impact.
In just the same way if a woman posts a very unflattering photo of herself, hair unwashed, looking older than her years then she is jeopardising her chances of getting a communication from a match. This may be perceived as being unfair but it is nevertheless life.
People are judgemental – within seconds of meeting someone we all make assumptions and often these are never revised.
Personally – perhaps because I write for a living – I don’t appreciate sloppy writing because it is an indication we are unlikely to share the same values. However, small mistakes are made by us all in our haste and enthusiasm to put the words down. It is the demonstration of perpetual scant regard for language that I find off-putting.
Perhaps it is because I’m over the age of maturity but I also do not enjoy text speak. It appears lazy.
If an initial profile piece has no punctuation I close the match but I would like the option to give this feedback. If this seems harsh (and I appreciate I am rejecting someone who may have many excellent qualities) it is because for me it a fundamental to my life, my work and my hobbies. As I am not sporty I would expect all the men who are looking for a companion who enjoys sport to reject me…leaving us cerebral folks to each other.
The fora are the best aspects of the site – debating is a key ingredient of a relationship for me and I look forward to reading many more entertaining, pithy and thought-provoking comments.

49

James218

24 February 2010 00:52

I agree with Paul and Howard. I am dyslexic and I did check my profile carefully. When sending messages I do sometimes use a spell check and proof read. The odd error will slip through the net and the kind of person I am looking for is not the sort of person who is going to judge me on just spelling alone.

Some of my matches have bad spelling because English or is not their first language or they are dyslexic or just human but I don’t mind.

50

Karen

24 February 2010 16:16

I have not yet posted a photograph on my profile or used my last name.The nature of my work precludes posting my last name.and I also have to think carefully about posting a photograph.There are any number of fraudsters and conmen/women outthere.I have joined e-harmony as it is, at present, a way for me to meet people.

51

Nadia

27 February 2010 02:56

I’m glad I discovered this article, for the following reasons:
1) finally added some pictures;
2) bulked up the ‘About Me’ section, which was, frankly, in a rather poor state; and
3) got to read all the interesting comments that have been posted after a return from a great (and late) night out!

On the subject of grammar/spelling… I think it is important, but not for the reasons some people have mentioned (such as indicative of level of education or attention to detail when setting up profile). For me, it is simply because I find someone who can express themselves well a very attractive trait and, in the absence of face-to-face contact, it is one way of deciding whether someone is articulate and a good communicator.

Hopefully, that makes sense? I’m not being very articulate myself am I?

ps: If there are any typos, please forgive me, for I have sinned!

52

James218

1 March 2010 02:06

Nadia,
Thank you.
I am a sinnner not winer, dyslexic or otherwise, lol.
James.

53

Nadia

2 March 2010 00:35

Oh dear James! You committed a cardinal sin by using ‘lol’ in your message.

*She says laughing out loudly* (Boos follow from the crowd)

We must consult a solicitor ASAP so that you can defend this action when the ‘language police’ take this matter to court. :-)

On a more serious note though, I agree with a comment from one of the girls earlier… guys, PLEASE can you write a little something on your profiles. Anything will do for starters (even with typos), just until you wean yourself off your addiction to writing, err… nothing.

In the meantime, does anyone know if you can do a search to find your own matches through the site? I’d appreciate that a lot, as the people on this page seem far more interesting than the so-called ‘matches’ I am receiving.

Yours sincerely, Nadia

54

Nadia

2 March 2010 01:07

ps: Helen (47) – You are so right on the photo issue. Personality goes a long way, but we also want someone we are physically attracted too, right? So, a recent photo as a preview would be hugely appreciated.
For the avoidance of doubt, pictures taken back in 1998 do not count as ‘recent’. This may seem obvious to me, but certain people don’t seem to share this point of view.

55

Alix

3 March 2010 12:50

Martin – you can’t spell occurrence.

Spelling and grammar show that you have a decent education and attention to detail. Without those, I wouldn’t want a first date, let alone a second one. People who think they’re not judged on the way they write and the way they speak should wake up and smell the coffee. It’s not about what’s underneath, it’s about the first impression. If this was a job interview no-one would say – “oh, spelling won’t matter in your application”. D’uh?

56

Dom

5 March 2010 00:42

How do you send a bloody email to eharmony. I have been through the help fields and followed their advice, which was entirely unhlepful and am now trying to send an email, at the end of any article apparently! I just want to disable the autorenew but am not able to change anything but my contact info in account settings. Pretty poor on support out of phone hours. A user intuitive site-I think not!

57

John Smith

6 March 2010 08:47

Whilst I see what comment number 6 means I would not like to see it listed as a reason for closing a profile match. I use spelling as a filter and if I see a bad one I look no further. So I would not like people to hide their true talents. If the spelling is like the one I found in one of my matches it means of two things. Not well educated or lazy. A small snip of a recent example “i av acheived is passin my drivin test” Ok my spelling is not that wonderful but I do try (and yes that last spelling mistake by me was deliberate)

58

kat

7 March 2010 01:04

i can unserstand that spelling is important,however i think people are making a mountain out of a mole hill. like someone mentioned before in the case of some men it would best if they could bother to fill in their profiles properly. why is it they miss out 2 or 3 of the sections. in a way it helps me decide which matches to close because if they cant be bothered to fill in their profiles then are they going to be bothered to make the effort in a relationship.im not saying that for all men, maybe some are just shy and dont know what to say but then on the other hand others just answer with what seems little effort. so as for spelling i think it shoudl not be such a worry, at the end of the day im not looking for someone who ncan spell exactly perfect to the letter whats more important is what that person is like as an individual.no wonder some are finding it hard to find a long lasting relationship

59

Doti

10 March 2010 01:43

Never mind about the spelling issue. After only communicating as far as the three questions section with one of my matches, I was asked “I hope I am not being cheeky, but how I do you feel about posing nude”! He wasn’t cheeky at all, but downright offensive in my opinion. Grrr!! Why is it that some men have only one agenda on their minds? He was very articulate all through and if I remember correctly, no spelling mistakes, yet he has done more to make me close the match than anyone else. I would rather communicate with someone who did not spell 100% correctly all of the time than have a question like that thrown at me by someone who I hardly knew. Call me a prude but I have a lot more self-respect for myself than that! I’m just an ordinary woman who wants to meet a nice kind, loving man to share my life with as a friend or as a partner. Am I asking too much?

Right, now that’s off my chest….let’s move on..,now profiles………..mmmm!

60

Garry

11 March 2010 12:32

Spelling on profiles is a bit of an odd one, I think. Personally I don’t mind the odd typo or small mistake, we all make them.

On the other hand though, you’re writing this profile on a computer, which comes with various applications which will spellcheck for you, or failing that you can check the spelling online (you are, after all, connected to the internet). I think people would be less upset at spelling mistakes on a handwritten profile, but that’s not what we’re doing here.

I know not everyone here is a native English speaker, so for those I’d recommend actually mentioning on your profile that you’re from overseas. First, potential matches are more likely to cut you some slack if they know you’re communicating in a second (or third, or whatever) language, and second, it gives your profile that bit of extra depth – it’s a potential advantage that a lot of us can’t compete with ;-)

61

Garry

11 March 2010 12:33

Kat 58, for what it’s worth, I see a lot of women doing this too. Those profiles I usually sit on for a week. If after a week they’ve not been updated and padded out, then they go in the bin!

62

Dreary

15 March 2010 00:45

I am astounded at this monolog, nearly died of boredom, shouldn’t we close it right here?

63

Nadia

17 March 2010 01:45

Heehee!! I loved that Dreary!
‘Astounded’is incidentally a feeling I have become accustomed to since using the site.

64

brenda

18 March 2010 01:05

God your a sad lot! get a life and stop worrrrrrrying about spelling mistakes look at the bigger picture.

65

sarah

20 March 2010 18:24

For goodness sake! This is a dating website not an autobiography. For those men whom require spelling to be exact, then they shall be alone for the longest amount of time. It really is time to get a grip of your life and, as you will see, life is not perfect and neither is spelling.
Good luck and even better luck to the gentlemen that use spelling as their ‘unmatched’ criteria. How sad!

Where would we be without love, no spelling required for that particular act.

66

joe

21 March 2010 23:24

yes i tink punctuwation and spelin is very important and cums across as very alfa for a man

67

Lummo

23 March 2010 22:58

Eye halve a spelling chequer;
It came with my pea sea.
It plainly marks four my revue
Miss steaks eye can knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a whirred
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong or write.
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid,
It nose bee fore two long;
An dye can put the era rite.
Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it.
I’m sheer your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh;
My chequer tolled me sew.

68

Sarah

24 March 2010 18:33

I have enjoyed reading the comments- I think they come down to one thing:
‘each to his own’!
I like good spelling and punctuation but am not going to get my knickers in a twist over a mistake or two. However I find it hard to read something that has no punctuation at all, and I have found that if the profile is full of mistakes, it tends to get worse in further communication.
Not making any effort at all over spelling, punctuation, filling in the profile or bothering to write back during communicating leaves me in the easy position of not having to make the effort (make-up, hair, clothes, etc)on a date- because there won’t be one.

69

Vicky Hampton

25 March 2010 18:00

Lummo(67) and Sarah(68) ought to be matched. Clearly the same eye for necessary and unnecessary detail, and a mutual sense of irony.
I agree with Kala(44) and Anji(45) regarding men who don’t respond to icebreakers. I wondered if I was doing something wrong and was supposed to follow up an icebreaker with further communication before a match could respond via eHarmony’s system. Seems not. Seems they just read my profile and thought “Bloody hell, she says so much I’ll never get a word in edgeways – no point in responding”. Hey ho, looks like I’m discovering the uncomfortable truth that there are as many different opinions on spelling, punctuation, manners, effort, understanding and tollerance as there are people registered to eHarmony. Vive la differance!!!
Good luck to all of you in your search for a mate. For myself, my subscription ends in June and I shall not be renewing. I’ve decided to try the old fasioned way again – get out and engage with life and accept the challenge of meeting people face to face. I, somehow, feel it’ll be safer.

70

Nathan

25 March 2010 23:46

Would it be possible to have a button that stops matches that already have a relationship being matched?

I have had several matches that are closing as they are in a relationship already.

71

Lisa

28 March 2010 01:09

As for spelling and grammar – most people can’t manage either, but that really isn’t the be all and end all and I know plenty well educated people that can’t spell. Surely other personal qualities are far more important.

As for the lack of pictures I can only give you my reason. I have been told that I am very attractive, and have no problem attracting male interest – for the wrong reason! I don’t put a picture up because I hope to find someone who is attracted to ‘me’ rather than what they see.

72

Clinton

28 March 2010 12:11

If they’re in a relationship already then they need to switch their matching off.

73

Lauren

28 March 2010 19:33

Wow! At last – a place where people communicate!! I was beginning to think the whole thing was a sham, as no one seems to respond as a match.
Lummo, what a clever wordsmith you are! You all sound so interesting and I’m glad to find I am not the only one disappointed in this site and struggling to get value for my donation to the cause!

74

Anna

29 March 2010 23:04

I have to say I did consider my spelling as an issue before posting my profile.
As a medical student I know full well the issue of ensuring you have correct grammar to demonstrate your intelligence and capabilities. I know that people can be very judgemental of people without good grammar, and I also know you cause misunderstandings with “badly written” sentences. (“lets eat, grandma!” versus “lets eat grandma!” comes to mind)
But when writing my profile I decided that I didn’t want to do the spell checks I would for a job interview, or to write a report.
I decided my ability to make mistakes is something thats unique to me. I can be intelligent without naturally being a good speller, and since I’m here to find somebody who appreciates me for me then I want somebody who accepts that about me.
So just as I can understand people who are frustrated that people spell incorrectly, I can understand those who are angry they are being judged for spelling incorrectly.
In a way isn’t it just kind of nice to know something as simple as spelling can help us so easily avoid matches that would be so bad for us?
Even if just by ruling out those who wouldn’t appreciate us for who we are?

75

dave

30 March 2010 01:35

i disagree i think this is a great way to speak to peaple im very new to this i must say i also thought photos wasnt that important as lisa said but i realise they are but i still beleive beauty comes from within who agrees?

76

Suzi

1 April 2010 00:33

lummo-Did you write that poem yourself because its brilliant! As a teacher I would like to use it with my class as a fun activity.

God forbid the next generation not growing up fully equipped to compete in the savage world of internet dating.

77

Karen

3 April 2010 02:49

(Lummo? 67…)
Thanks, I laughed so much at your poem, and I sure as hell needed a laugh after all the seriousness flying around in here. I love words, cringe at spelling mistakes, but let’s face it…when all you have to go on here are a few words, make the effort…
But then again, bad spelling could always be put down to enthusiasm *rolls my eyes*, or as someone else pointed out, having English as a second language…

78

Clinton

3 April 2010 09:58

Just a matter of time before we get matched then Suzi – most of my matches are teachers, nursery teachers and social workers. No idea why.

I felt it was necessary to mention in my profile that while I am foreign; I already have a visa to stay here. Not looking for someone to complete that particular picture. At this point I’m not sure if mentioning it is a good or a bad thing. Yes it’s honest and it’s important that they’re aware of my status here but it might also be putting people off.

79

Nigel Molesworth

3 April 2010 15:02

Sorry to tittle tattle, but the poem is an old one, as eny fule kno.

NM
The Curse of St Custards

80

Jeannie

6 April 2010 16:36

I’ve enjoyed reading the real comments re: this site – I guess I slightly wince at some of the spelling and grammar howlers too, but the no ‘photo one is interesting. On a previous site I once used, ‘no ‘photo’s’ were commonplace, and I was sent many messgages by married men offering me all of the ‘perks’ without the sock washing ( how very thoughtful). Then would follow the comment usually along the lines of’clearly no ‘photo, babes, given me circumstances’.( ‘nein bong uber tiddle’ was the stern response).I, too, will not be renewing, as I’ve identified the words in my profile that have led to the inundation of totally unsuitable matches, who just so happened to have the same ‘buzzword’ in their profile. ‘Live music’ is the one!!! And when I think of the hoops I jumped through too!!!

81

Jacqui

7 April 2010 23:20

Hi Does anybody know if it is possible to upload photos from my I -phone to my profile please?

82

eharmony

8 April 2010 09:34

Hi Jacqui,

Thanks for your query. Currently there is no direct way to upload photos from your iPhone to your account. However, we are in the process of developing an iPhone app, which will allow you to do this – and allow you to access your eHarmony account quickly and easily. In the meantime you can email your photos from your iPhone to your personal email account and upload them to your eHarmony profile from a computer.

Kind regards,
eHarmony Advice

83

Kerry

8 April 2010 21:47

Interesting to read the above – have to say I am one of those a bit anal about spelling and grammar!!

My big bug bear is no photos and lack of information though – this is a private, paid site and I joined because of this (as I too have to be careful who sees me). Over 50% of my matches do not have photos and sorry but I will not be renewing my subscription.

84

Carol

23 April 2010 23:08

Is it just me, or is this site hard work, a lot of mouse clicking back and forth and not really getting anywhere. I would like to see a section to read messages without having to go ALL that way back to the beginning. Help !!

85

Lou

24 April 2010 20:03

Without doubt the most off-putting thing for me is anyone who writes in text speak on a computer. It would make me switch off immediately. SOunds blunt but if a guy is trying to woo me with ‘i tnk u ht’ it ain’t going to happen I’m afraid!

86

natalie

24 April 2010 22:39

Dear all
I was feeliong quite low due to tghe lack of response. I am so pleased to have found you all. This thread is fun ! I love the comments and I did laugh out loud. I wish we could talk about other things other than spelling and punctuation though.I agree it is important. I am with Nadia I think it is – can we search each other ? This site is much more responsive than my matches! Hope you are all enjoying the sun. Take care Nat x :)

87

natalie

24 April 2010 22:43

Apologies to all I have just spotted some glaring typos in my above message.
Is it true you that you have to write certain buzz words to be matched up ? I must have missed those out !
I am loosing the faith I think.
Thanks for listening. Nat x:)

88

iflutterby

28 April 2010 23:06

In order to test-sample the charging dating websites I signed on to several sites at the same time without upgrading by paying. I then sat back and assessed the results. What was said about ‘buzzwords’ was, I think correct. The results of my (non-correctable) personality test have been almost totally incompatible on a fairly grand scale. I may have made one inadvertent misinterpreted comment/choice, but two fundamental miss-match issues are definitely not of my making. I would like to e-mail these poor chaps to explain my lack of interest, but unless I pay for membership I believe I will be unable to do so.
On the subject of no photographs – females are going to be reticent to put their pictures up especially if they live in a small town, as it is listed with each profile. I have been stalked in the past and it’s no fun!
On spelling…… WOW! Each to their own. But can I just say spelling skills, punctuation skills, or the lack of them, is no indicator of intelligence.
I hope I now have the ability to shut down my membership of this site. I would hate to think that anyone’s self-esteem (or opinion of women) would be damaged by my lack of skill on dating sites.

89

fire7

1 May 2010 11:18

Greetings to you all!
I found reading this part of the site most entertaining and i did laugh out loud a lot!!
Firstly i must defend my fellow Dyslexics..as the poem quoted indicated, Dysleixics dont always know which homonim is right(part of the difficulties we experience). spelling correctly is another area of difficulty however we tend to have other areas of high intellengiency within our personalities namely orgnisation/ prediction skills we are caring affectionate, listening skills, empathetic, creativity, just look at Richard Branston! -as i spell quite good for a Dyslexic, others would be put at a disadvantage because of their disability/not spelling correctly/ and therfore excluded from the whole process of finding a match.
i agree with those who commented on
1)the text speech sad to say people have forgotten how to write properly
2)some people are using the site for quick sex/one night stands and those of us who are genuine and come on it to find a partner and are offended by the scum that come on for the wrong reasons, after all we are paying money to reveal ourselves to these (idiots !)/prospective partners!filteration could be of a higher standard..
3)i agree with Nadia 27 being able to express yourself is an attractive trait and as Shirley said some mistakes are made due to haste and enthusiasm!!
Finally as far as likenening it to a job interview, uncompleted essential questions on an application form would result in it being binned. These Psychometric questions are meant to give us the opportunity to match our aptitude personality traits therfore a completed profile gives us better opprtunity of apply for the job of being a prospective partner!(smile..) and yes i would be more interested in answers that tell me something about the person but sad to say some have been answered as closed questions of merely very few words or yes /no and would have been better answered as an open ended question.
4) i have put up my photo but have not given my proper name instead i have used an alias until im ready to meet the individual is safer and more secure and to protect my identity.
5)responding to questions some people have taken up to 2 weeks, why be on the site? i think a reasonable response is 3 days and should not be longer.
God bless you all in your searching.
ps yeh after reading some of the comments people have put on this bit of the site i would definatly like to view some peoples profile. their words have been very attractiv to me.
i lok forward to your comments.

90

Janice

4 May 2010 08:11

WOW – thanks to all of you for your really interesting comments! I was starting to wonder whether there was really anyone out there! I signed up to E-harmony for one year and have had a really appalling response rate. I have updated photos, and content and still nothing. I am currently ‘communicating’ with 15 men (i.e. I have contacted them) but the only one who bothered to reply (through fast-track communication) was the one who just wanted to let me know he was not responding to my communication because he was just getting to know someone. How thoughtful! By the way (Dom, 56), I turned off ‘auto renew’ as soon as I joined (through my settings/account settings – scroll down to ‘subscription status’) as I felt a whole year of me actively trying to date should be enough! Alas, it isn’t, so I’m not renewing when my membership expires next week…. but good luck to those of you who are still persisting.

91

Hayley

5 May 2010 14:13

I have just put my profile on here as i am ont in a postion to “go out and meet singles” either that or i am just not brave enough!
I have not fully subscribed as i wanted to try the site first and see what comes of it.
Reading these comments are very interesting! So what is this thing about “buzzwords”?
Also i not that i am not able to search the site myself, am i the only one that finds this strange? I feel that we should all be able to search, as well as review matches. Mr or Mrs Right may be just around the corner, and the site is only matching us with people who are miles away!
Ok rant over!

92

Paula

18 May 2010 21:47

Dear all,

I signed up to e-harmony in February for three months. I’ve never been on a dating website before but thought i’d give it a go and I have to say that i’m now disheartened by the whole experience.

I completed my profile in full, added three photos, and i’ve been very pro-active but most guys haven’t responded to icebreakers or requests to communicate. It seems that I’m giving a lot of time to this site for very poor results.

When I first joined I had high hopes of communicating with lots of matches but out of the few hundred matches received, to date i’ve reached e-mail communication with only four matches and met with one.

I’m sad to say that my e-harmony bubble has well and truly burst! Why do people join a dating website when they only access it once a week or don’t communicate with their matches? I just don’t understand it!

I was going to recommend this site to another single friend but i’ll tell her to save her money, plus I won’t be renewing my subsciption when it terminates at the end of this week.

93

eharmony

19 May 2010 09:31

Hi Paula,

We’re sorry you’ve not had a great eHarmony experience so far. We’ve passed your comments onto our Customer Care team, who should be able to give you some advice on improving your profile, and increasing your chances of communication. They will be in touch within 48 hours.

Alternatively, you can call our team for free on 0800 028 0308, 8am-8pm, 7 days a week. Our Customer Care team are experts in using eHarmony and we hope they’ll be able to give you some useful advice before your subscription ends.

Best wishes,
eHarmony Advice

94

Jai

28 May 2010 07:12

Hmmmm, interesting convo’s here!

This weekend’s freebie time, so let’s see what happens… :)

God love to everyOne!

Jai (profile name), 30, London,
Creative Practitioner, into spirituality and fun!

95

Nic

25 June 2010 12:53

Lots of food for thought here. Re the photo question, I agree with various people’s comments that us girls don’t always want to put our photo there. Personally, if someone likes my profile they can ask for a picture and if I like their profile and message then hopefully there is a way for me to send one (I’m new to the site so haven’t discovered whether it is possible or not yet). When I registered I didn’t realise that I couldn’t change my name or I may have used an alias – as suggested by fire7 (89)- so I prefer to keep my photo to myself for now.

On the question of language and spelling, there is a difference between the odd typo and a complete lack of grammar and/or punctuation. Personally if what has been written is clear but it has a couple of spellings mistakes, no problem. But I do find a complete lack of punctuation and text speak a right royal turn-off!

For those who want a quick reference to the poem mentioned it is no 67. :-)

96

Luke

17 July 2010 23:22

A lot of ‘not very encouraging’ posts on here regarding contacts on the site. I have to admit, I find it expensive for a site with no ‘search’ facility other than the one that keeps telling me there are only 6 women in the entire world who meet my criteria! Since one of them already closed me without replying, my hopes are now even less……..lol

97

tynia

27 July 2010 18:50

I have had a riot reading these comments! Each to there own I say!!!I didnt realise there wasnt a search facility on this site,looks like I wont be joining although ive had a couple of requests.Sorry to you guys i didnt respond to.

98

xmas

4 August 2010 10:31

frankly I regret joining I am unable to finish or correct my profile I,m concerned I,ve said too much and this is a very small village. I did not realise there was no “search “facility and so far the “matches” I have been sent have been ALL miles away and included a forklift truck driver , a long distance lorry driver I,m sorry but I have postgraduate qualifications! eHarmony I,m not impressed and if I could have last weekend again I would not have subscribed

99

eharmony

4 August 2010 10:39

Hi there,

Thanks for your comments. I’m sorry you’re not having the eHarmony experience you expected, but I’m confident our Customer Care team will be able to help you get the best from your profile and your matches. I’ve forwarded your query onto them and they will be in touch with some helpful suggestions in the next 48 hours.

However, if you’d like help sooner, you can browse our Help site: http://help-singles.eharmony.co.uk/app/home

Or you can call our Customer Care team directly on this freephone number, 8am-8pm, Monday-Friday: 0800 028 0308

Hope that helps!

Best wishes,
eHarmony Advice

100

andrew

15 August 2010 13:39

re xmas
at least all truckers have passed two and most class 1 drivers three driving tests your qualifications only help you flip burgers you seem stuck where the sun dont shine if your that clever why are you on this site no wonder you dont want your yokels knowing who you really are but maybe they know you too well and thats why your single patronising muppet

101

elaine

19 August 2010 00:47

Have to say I’m surprised that some folks can’t see why bad spelling is a turn off as it’s such a negative thing on so many levels –

Firstly it DOES make you look uneducated – whilst I accept that there may be geniuses out there who can’t spell, I cannot accept that there are geniuses out there who can’t use a spell checker!
Secondly, it makes you look lazy, as if you didn’t put any thought into your profile or the impression you wanted to create. It’s the on-line equivalent of turning up for a first date in mismatched shoes or a stained dress that you just threw on.
Finally, if demonstrates a lack of self awareness – I’m sure no one intentionally sets out to create a bad impression, so failing to realise that this DOES create a bad first impression is a very worrying sign. Such a level of sloppiness at such an early stage does NOT bode well, in most women’s minds, for the future of a relationship – women tend to like men who are competent at life and attentive towards them, and an initial display of incompetence and lack of attentiveness is just a total turn off!

102

Steve

21 August 2010 22:19

yes one or two mistakes are fair enough but a profile littered with mistakes or chav text talk just looks bad and lazy. as a boss if I received a CV like that then I’d reject the applicant.

103

Susan

27 August 2010 22:19

My Dad couldn’t spell very well, but my Mum was an excellent speller and shorthand typist.They shared 40 years and 4 children together. That to me is more important than spelling. Lets live and let live and be happy with our strengths and not harp on about other peoples weaknesses.

104

Fusspot

30 August 2010 10:00

The main problem I’m finding is that most women’s profiles are pretty much identical. Everyone likes their family, their lovely friends, is “equally happy” doing something and its opposite, is “easygoing” and likes “all sorts of music”. It’s hard to get a sense of any individual character from most profiles. It’s not a specific eharmony problem this, though. I was on a well-known liberal newspaper’s site for a while and the same thing happens there too. I wish people would write detailed, individual profiles rather than just coming across as basically pleasant in a fairly generic sort of way.

And I agree with xmas 98 – I wish there was a search facility.

105

Anna

30 August 2010 13:41

I find I tend to skip straight past profiles that state the obvious (eg. ‘I like having a good time.’ Really? I prefer having a rubbish time) or repeat information shown elsewhere in the profile. They seem to have really missed the point.

106

Steve, manchester

1 September 2010 17:46

yeah there is often drivel like “I’m just as comfortable in wellies and a mac as I am in a dress with heels”

107

Cat

4 September 2010 12:23

Spelling and grammar are important to me to a certain extent. However, it’s not the be all and end all, my own isn’t perfect. I sent a set of questions to someone today whose spelling wasn’t perfect but he came across as a really nice guy whom I would like (if he responds) to get to know a little better. If he doesn’t respond it’s not the end of the world and I’ll move on but I was able to see past his spelling. However, having said that if someone uses text speak then I move on straight away, that, to me, is pure laziness. Text speak belongs on mobiles (and occasionally some forums). I also tend to move past those who fill very little in on their profiles.

108

Ahwell

5 September 2010 21:05

Bad spelling and grammar can cause real frustration for matches. Helen from Iveyport wrote saying she was an accomplished “swinger” but infact just belonged to a choir! While Ula from Eastern Europe explained later that she enjoyed Latin American but first of all wrote that she was a “Pole dancer”. Happily though, Ula did like to Tango!

109

Cat

8 September 2010 13:44

I have to admit I live in jeans. I’m comfortable in jeans with trainers/boots/flat shoes but I also love, occasionally, to stick a pair of heels on with jeans. Sometimes I may even wear a dress ;-) So I’m comfortable dressed down and dressed up, for me it’s not drivel, simply the truth.

As for someone special, I do think that that someone special will be different to different people. I’m wary of someone who is always travelling, down the gym, out with friends, snowboarding, ‘insert long list of activities here’ etc, when do they have the time to date? Mind you, to be contrary I’m sometimes put off with someone who seems to do nothing but watch tv either.

110

Faith

8 September 2010 16:00

the most important thing is that a person has a good heart, is genuine and honest. being judgemental just increases the gap between you and other people x

111

Diane (Glasgow)

23 September 2010 02:19

Come on Susan thiers bad spieling and horundus spieling!! i like going to the beech and sunbath and like restreants and coking two!!!
That level is absolutely chronic! No excuse get back to school!!!!

112

Cat

27 September 2010 20:28

Ah, yes, Diane, I have to agree with you there. That is bad and would put me off. The odd spelling mistake I would ignore though, for example I’ve noticed that a lot of men spell friends freinds. The occasional spelling mistake doesn’t bother me.

113

Steve, manchester

29 September 2010 11:56

I’ve just read a profile with no spelling mistakes but not one positive comment just loads of negatives and implied bitterness!

And surely listing the ex husband as the most influential person in your life because “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is a pretty dreadful way of selling yourself!

As is “…I have a busy life, some would say i take on too much but thats just the way i am”
- I read that and just see it as another reason to put me off.

114

Kay

30 September 2010 14:02

I think I’ve avoided most of the above pitfalls, but am still obviously doing something very wrong because no one seems to want to communicate with me, despite repeatedly sending ice-breakers. I don’t think I’m that awful- walking through my village this week I managed to turn several male heads and had two guys smile and say hello to me in my supermarket. So it must be my profile – guys help me out – is it because I spend a lot of my time dancing (salsa and tango)? Would that put you off? I’m beginning to think I should just give up on this site and trust to serendipity – ladies, if you’re having as much trouble as I am on here try your local supermarket instead!!

115

eharmony

30 September 2010 14:25

Hi Kay,

Thanks for your comments – it’s great to hear feedback positive and negative from our users.

I’ve sent your comments to our Customer Care team – they’ll be in touch shortly with some suggestions on how to increase your levels of communication. They will also be able to view your profile and possibly suggest tweaks or additions you could make.

One thing I can suggest is that you try different ways of communicating with your matches. Icebreakers are often very handy for letting a match know you’re interested but some users prefer to enter straight into Guided Communication, or even eHarmony Mail. Your choice of communication is up to you, but if you send your initial Guided Communication questions to your matches, instead of Icebreakers, they may feel more moved to respond. Alternatively, if you prefer, send an eHarmony Mail request and jump straight into chatting!

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,
eHarmony Advice

116

Steve, manchester

1 October 2010 12:07

Kay,

make sure your profile is completely positive. dont mention “my lovely children” – you’re selling yourself to a man, you aren’t selling your family unit. If you do have kids just mention them once and limit it to “my children” or “my sons” etc.

Dont include photos of anyone except yourself – I see lots of photos of children included in profile photos which is completely off putting. It looks sad/pathetic to display your family on a dating site profile.

Put in your profile some text saying that you are a subscriber so are able to communicate.

Avoid text language in profiles and emails – e.g. Wot

Instead of ice breakers send the guided communication questions.

Leave the bit in about tango/salsa.

117

Steve, manchester

1 October 2010 12:09

and the most important thing is get your photo right. One fantastic/hot photo is better than a selection of (for example) 5 very average photos. one fantastic photo is also better than one fantastic one followed by 4 ones where you look very average.

118

Kay

1 October 2010 15:36

Thanks for the advice Steve! I’ll try going for the guided questionnaire – I’m also working on getting better pictures – I’m not very photogenic, and usually avoid the camera at all costs, so I don’t have a huge selection of pictures to choose from, but I’m considering having some photos taken by a professional who might help me to relax and hopefully get some of my personality across!

119

Cat

1 October 2010 16:01

All very well talking about fantastic photos but some of us don’t photograph well.

I have mentioned my kids, the question comes up in the basic information), also in the ‘three things I am most thankful for’. I also mentioned them in the ‘what I’m passionate about’ section, I’m a mature student and I’ve mentioned this and that I want to get a job to support myself and them when I graduate. The thing is when you’re a parent (be it male or female) you are essentially a package deal and I think it’s better to let others know this so they can delete the potential match if they’re not interested in having the matches children in their lives. You don’t have to write an essay about them but they do have to be mentioned.

I really do wish eharmony would reword that question from ‘Do you have children living at home’ to ‘Do you have children’ (paraphrased), or even ask two questions, eg ‘Do you have children’ and ‘Do they live with you’. The amount of profiles I’ve seen where the answer has been no then they’ve mentioned their children later in their profile. They’re not lying it’s just that their children live (mainly) with their ex. I’d prefer to able to see in the basic information if they have kids and if they live with them, be it all the time or some of the time. How about it eharmony?

120

Steve, Manchester

1 October 2010 23:19

I can only offer my advice! Yes you have a family but that’s the subject of discussion on a date or a more intimate phone call, we want to be introduced to you first and then find out about your kids/family unit later. All we need to know is if you have children and what sort of age group/range.

Saying you’re passionate about your children is extremely off putting in a dating profile. If you start by selling your family unit then you have no excuse to moan on here about lack of responses/replies.

As for photos, if you dont photo well then dont resort to one done by a professional photographer – they look cheesy.

121

Steve, Manchester

1 October 2010 23:21

“The thing is when you’re a parent (be it male or female) you are essentially a package deal and I think it’s better to let others know this..” – I disagree, a man has to be thick not to already realise this when he sees a YES next to the children at home question.

122

Steve, Manchester

1 October 2010 23:25

Kay – in your profile don’t make the mistake some people make and put a comment like “I’m not very photogenic” or anything negative about your photo.

I saw one photo where under it she wrote “scary”. And don’t put “I look better in person” – lots write that.

All these kind of comments sow seeds of doubt in the person reading it.

123

Steve, Manchester

2 October 2010 09:29

Another tip, lots of profiles I read use terms “caring” and “loving”.

Imagine if you went into a pub and a bloke came up to talk to you and you said you were ‘caring’ and ‘loving’ – would he be impressed or think you’re a bit needy sounding?

Avoid these, it’s also very off putting to a bloke. We assume all girls are caring/loving, it’s not something we’re looking for when we’re viewing the profile. We’re looking for attractive who we can have an interesting conversation with a lots of laughs.

You should be getting lots more matches today and a bit more communication as it’s a free weekend – I am getting loads more.

124

Kirsty

3 October 2010 15:28

I’m just about to sign-up so it’s great to read everyone’s comments. As a newbie I’d say:
spelling – checking it shows me you have self-respect and care about how you are coming across. Having said that, the biggest turn-off is for someone to consider themselves perfect!!
profile – if you’re shy (like me) it’s really hard to know what to say. I think I’ll be tweaking mine a fair bit as I get feedback and as I relax and enjoy this.

125

Cat

4 October 2010 18:21

“I disagree, a man has to be thick not to already realise this when he sees a YES next to the children at home question.”

Not all children are living at home though, especially in the case of men. I haven’t gone on about my children, just mentioned that they exist. I think the most information I’ve given about them is that they are teenagers.

My point is though that if a man wants to meet me and possibly enter into a relationship with me then he has to accept the fact that I have kids. If he’s not willing to enter into a family then there’s no point in contacting me in the first place, me mentioning my kids gives him the ability to make the informed choice to contact me or close the match. That’s what I meant by package deal, if someone has kids then you have to accept that if you want a relationship with that person then you have to accept the kids.

126

Steve, manchester

5 October 2010 16:29

I really think what matters most is the attractiveness/quality of the photo.

127

Cat

5 October 2010 20:17

Photo is important but I do like to be in possession of others facts before deciding whether to contact or close a match.

128

SHELLY

8 October 2010 21:13

I DONT SEE HOW YOU GUYS GOT ON IN THE FIRST PLACE. I CANT EVEN LOG ON BECAUSE THEY KEEP TELLING ME I PUT IN THE WRONG ZIP CODE!!. HELL I KNOW MY ZIP CODE. WHY ARE THEY TELLING ME THAT. AT FIRST THEY WERE TELLING ME THAT MY EMAIL WAS AREADY BEING USED, IMAGINE THAT!. NOW THIS,,,AND THEN THERES NO PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ABOUT THIS CONFUSING SITUATION!! SHOULD I JUST FORGET IT OR WHAT..HELP.I AM SO LONELY..

129

Alyson

9 October 2010 19:50

Oh my god. I joined this site as a last resort, thinking it might be different to others. Sadly, I’ve been disappointed and I’ve only been a member for about 3 hours.

If all people are bothered about is spelling and punctuation then they need to get off their sad arses and get a life!!

I’d rather stay single for the rest of my life than be matched with anybody so anal and up themselves.

Good luck, you’re all going to need bucket loads of it :) I’m off now to delete my profile. This site sucks.

130

Fran

10 October 2010 10:18

Steve – I think you should become a counsellor!

131

Steve, Manchester

10 October 2010 19:07

Alyson, I don’t think you can conclude that everyone on the site is going to be unsuitable for you just because of stuff you read here! And your comment was a bit out of order, everyone is entitled to have likes/dislikes without being called “anal and up themselves”.

Fran, I’m flattered!

132

eharmony

11 October 2010 12:20

Hi Shelly,

I’m sorry you’re having problems logging into your account. I’ve forwarded your queries onto our Customer Care team who will be in touch within 48 hours.

If you would like help immediately, please call our Customer Care team directly on 0800 028 0308 (Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm)

Best wishes,
eHarmony Advice

133

Steve, Manchester

14 October 2010 16:50

Another example of what not to say in your profile “I like to bake” and worse, the profile I read it in mentioned it more than once. No, us men don’t want to hear about your thrilling baking sessions.

134

Cat

15 October 2010 22:26

So what are people supposed to say? It’s no good saying you like something you don’t because it sounds exciting. Besides *you* don’t want to hear that someone likes to bake. Some others may not mind it and at least that way you can eliminate that match before wasting your time and money on meeting that person.

135

Steve, Manchester

15 October 2010 23:52

They are supposed to say something interesting!

I like to take a really nice hot shower but I don’t list that on my profile!

I know of no men who will be looking on a dating site for anyone who lists that they “like to bake”. I’m suggesting this person has something in her profile which will ensure minimal or no interest.

136

Cat

17 October 2010 19:57

Interesting is relative. What interests one person will bore someone else to sleep.
Personally, I’m not looking for someone who jets off to go snowboarding every other weekend. I’d never see them if they did. I’m quite happy for someone to say that they like the cinema, museums/art galleries, the occasional night out at bars/pubs. To somebody else that could sound boring. As for the woman who bakes, maybe she’ll get matched with a chef who loves to cook/bake and would like to share that love with someone else.

137

Steve, Manchester

17 October 2010 20:17

I don’t believe those profiles where they say they do extreme sports! I think they make it up! People sometimes embellish! I met a girl who said in her profile profession she was an actress. In person she even said “I’m an actress by trade”. It turned out, after a few questions, she was unemployed and had done a panto a couple of times.

“cinema, museums/art galleries, the occasional night out at bars/pubs”
- same stuff I’m into. I’d say that is the most common things people are into and in a profile is likely to get a lot of hits.

I hope the girl finds a man who is finds baking a hot topic. I suspect you are being overly optimistic thinking it will work out for her!

138

Cat

17 October 2010 21:04

Well if baking is all she’s got going for her then yes, I probably am. However, if there are other things in her profile that someone finds attractive then she may get lucky. Who knows, she may find someone in real life.

139

Heather

25 October 2010 09:44

I have a comment with regard to people not posting photographs. I feel it tends to smack a little of voyerism and makes me very uncomfortable as a woman when men do not post their photos and yet are more than happy to view me! Do they have a hidden agenda? After all it is an ideal place for such people. I don’t see why it can’t be a requirement to post a photo – having said that anyone can post anything…..

140

Steve, Manchester

27 October 2010 00:00

I agreed Heather, if someone is committed to finding a relationship then they will put a decent photo up and a date on it. Otherwise they aren’t making the effort.

141

David

7 November 2010 14:44

Hi, I took over an hour to complete my profile and set a search for “anywhere in the entire world” to find my match and even though there are supposedly 12 million profiles on here I didnt get a single match… Kind of sent down in the dumps for a while there, Ive had no issues with relationships in the past, surely this cant be normal?

142

eharmony

8 November 2010 11:13

Hi David,

Thanks for getting in touch. If you’re completed the questionnaire and your profile you should be receiving matches. However, I’m going to forward your comments onto our Customer Care team who will be in touch, via email, shortly. They will be able to check your account to make sure there are no technical issues.

In the meantime there are two things you can do:

1. When you are logged in, on your Home tab, on the left hand side there is a header that says ‘Match settings’. Underneath that there is a line that says ‘Matching is..’ and this will be followed by either ‘On’ or ‘Off’. Make sure this is saying ‘On’

2. Under your My Matches tab, at the top, on the right hand side, there is a link that says ‘Find new matches’. Clicking this will ‘push’ any new matches you have waiting (we send you a few matches a day to help you get to know your matches at an even pace – this will send you any matches that are waiting for you for the following day)

Best wishes,
eHarmony Advice

143

Roddy

14 November 2010 19:32

Okay i know good spelling and grammar is
considered to be the be all and end all
of life as we know it! but,and heres the big BUT can some people get of their self righteous “iam an educated indivdual and therefore better than you” horse before it receives a bullet beteen the eyes! Perhaps you should practise being a little less judgemental. I recently have experienced grammar and speeling mistakes in a letter form a professional who earns £35,000 a year and perhaps one would think they should be able to spell? And i might add it was a lady too.Not that it matters too much.

144

Rob

14 November 2010 21:02

Definately agree with the “no negativity”. I’ve seen quite a few profiles talking about their Ex and why they split up… BIG TURN OFF!

This article helped me reduce my profile down to something more appealing, as I noticed I went on about some things in too much detail. Mention something, but don’t go into too much detail, it creates curiosity and may prompt a potential to communicate! Leave the intricate details till you meet so you have something to talk about!

145

Cat

15 November 2010 22:31

Fill out your profile in full. I’ve seen profiles where half the sections have been missed out and the rest consist of two or three words. Obviously there are a couple of sections where a couple of words are appropriate but most need longer answers. This, combined with a photo, creates a better, more interesting profile.

146

Mandy

20 November 2010 00:03

After being a disillusioned member for the last couple of months, I’ve just had the most entertaining half hour reading these threads.
Relieved to hear I’m not alone on here! Curious why after hunting down the hidden door to communication with site owners, my email didn’t get a reply within 48 hrs as promised to others above? And what’s happened to the app? A blank blue screen for the last couple of days.
Sounds like I’m committing most of the sins on my profile – guess I should have mentioned my passion for illiterate men? Oh if only… Only 2 more weeks before I jump ship and marry my dog. Good luck fellow singletons.

147

Polly

1 January 2011 21:18

A humourous aside: I keep getting messages from ‘gentlemen’ who put down in their ‘passionate about’ section: ‘the environment and sex…’ and then manage to get the sex bit two or three times in other sections. I thought this was an up-market kind of dating site. It surely goes without saying that most people do see sex as part of a loving relationship and it does not need to be emphasised in a profile, also makes me doubt whether they could actually be trusted with my friends etc. I do sometimes reply to these messages with the entreaty to join ‘Smooch’ or one of the other more salacious dating sites. Gotta laugh though, eh?

148

Andrew

14 January 2011 19:28

Well, for what it’s worth, here are my points:
1. Minimal profiles suggest minimal enthusiasm for the process and who’s going to bother someone who really can’t be asked?
2.Poor spelling, weak grammar, dull prose – unless someone is clearly not English (in which case it can be quite endearing and admirable that they are communicating on such a site in a second language) also suggests someone who really can’t be asked. Incredibly, there are people who send in job applications of similarly poor quality and wonder why they never get jobs; online dating is a process of sending out positive and negative messages which people make judgements and this is one of those messages.
3. I really appreciate people putting on lots of photos but can live without the group shots which make it hard to identify you, photos of animals, anything to do with anyone in a skiing scenario or showing off generally.
4. Agree with the ‘baking’ comments but find the over the top remarks about one’s kids unnecessary; if you’re a parent it’s taken as read that your kids will have transformed your life and very likely they are the most important things in your life. Just spare us the details.
5. Hate the ice-breakers – why can we not write our own with a 20 word limit?
6. Think the App is great but often crashes when writing emails – possibly a timing out issue?
7. Am shocked at the numer of males apparently using inappropriate references to sex. Equally, however, I’m very cynical about women who claim they would give everything to just meet a man with a decent sense of humour they can trust blah blah. Who are they kidding – only themselves, maybe?

Good luck, take the rough with the smooth and why not take a chance now and again and just go for it?

149

Talula

17 January 2011 02:35

I still haven’t worked out how to view profiles so I can’t comment about others’ spelling. With regard to photographs, I deliberately posted a photograph taken from behind as my second picture as I felt it only fair to show potential suitors that I have dreadlocks – this photograph was not approved.

150

Sue

7 February 2011 18:15

I would like to be able to change my location to that of the nearby city rather than the small village where I live. All people who live here are believed to be rich. There are some footballers in the big houses but mine is very small and it and I have been here longer than the footballers and their mansions. I think this might attract people who are interested in me for the wrong reasons Why can I not change my location?

151

eHarmony

7 February 2011 18:35

Hi Sue,

You can change your location by following these steps:

1) Log into your eHarmony account: http://www.eharmony.co.uk
2) Click on the My Settings tab, then the ‘Distance’ tab beneath that
3) Here you can change your postcode, town and how far you’d like to search for your matches

Hope this helps!

Best wishes,
Emily
eHarmony Advice

152

Erin

8 February 2011 01:04

Michael at number 4 may like to know “occurrence” is actually spelled with a double “r” and not just the one!! Think you fell on ur own sword there M!

153

x

20 April 2011 20:19

it’s so disgusting and it makes me physically sick that people focus on the very things that do no matter. For goodness sakes, EH is meant to help us find “the right person”. If you guys/ladies are looking for mr & mrs perfect, or looking for someone who has never made mistakes, then you might as well put up an ad. in the newspapers and ask people to send their application letters to you!
the most important thing is Love and your ability to communicate effectively with your partner and not flimsy excuses like he/she made spelling mistakes when they sent me an email or they did not use the appropriate puctuation marks or the email was not well paragraphed!! Is EH now an english language school or a dating website? someone please tell me!!
You could have someone send you all the wonderful emails in the world with no spelling mistakes at all, but when you meet that person, you might just find they were just empty barrels who knew only how to make noise.
Having said all of this, I am not at all impressed with EH, feels like i’ve just wasted my money. Only 1 macth ever since i joined. This match initiated contact, i reply, then no response!! you never really know these things until they happen to you. I have read people’s experiences on EH about how contact was initiated and then no response from the person who initiated the contact when you reply!
Maybe i made spelling mistakes:):) or maybe my grammar was not up to my match’s standard, or maybe i used a comma instead of a full stop at the end of a sentence, so they decided not to reply my email!! Frankly, i’m not bothered, because, it’s their loss!! I believe who ever i end up dating/getting married to will be the better for it. I am not being big headed here, just that i know my value, I know what i’m worth and I know I deserve to be treated with respect!!
Anyway, thought i’d you this medium to say a big thanks but no thanks to EH sending me a match who i’m not sure is dead or alive:):)
think i’ve said enough for now and i do feel better actually.
and to all you nit picky english language scholars out there who look out for spelling mistakes and grammar, i think i have some work for you. Have a look at my comment and feel free to correct any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors as i couldn’t just be bothered!!!!

154

Phil

12 June 2011 20:10

All good points made. Spelling is difficult to get write even with spell chequers, do you sea what I’m saying? I tend to think the way you fill out your profile says exactly what you are like when you filled it out so perhaps reviewing it regularly will make you change some things. If you love your kids/dogs/geraniums so much that they are your focus in life, and you mention that everywhere in your profile, thanks for doing that, your matches prefer honesty.

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