Your Personal Brand Online: 5 Ways To Organizing Your Personal Web Site

Personal Web sites are becoming increasingly more popular among career-seekers, and for a good reason. They allow you to maximize your resources so employers can see beyond the single-page list of your previous jobs. These tips will help you to better organize your Web site so that you become much more influential in the multi-media world.

How to organize your personal Web site in 5 easy steps!

Simplify your home page. Whether you are using a pre-made template or creating your own, be careful that you don’t go overboard when designing your introductory page. It can be tempting to add a million animations to the main page, and there is something to be said about enticing the viewer at first, but too much “stuff” can slow down your Web site when it first starts to load. Keep your home page simple so viewers are tempted to stay on your site — they only have so much patience!
Use tabs and links wisely. You should have tabs or links for viewers to click that will bring them to different pages, thus, more information about you. They must be visible and clearly labeled. For example, you might have tabs that read “about me,” “résumé,” “portfolio,” “contact me,” and a “home” button. You don’t have to use these exact labels but these pages should be included in your Web site. Here’s a quick break-down:

• “About me” – Brief bio. You really only need a paragraph or two to describe yourself. Don’t get carried away explaining your life story; this page should really tie together who you are with what you do.
• “Résumé” – The beauty of a résumé on your personal Web site is that you don’t have to try to squeeze all your wonderful accomplishments onto a single piece of paper. If you need to, separate your résumé into two different tabs (maybe “employment” and “volunteer activities,” for instance) so viewers don’t have to scroll very far down.
• “Portfolio” – This is where you display your fine work! Any writing sample, video or rendering of an image should be clearly labeled so the viewer knows exactly what they are looking at.
• “Contact me” – You can’t get hired if they can’t get in touch with you! Include your email address and phone number of any communication device you check often. In some cases you may even be able to add a “guest book” to your page so that viewers can leave you messages as well as their information.
• “Home” – Bring viewers back to the home page.

Color your page appropriately. Fun, eye-catching colors could either attract or distract. Choose a color scheme that will make you look professional. If you want to show your creativity then setting up your page with colors that look appealing together and staying away from clashing designs will show the viewers that you pay attention to detail — a great quality in every employee.

Insert a professional head shot. Viewers of your Web site like to have an idea of who they are initially evaluating. Plus, a good photograph will give you character. Just the right smile could make you appear extra enthusiastic and confident.

Send out periodic e-newsletters. In addition to a guest-book, send out an e-newsletter to viewers that leave you their information. Keep them updated on your status as a career-seeker. Include any career objective changes, new skills you’ve learned, additions to your portfolio or simply update them on any contact information changes. The more you stay on top of your personal Web site and keep prospective employers updated, the fresher your personal brand will be.

Creating a personal Web site will allow you to market yourself to a whole new range of people. It’s one of the most efficient ways to manage your work samples and résumé information, and the interactive tools you can use will help you stay in control of your brand.

Adrienne is a Syracuse University student from Danbury, CT majoring in Writing and Rhetoric with a Leadership Communication minor. She is a big fan of impressionist art, ocean views and classic rock. She hopes to one day have her name in the credits of a hit film whether behind the scenes or in front of the camera.