The personal website goes beyond the one-two page resume. It allows employers to look more closely at the perspective employee’s work and professional style. Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler, human resource consultants and authors of CareerXroads, believe that in jobs like arts, engineering, architecture and communications “it will become a vary common thing.” They say, “some people are finding it is easier to build their porfolio out on a Web site than bringing it with them to an interview.”
But what is the right information to make public? How do you make a site feel professional but still lend itself to your personal creative style? Crispin and Mehler offer 6 tips that have already begun influencing my personal website vision.
1. Be Secure
Although you want to be easily contacted, one must choose wisely what they put on their site. The bare minimum keeps your contact information clean and simple as well as secure
2. Keep it Professional
Don’t post meaningless pictures of your pets, friends, family, or spouse unless they are significant to your artistic vision and work. Would you bring them to an interview? Probably not. Also stay away from flowery, colorful, busy, add-ons; they will only distract your viewer. Keep it confined to reference letters, publications, writing samples, past artwork and creative projects, or web development work.
3. Keep it simple
Make sure you categorize your key accomplishments into tabs, and create links or a slideshow backing up each accomplishment. Do not use large files that take long to load because it is unlikely your potential employer will take the time.
4. Track your visitors
Most Internet Service providers offer the ability to find out where your visitors are coming from. It is important to know who your audience is so you can make modifications to better target the people you want.
5. Support not replace
Your personal homepage should not replace your resume, it should act as a support. Make sure the two work together based on both content and aesthetic.
6. Don’t stop there
You should not think that just because you make your site live that employers will flock to you. You have to get them to see it by giving them business cards, doing research, emailing, and making your URL noticed.
Now you can all make your own homepage…Wohoo!
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