Unique Answers to Generic Dating Profile Questions

You know that you’re an interesting person, but selling yourself via your profile isn’t your strong point. Never fear, eHarmony Advice is here to help you craft honest, funny and succinct answers to profile questions.

In the world of online dating, getting noticed can sometimes feel like a challenge. However, to ensure dating success, standing out is essential. And that starts with your online profile.

To get the best results, you’ve got to get specific and have appealing online dating headlines that convince others to contact you. If the myriad of profile questions asked overwhelm you, stop, take a deep breath, and focus on answering each question in a way that best represents who you really are.

What follows are some generic profile questions, along with suggested unique answers and explanations as to how they’ll help get you noticed. By simply incorporating one or two revised responses into your dating profile, you’ll most likely enjoy greater online dating attention and success.

What is the first thing that people notice about you?

Sure, this generic question may seem silly at first, but it’s a great way to advertise your best non-physical attribute(s). “Quiet self-confidence” is an excellent response. Possessing such a quality means that you’re comfortable with yourself, without being cocky. This is an incredibly attractive quality to the opposite sex because it shows them that not only do you like yourself, but you’re ready, willing, and able to be a great partner, especially to someone who’s comfortable in their own skin.

What are your three BEST life skills?

At first glance, money-management, physical fitness, and job performance may seem like decent answers to this question. However, they’re actually pretty generic and don’t tell a potential match anything about your core values. Instead, qualities like life balance, personal integrity, ability to laugh at myself offer a better window into your personality. Plus, they show that you’re emotionally evolved, available for dating and relating, and that you have your personal values firmly intact.

What’s the most important thing you’re looking for in another person?

Physical attraction, financial fitness, and/or zero emotional baggage may sound like acceptable answers, but who DOESN’T desire those qualities? Instead, be honest about the most essential quality YOU seek in a potential partner. For example, someone who’s comfortable in their own skin, someone who has a genuine zest and passion for life, and/or someone who is ready to be an amazing partner and accept an amazing partner into their life are more genuine responses that will excite and attract the right matches to you.

The 4 things your friends say you are…

What your friends say about you can tell a potential match a lot about your character and who you associate with. Again, getting specific will filter out potential partners who aren’t a match for you and draw the right ones to you. So while you might be tempted to say your friends consider you fun, smart, loyal, and funny, that doesn’t illustrate who you are or the type of friends you surround yourself with. Better responses to the question include passionate about culture and travel, fascinated with learning, always ready to tackle new challenges, and someone they can depend on. Now THAT helps round out your personality!

What are 5 things you “can’t live without?”

Rather than play it safe with generic answers like my iPod, food, and sleep, include thoughtful responses like My fave iPod playlist that includes Gnarls Barkley, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, and Janis Joplin’s Greatest Hits. Some may call the playlist a mess, but I call it eclectic. In getting specific, you’ll easily attract like-minded matches who can appreciate your uniqueness.

What are you most passionate about?

Don’t be afraid to appear vulnerable and/or authentic in your response. My Star Wars Action Figure Collection, finding the best piece of Toro sushi in the world, or attracting/cultivating an amazing relationship with my perfect partner are all fantastic answers because they provide a refreshingly revealing look into your personality.

What are the 3 things for which you are most thankful?

By sharing how you practice gratitude and what you’re truly grateful for, you illustrate to potential matches who you really are. So rather than say you’re thankful for having a job or making great money, you could say I am grateful that my career affords me ample opportunities to give back to the world around me through volunteering my time, donating to worthy causes, and traveling the world exploring other cultures. See how that provides a clearer picture of who you are and what you value?

How do you typically spend your leisure time?

This is your opportunity to share with a potential date how the two of you would spend time together. As always, specifics will help you weed out unsuitable matches while easily attracting suitable ones. Avoid clichés like walking on the beach, working out, and/or hanging out with friends. Instead, paint a vivid picture, including specific activities like enjoying a great Italian meal and bottle of wine with friends on Saturday nights, reading a graphic novel at my neighborhood coffee shop (I’m the artsy one in the Newsboy cap and horn-rimmed glasses), and/or checking out the latest documentary at that restored theater downtown.

By giving a potential match a visual about where you are and what you’re doing, they’re better able to decide if they’d like to be sitting there with you!

As you can see from the suggestions made throughout this article, the key to standing out in the online dating world is to be specific, authentic, and refreshingly real in your profile. In doing so, you’re all the more likely to attract like-minded individuals who may eventually become your perfect partner. So go ahead, make a few revisions, and see how those subtle tweaks rock your online dating success.