In light of digital technology, the traditional resume seems a bit passive given that businesses are scouring information about you on social media sites like Linkedln and Facebook. If you’re a freelancer, web designer, or some other type of creative contractor, a personal website can do far more to promote your skills than the more limited means of social networking sites. To amplify your professionalism and, ultimately, score more gigs, consider creating a personal website that allows you to promote your personal brand and show off your mad skills in a manner that best reflects your style.
Better Branding
With a personal website, you create the platform, you author the content, and you take center stage while separating yourself from the crowd of other creatives. Unlike a resume, a personal website allows your personality to shine through the medium. Although you can still tailor your site to include the business essentials that need to be there (i.e. education, relevant work experience), you can add much more that reflects your individual goals and objectives.
More Is More
Imagine being able to steer a perspective client to your website rather than relying on a traditional resume and a link to wherever your digital portfolio happens to be hanging out. The website becomes a one-stop-shop for clients to find everything they need to know about you. In essence, you can fill up your website, providing its well organized, with galleries of your work, links to publications, an up-to-date biography, your blog (if you have one), and much more. In addition, if writing or web design is your talent, you can better market your skills from your own platform.
Nudge ahead of Other Candidates
When clients or companies are narrowing down their list of potential candidates, a personal website can help you edge out the competition. If your background and work experience is similar to another candidate, but you have a professional website, you have an asset that is likely to help you score the project. According to U.S. News and World Reports, four out of ten recruiters suggest they would favor a candidate with a website when deciding between candidates of equal experience.
It Networks Even When You’re Sleeping
Your personal website can work for you round-the-clock, helping you achieve professional recognition in your field. Not only can you use your website to attract more clients, you can also attract other professionals to create a balanced network that could help drive your career forward. A personal website makes you incredibly accessible, but it also enables you to control that access by publishing only what you want to convey. Just as companies strive to send traffic to their website, you can begin to the same thing in order to increase your network and improve your own brand recognition.
It’s a Hot Trend (with Staying Power)
According to USA Today College, intern candidates are clamoring to build their own websites to increase their visibility and secure the positions they want. As increasing numbers of job seekers adopt the website platform, it may, at some point, be a prerequisite among hiring businesses. In any case, while it remains a relatively new trend, you can take advantage of its benefits right now before many members of your competition do. Once you do the hard work of creating your website, you simply need to maintain it into the future where it will continue to work for you.
A personal website gives you control of your brand and allows you to showcase important aspects of your work. Currently, a personal website isn’t a must, but if you are looking for an avenue to ramp up your professional image, few other resources can do as much for you as you very own website can.
