In addition to networking, establishing a strong personal brand is one of the most effective job hacks you can do to get your next job. Specifically, you can use the internet and other media to project an image of yourself that makes you stand out and memorable.
In this post, we’ll talk about one of the most fundamental aspects of creating a strong personal brand, and that is creating a personal website. In fact, a personal website can actually get employers excited to hire you!
I’ve seen it happen numerous times. In one case, one of our graduates was told, “We hired you because of your website.” In another, a grad was brought in for an interview which he was told, “You don’t have the required experience needed for this job, but we just had to interview you because of your website.”
Now, hiring managers aren’t going to end up on your personal website when doing a Google search. Instead, your personal website is only effective when you explicitly share with others, either through conversation or social media. Specifically, you should include the link to your personal website on your resume, on your LinkedIn profile, and even in your personal email signature. When you reach out to others to land a micronetworking meeting, you should include a sentence in the body of your email that highlights your personal website. For example, “I also wanted to share with you my personal website (INSERT LINK HERE) and see if you had any feedback to share.” You can that discuss it further at the actual micronetworking meeting.
You should find a way to include your personal website in any job-related conversation you have during your job hunt, period.
How does a personal website wield such power?
- A personal website makes you to stick out – in a good way! The vast majority of job-hunters do not have one, so by simply having one, you set yourself apart from the crowd.
- A personal website makes you more memorable. All the people you’ve interacted with during your job hunt will remember “the person with the interesting website.”
- Creating a personal website demonstrates that you’re proactive. You’ve taken the time and effort to do something that most people are afraid of. Employers love to see proactivity. If you’re willing to take charge of your job hunt in such a proactive manner, you’re also likely to be an employee who is proactive about any project sent your way.
- Having a personal website demonstrates confidence. You come across as confident if you’re willing to put yourself out there in such a public and bold way. Hiring managers are more confident in someone who is already self-confident.
You don’t have to be a web developer to create a personal website. With online tools such as Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace, creating a personal website can be simple and straightforward for almost anyone. There’s really no excuse not to make one!
What should you include in your personal website?
While there’s no one-size-fits-all template for a personal website, here are basic tips that apply to most job-hunters:
- In the top section, include your name and desired job title in big, bold letters.
- In the top section, also include a professional (or at least semi-professional) photo of yourself.
- Include at least one section that highlights your professional experience – but avoid bullet points! This isn’t your resume; this is your chance for writing some interesting prose about your professional journey.
- If relevant, include a portfolio of your past work. This is especially apt for people pursuing a career in a creative industry.
- Include other interests, hobbies, and past experiences that others may find interesting. Even though these don’t necessarily relate to your desired job, remember that the goal of your personal website is to make you memorable – so these can do the trick. Even better, include photos of yourself engaged in these hobbies.
- Include ways for people to contact you. A contact form or email address will usually do the trick. However, don’t include your phone number.
- Include a link to your LinkedIn profile. You may also wish to include links to your other social media profiles, but include LinkedIn at a minimum.
Creating your personal website is a huge win, and will help you propel your job search in unprecedented ways. There’s no time like the present!