10 Ways a Personal Website Can Get You a Job

Websites don’t have to only represent a company’s brand. Websites can represent a personal brand as well. In fact, personal websites can work so effectively that it might even help you land a job.

1. Prove your creativity

A nice design, clever content, and interesting photos all reveal a little bit about you as a person and as a professional. Let potential employers see how creative you can be. And if you aren’t creative, don’t fret. Hiring a designer or a writer is easier than you think.

2. Provide work samples

Create a page that links to samples of your writing, photography, design, lesson plans, or whatever portfolio items are required in your industry. Of course, not all industries will require a portfolio, but whatever you have done that demonstrates your abilities should be highlighted on your personal website.

3. Public recommendations

Ask your references for a quick sound bite of a recommendation. Put these recommendations on a web page of their own or as graphical text elements throughout your site.

4. Control the Google results

Potential employers WILL Google you; there’s no question. Try to purchase your name for your domain name. If it’s not available, get as close to it as you can. When you create your site be sure to put your name in the page titles, meta descriptions, alt tags of every photo, and in the text headings of every page. These practices help with search engine optimization (SEO).

5. Don’t whine about it. . .blog about it

A blog allows you to rant about important topics or educate the masses about those topics you feel strongly about. Want to prove you really are an expert in the migratory patterns of birds? Then blog about it. Blogs benefit your personal SEO efforts, too.

6. Getting in touch has never been so easy

Create a contact page and include your phone number, email address, Twitter handle, and city/state. Add a contact form to make contact as easy as possible.

7. Resume it up

Forget the rules about one-page resumes and bask in the glory of hyperlinked text. An online resume gives you much more freedom than a paper resume (although you’ll still need one of those).

8. Sell with a smile

Pay to have a professional photograph taken, and publish it on your home page. If you have other photos you like, post them where it makes sense.

9. Create a bio with a personal touch

Your bio can go on your home page or on its own individual web page. A professional bio will summarize your resume, but it will also speak to your personality. This is the chance to talk about why you love what you do and why you want to continue doing it. Finish your bio with a short sentence or two about your personal life. For example, “Sara is a website content writer who has lived in the Denver area for more than 15 years. She enjoys visiting local restaurants every weekend and taking long walks with her beagle, Moe.”

10. Share your link and prove your credibility

Now that you have a personal website, put the URL on your business card, resume, social media profiles, and in the signature of your email. Having that website proves your are a professional with web savvy who has what it takes to get the job done.

The No. 2 Pen is a full-service writing and communications company. Contact us to discuss your writing projects and editing needs.