Personal Websites: Combining CVs and Portfolios Like a Pro

And they are right: a good resume is one thing, but if you combine it with the power of a professional, personal website then you can consider yourself in pole position for an interview.

The benefits of online presence

We don’t need to emphasize the importance of having a LinkedIn profile but since being present on that site is practically obligatory for anyone building out a career path, it lacks that special factor employers want to see in potential employees. Putting together a website and an online resume is a good step towards standing out from the crowd.

No matter whether you have experience in IT or not or whatever the kind of job you are looking for is, a professional site increases your chances for getting the desired job for several reasons. First and foremost, recruiters and employers discover you much easier since your website will be more visible in search results. Speaking of searches, most recruiter/applicant interaction happens online even before the actual face-to-face meeting happens (sort of like a background check), and an employer already impressed with your work will definitely consider putting you on the shortlist. Not to mention that a professional website sends multiple messages at the same time, primarily that you take your career seriously and are willing to give a glimpse into your personality – a key decisive factor when it comes to hiring.

How to effectively create a pro website

No need to panic if you have no IT experience, since the internet is full of different website creators, such as Wix that – aside from being a wedding website builder – offers portfolio and CV site building for free.

But even the most attractive personal websites can fall apart if they don’t give a sense of professionalism. Thankfully it’s no harder than putting together an outstanding resume:

Clarity and credibility

Just like your CV, a good professional website is logically structured, has all the necessary information required for the position being applied for and is devoid of all spelling errors and typos. Your personal website is the perfect way to display your personal brand with the abundance of tools and solutions at your disposal.

Strong introduction

The 30-second rule applies to personal websites as well, meaning that your introductory section (usually the homepage) must be informative and brief. The best way to achieve that is to have a professional headline – a one or two sentence description of who you are and what you do – and a short bio where info omitted from the resume can be displayed.

The resume

Include your resume either as a link to the CV you created and shared with an online resume builder or embed a PDF version of your resume on a page within your site itself. But if you really want to make an impression, toy with the website’s settings and create a visually stunning replica of your resume.

Samples, results, testimonials

Think of this part as a mixture of the work experience, portfolio and testimonials section of your resume. Here you can list all your past achievements but with the added bonus of providing links to them without the need to write out the whole URL.

Blogs, videos and other multimedia

Since you are creating a website why not exploit the advantages of the online world and provide all sorts of media related to your work. You can start writing a professional blog, upload videos where you explain certain achievements in detail, or direct employers to sites where your work has left its digital mark.