To meet the type of people that interest you, you will need to master the art of writing a personal profile that attracts interesting people.

Some people believe that sites like Penpals is a waste of time simply because they have experienced problems finding people who meet their requirements or expectations. What these people have not grasped is that to meet the right kind of person you need to clearly define what your own attributes are, what type of personality interests you and your expectations.

The aim of our personal profile writing workshop is to help you create a personal profile that will attract as many of the right responses as possible. After all, isn't that why you are thinking of using this site - to meet people that you will connect with?

We have divided this workshop into separate sections for you:

• Getting Started - well done for taking the first step!


• Who You Are - writing personal profiles that will appeal


• Who You Want - the type of people you'd like to meet


• Your Headline - drawing attention to your profile


• Good Examples - personal profiles that worked


• The Basics - in summary


• What To Say - the big introduction

Ok, so lets get started in creating your perfect personal profile:

When you first sign up (create an account) you will have the opportunity to complete a ‘profile sheet’ which is where you write about yourself and the sort of people that interest you. Unfortunately this is the section where most people don’t know what to say and this part is where you want to create a really concise and well-written personal profile.

Personal profiles (adverts) that get straight to the point and are honest will receive more responses from like-minded people. Don’t be shy to let all those Penpals users know what type of person you are and what type of friends you are looking for.

We recommend the tried and true ‘List Exercise’. So before you commence writing your personal profile why not grab a bit of paper and make a couple of lists.

In the first list write down all the things about yourself and interests that you think other people would like to know before they contact you. In the second list write down the qualities/requirements that you are looking for in potential future friends.

Don’t throw away your list just yet, as we will use this for putting together your personal profile in the following sections.

Next: Writing about yourself. Who You Are How to create an appealing personal profile.

FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions, and because they are usually common questions we have answered them in this section. If you cannot find the answers you are looking for here, please Email Us so we can help you!

We will continue to add FAQ's as members keep asking questions. We are new and truly need your input to improve your site.

Penpals and similar sites are quite possibly the safest way to meet other like-minded people.

Unfortunately online chat rooms and messaging still carry the stigma of "danger", especially for single women, which is why many women may feel apprehensive about joining a site that allows any person to contact them via email or chat room.

Our biggest safety tip for any online user would be to use your "common sense" but we have compiled some basic safety tips to help your online messaging, emailing and chatting be a safe and enjoyable experience. By following some safety precautions and using your common sense will ensure that you are not doing anything that could be dangerous.

1. When using your online personal profile, chat room or email system, under no circumstances should you reveal any information that could allow someone to personally identify you. Refrain from providing information such as your real name, specifics about where you live (such as your suburb or street) or any other information that could be used maliciously.


2. New Zealand Penpals has provided you with the communication tools to safely correspond with other users such as chat and private email, therefore enabling your own real email address and contact details to remain private. You should not invite others to e-mail you at your regular (private) address.


3. If you and another New Zealand Penpals member mutually decide to communicate outside of the service we suggest you use a free "throwaway" account (such as Hotmail) and don’t be afraid to take your time getting to know someone and always trust your judgement.


4. As with anything else, where you choose to chat is a matter of personal taste and the responsibility to chat or not chat lies with each individual. However it is also inevitable that people who are less than desirable will probably contact you at some stage. If you choose to respond to them, do so tactfully and kindly. Sometimes ignoring a request is appropriate, so use good judgment.


5. Never arrange to meet someone you've only ever previously met on the Internet by yourself. You should arrange to meet in a public place (preferably not close to where you live) and take along a trusted friend or family member.


6. The most important fact to remember is that you are in control. No one should ever pressure you into revealing anything about yourself that you want to keep private. If someone does, they are not respecting your boundaries and are probably not worth contacting further.