How Creating a Personal Website Can Help Your Job Search

You’ve probably already heard about personal websites for the job search and thought to yourself: but I don’t know how to build a website, and I don’t know what to put on such a site. And also, is it worth the effort?

It’s so worth it!

Why? Because it makes you stand out from the masses. Very few people try to create a personal website for their job search. So it’s a great way to stand out and show employers you’re ready to go the extra mile.

A personal website also has the advantage of sharing much more content than you can include in a resume or cover letter. You can give a 360-degree view of who you are and what you have done. That doesn’t mean you must upload everything you’ve ever done, but you can give a more comprehensive picture of who you are.

You’re not limited to two pages like on the resume. Apart from your main page, where you present your overview, you can set up several subpages to give more details about your experience.

• If you are pursuing an academic career, you can list all your publications for which you would usually not have space in your resume;
• If you are in the creative industry, you can include a portfolio page where you show them a few pieces you created;
• If you are a project manager, you can include a list of projects you worked on;
• If you are a business consultant, you can include a list of companies you worked with.

Remember, It’s a Personal Website

The most important thing is: it needs to be a personal website. It needs to reflect you as a person. So, a short personal introduction on the landing page is a must. You need at least a few lines that sum up who you are and how you can add value to the company.

This is slightly longer like your elevator pitch: What have you done, what do you enjoy about work, and why are you the right person for them? Being authentic and giving them a glimpse of who you indeed are is very important. Focus primarily on your motivation for a specific job or industry. They need to feel that their heart is in it. The best way to show this is with a short introduction video.

Really, a video? Yes, a video. Videos are the best way to show an employer who you are. It’s a great chance to show you are motivated, curious, confident, open and resourceful.

This is particularly important if your resume is not linear, e.g., you often have gaps or changed jobs. In such a case, recruiters will often hesitate to consider your resume. The video allows you to show them that you are motivated, explain your situation, and convince them that you are a good candidate.

Another situation where a video can be useful is when you find it challenging to get across in writing who you are and why you are motivated. I once had a client who was precisely in this kind of situation.

She was more than qualified for the position but couldn’t get it across on paper. She said she knew that employers find her very good in person, but they don’t bite when they see her resume. If you’re unwilling to invest in a professional resume writer to fix that, a video can support your application.

Another good example is if you are applying in the creative industry or for a startup. A video is your chance to show that you think out of the box and don’t rely on traditional ways of job applications.

Practice Makes the Difference

Now, you may be hesitant to create a video. I get that. Most of us don’t like to hear our voices or what we look like on video. Let me assure you: that’s just a matter of practice. The first video you do will be horrible. So, there will be the second, the third, the fourth… It would be best if you did a few of them until you figure out what you’ll say and how you’ll say it.

I never write down what I want to say in my videos for Instagram or my website because I know I tend to write slightly differently than I speak. It is more natural to write down bullet points and then talk freely. So just be patient with yourself and practice. You’ll see, you’ll improve quickly.

Choose a Good Setting

Once you have the content figured out, you must consider clothing, background, sound, and lighting. Make sure you’re wearing a business outfit. This is your job application, so it needs to have a business touch. Then choose a neutral or tidy background, like a clean living room.

You don’t need fancy camera equipment to record a good video. Most phones or tablets have pretty decent cameras with good sound quality. Just ensure there are no loud background noises and the lighting is good. There shouldn’t be big shadows on your face and no overly shiny spots, either. Remember that a bit of powder helps shiny skin again.

But I’m Not a Techy Person…

That’s no excuse anymore. With platforms like WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and many others, it is straightforward to create a website. If you’re unsure where to start, look for examples online to find inspiration (e.g., here are some architecture portfolio website examples).

You don’t need any technical knowledge, and you don’t need to know how to code. You don’t need to be creative, either. There are stunning designs available that you can easily customize by changing the colors to reflect your personality. Anyone can do it.

So you see, a personal website is a great platform to introduce yourself to new employers, and it’s not that hard to set up. You need to invest a few days to find the right hosting platform, create the content and customize the template. It’s a bit of work, but it’s worth the effort.