Single male to get on creates public persona (5)
I believe the answer is:
image
'public persona' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'single male to get on' is the wordplay.
'single' becomes 'i' (one).
'male' becomes 'm' (common abbreviation).
'to get on' becomes 'age' ('age' can be a synonym of 'get on'**).
'i'+'m'+'age'='IMAGE'
'creates' is the link.
(Other definitions for image that I've seen before include "Likeness or mental picture" , "Likeness; statue" , "Presentation" , "Visual or mental representation" , "Representation, picture" .)