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What To Include On Your Personal Website

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When you want to stand out during your job search, creating a personal website is a great way to do so. There are tons of paid or free options that make it really easy to put together an online representation of you and your professional life, such as Squarespace, WordPress, or Wix. Not so design-savvy? Partner with someone on a site like Fiverr to craft one for you! Regardless of the method, you need to have a solid outline of what to include on your personal website to set you apart from the crowd. Here are four things you should always include:

Introduction

Now, just because this is coined as a “personal” website doesn’t mean it is a space to tell your whole life story. Keep it professional and straightforward while letting a bit of your personality shine through! Include your introduction front and center on your personal website, so they get to know you right away. Introduce who you are, what you’re passionate about, and where you aspire to take your career. The field in which you work largely determines how creative you can be here, so try to meld your tone with the overall tone of your industry.

Work History

This does not need to be as extensive as your resume, but a visual representation of your work history can be helpful. It’s also a great way to include interactive links so your prospective employers can learn more about your past. Your personal website can also be the perfect place to expand more on your skillsets, whether they were honed through work experiences or not!

Portfolio

Your professional portfolio can vary greatly depending on which industry you are in. If you’re a designer, it will consist of visual images or graphics. A writer? Writing samples galore! Have an engineering background? Highlight some of your most significant projects. No matter the field, include as many links as possible so the hiring manager can explore more details of your accomplishments.

Relevant Links

Speaking of links, you might have picked up on a trend throughout this article. Personal websites are ideal for sharing links! In addition to work history and portfolio links, include links to any professional social media. LinkedIn is an obvious one (click here for tips on getting your LinkedIn job search ready!), but maybe you also have an Instagram account to showcase your work or run a mastermind group on Facebook. Anything that is a representation of you as a professional is fair game!

While your personal website is still a piece of your professional puzzle, don’t be afraid to show a little creativity. One of the most significant benefits of this job search tool is that it allows you to tell your story and show prospective employers who you are. If done right, it can be just the thing to set you apart from your competition and land you your next position!

Upgrade Your Digital Toolkit

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With COVID-19 forcing the majority of professionals to work remotely, the workplace has become much more digitally focused. The digital trends that are directly stemming from the Coronavirus outbreak include a 40 percent spike in e-commerce, nearly a third of Americans currently working from home, and a mindblowing 70 percent increase in internet usage! As a result, hiring is more digitalized than ever before. This trend is introducing remote hiring, video interviews, and more! Our society is embracing these technologies as millions are working remotely, and this trend will likely not cease. Now, more than ever, it’s time to spruce up your digital arsenal. Here are four ways to upgrade your digital toolkit to launch your job search.

A Quality LinkedIn

With the increase in online hiring and job searching, it is essential that your LinkedIn is accurate, clean, and professional. This is often your first impression for potential employers, so make sure that your profile picture is professional, your experience is accurate, and your skills are neatly displayed on your profile.

A Personal Website/Portfolio

Having a personal website or online portfolio will set you above your competition. It’s like a digital resume that shows off more of your personality and skills, while also showing off examples of your work. This is an excellent way to illustrate your skills and convince a hiring manager to hire YOU! Utilize any of the free website creation platforms like Wix, GoDaddy, or Squarespace to quickly and easily build an online portfolio or personal website.

Digital Skills

Along with this digital shift emerge a few essential skills you must hone. Some skills you can gain through online resources, like your local library or online tutorials. Other skills, you can only build through actual field experience. Overall, in this digital world, digital skills are no longer a plus; they are an expectation. Take some time during quarantine to increase your digital literacy and readiness. Take a free course in web development or learn the basics of Photoshop to add some useful skill sets to your digital toolkit.

Video chat capabilities

Video chat has become the new norm for how we meet and interact; it makes us feel like we are actually getting that human connection we are accustomed to. With that being said, your laptop, phone, or tablet must have a video chat function. You can utilize apps like Facetime, Zoom, Skype, or any other face-to-face technology. Video interviewing is becoming normalized, so you’ll need these capabilities to foster those meaningful conversations! And if you don’t have any of these technologies, be sure you have a friend or family member that is nice enough to allow you to borrow for any upcoming video interviews!

If you’re looking for more resources to bolster your digital toolkit as you commence your job search, check out our Career Kickoff Series. We have tons of helpful tips and advice to help you with this next phase of your career!

Career Kickoff Resources