3 Tips for Creating an Impressive Professional Portfolio or Website
Thanks to rapidly advancing technology over the last few decades, you have access to more jobs and job search resources than could have possibly been imagined before the turn of the last century. Employers now get a better idea of which applicants are the best fit for their open roles. This allows you to show your merit for top jobs by making technology work for you.
Job applications typically require a digital upload of your resume, cover letter, or CV, and often provide options to include social media profiles and websites. Recruiters look for evidence of your personal brand online when screening candidates, so why not make it easy and exciting?
Creating a remarkable professional portfolio or personal website is easier than you think. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Use free or affordable apps
You don’t have to be tech-savvy to build an amazing professional portfolio or website. Several affordable online services make it easy to set up a personal domain and create a unique site from scratch or beautiful templates.
You can build a personal website or portfolio on Wix or hire a professional to launch your site on the platform. The site offers a secure and personal domain to host your blog or professional portfolio. You can choose from free, engaging templates to plug your information into or customize your website with easy-to-use page builder tools. In addition, Wix offers a free account for basic personal use, making it a popular choice for bloggers.
You can build a beautiful website with SquareSpace with a free trial. Their affordable plans, unlimited bandwidth, and eye-catching, curated templates make your blog, personal website, and professional portfolio stand out from other candidates. SquareSpace also makes it easy to upgrade and update your website as your personal and professional needs evolve over your career.
If you think you may want to continue to build on your website and want to ensure your personal brand is unique and secure, you can choose to build a professional portfolio through a site like Web.com. You get access to easy-to-build templates or can have a professional design your website. And you can add any number of relevant domains to your plan, maximizing your exposure to recruiters and potential employers.
Include a range of experience and skills
The easy part is picking your web hosting provider. However, deciding what information to include on your digital professional portfolio can be daunting – whether you have countless projects and content to share or feel you don’t possibly have enough to create a website.
The trick is to make a list of the typical requirements for jobs in your industry. For example, are employers looking for people with soft skills like leadership and communication or do they expect to see completed design projects and written content? Chances are, it’s a little bit of both.
Consider different ways to demonstrate your strengths and qualify for roles you’re interested in pursuing. You may be able to show your expertise in areas you don’t have project examples by blogging and sharing industry trends and tips through social media. Include testimonials where appropriate and link to sources you have permission to disclose.
Read more: 4 Skills Recent Grads Can Use to Leverage Pandemic Experience
Make personality apparent in your personal branding
Your professional portfolio should also help potential employers get to know you. Let your personality shine through in the tone of your writing and the engaging visuals you post on your website. Create content and post projects relevant to your interests, especially where they intersect with your professional experience.
You never know what will catch a recruiter or employer’s attention. It might be the time you dedicate to raising awareness for a cause the company is invested in, or evidence of your team leadership skills in and out of the workplace. Think about the qualities you have that make you a great asset to any organization, and look for creative ways to create digital content to share them.
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