Before you throw in the towel on your job search, you need to read this piece to the end.
Maybe there is a vital secret you are yet to implement. You have submitted your CV to countless organisations and networked like crazy. Yet no company is calling you for an interview appointment and now you feel like giving up. I was in the same situation 5 years ago, not until I stumbled upon a secret.
The one vital secret you need is a personal website that contains your resume. That simple! You have to keep in mind that HR managers get tons of CVs everyday. So if you want to make a good first impression and stand out, getting a personal website is your best chance. If you want to know what a personal website looks like head over to my personal website www.chinonsoanyaehie.com and have a look.
That was the site that landed me an executive position in one of Nigeria’s multinational companies. Let’s dive straight to the numerous advantages of a personal website.
- Having a personal website helps employers see that you have strong knowledge of current technologies: When you have a personal website you create an impression that you are technology savvy and you take your career seriously. It adds a deeper dimension to the understanding of your skills set. Companies want to employ people who they feel can bring new innovations and new ways of doing thing to their company. Having a personal website creates the impression that you are the best fit for the job.
- A personal website gives you creative freedom to express yourself in ways not possible on your resume: Have you ever battled with limiting your resume to just two pages, which is the best practice for writing resumes? My Personal Website gave me creative freedom to include my certifications and skill-sets in a more elaborate manner. If you are a graphics designer you can choose to create a portfolio and showcase your works. You can also go over board and add videos and PDF documents.
- Having a personal website helps you control what people will see when they search for you on Google: Nowadays hiring managers rely on Google to help sieve out the best candidates for any role. When you apply for a job, it’s likely that they will check you online before considering you for the position. Having a complete Personal Website helps you make good first impression in your job search.
- Your personal website helps you to publish content, establish authority and gain influence: If you want to establish yourself as an authority in your field and become a go-to person on all questions regarding your area of expertise, you must publish regular articles on your niche. The blog section on your personal website gives you the power to do this. In my own experience, this process is very paramount if you want to sky-rocket your career in a short time.
- Having a personal website helps you show the world who you are or what you wish to become: It helps you craft an image for yourself, the way you want people to perceive you. Have you ever thought about what comes to peoples mind when your name is mentioned? What do you want people to know you for? Your personal website helps you craft that compelling image. I am not in any way advocating you become less original. Authenticity is the key to building your brand. Get the difference, carve out your niche and remain authentic while delivering it. This is where your unique voice comes into play, do not try to be like anyone else, be yourself.
- Your personal website makes people take you seriously: A personal website can make people take you more seriously. I can’t overemphasis how much my personal website have helped me appear credible in front of people and HR managers. A personal website helps you improve your credibility and makes you seen professional.
- Your personal website helps you become more accessible: Your personal website makes you easily accessible. Take note that hiring officers and people are constantly Googling keywords relevant to their industry, seeking for experts to occupy various roles. Having a website with your name as the domain is not enough; it pays more to optimize the website for various keywords relevant to your niche. For instance, if you are branding yourself as a web designer in Nigeria, it's best optimize your personal website to rank for keywords likes web designer in Nigeria. That way if anyone Googles "Web Designers in Nigeria", your website should pop up on the first page.
- Having a Personal Website helps clarify your brand: Having a personal website helps you clarify what you are all about and your unique niche and can be a way to market yourself as an expert in your niche. Before you build your personal website is best to do a thorough assessment on your unique gifts, make sure that any message you plan on communicating with your personal brand is your inherent gift. Something you are very good in. When you are clear about this, you can commence creating your personal website.
- Your personal website can serve as a huge networking tool: Having a personal website can help you connect with like-minded professionals. With the increase usage of social media today, if you publish good content on your personal website, you stand a better chance of attracting people you want in your life. Move past the limitation of LinkedIn and other social media. They are great as personal branding tool, but also come with its limitations. A personal website gives you more flexibly to express your creativity and ability to add options that seem impossible on your LinkedIn page. Your personal website is like your own real estate, your space on the web, with your name boldly as the domain name, which gives you extra credibility.
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