In today’s world a stuffed Curriculum Vitae and a friendly smile are no longer enough to earn you a job at a company. Today it is almost guaranteed that a human resources department will look at your linkedin and facebook accounts to get a better insight on who you really are,  and although that might not give an employer a clear insight on who you are there is one thing that does. According to Workfolio 56% of all hiring managers are more impressed by a candidate’s personal website than any other personal branding tool—however, only 7% of job seekers actually have a personal website.  A personal website gives a potential future employer a glimpse on your creative freedom and work ethic that a CV simply will not. Everything from the design options to the biography and content of your website says something about you. Having carefully put together a website shows a lot about who you are as a person, your work ethic, your likes and dislikes etc… For example if your personal website is entirely pink and all about cats and the guy from twilight, then a potential employer might think you are a crazy cat lady… Whereas if your website is tastefully done with pictures of you volunteering at an animal shelter your future employer might conclude you are a caring person who cares about others etc.

What should your website contain ?

Clear Direction 

Don’t be confusing, who is your website catering to ? If the purpose of your website is to get a job then highlight your skills and anything that might help get that position.

Contact Information

You would think this is an obvious thing but too many personal website are more concerned with showing you the latest achievement or rant , than a clear concise way to reach you.

Bio

An about us page is important for a corporate or company website and the same applies to a personal website. Keep it professional and brief with content such as interests, hobbies ( if appropriate ) and accomplishments.

Curriculum Vitae 

Again it sounds obvious but many people omit this important detail.

Portfolio Gallery 

If your work or profession lends itself to a portfolio gallery, it should be a must to include it in your personal website.

Optional : Blog , Videos , Testimonials , Links 

A blog is always a plus , if you have relevant videos that’s always an advantage and positive testimonials never hurt and you can even include links to any associations that you may belong to.

Having said all this, We are not talking about a 100 page e-commerce website, a simple 3 page website and your own domain name should do the trick and is a worthy tool in securing that job that has eluded you for so long. It will give you the edge over your competitor and pay for itself after your first new paycheck !

Author : Robert Santos