As a Jobseeker, Do You Need a Personal Website?

From large corporations to sole proprietorships, all kinds of commercial entities use websites to represent themselves online. They’re great for gaining a concise impression of the companies you apply to work for, but is it also necessary to create a website for yourself as a professional?

Untapped Potential

Hiring managers today are increasingly impressed with the websites they see being made by the job candidates they consider. Despite this, very few professionals actually tap into the potential of this tool when looking for jobs. Instead, social media platforms tend to be seen as the foremost web-based means to get yourself out there. There’s no denying the importance of LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter in the job market, but a website can be especially powerful when you treat it as a kind of home base for your online presence. It’s the perfect opportunity to stand out from those who put all their eggs in the social media basket.

Your Personal Brand

One core advantage that a personal website has over social media is that you have complete control over how it’s presented. It therefore offers you carte blanche when it comes to building a brand as a job candidate. Social platforms allow you to do this to a certain extent, but you’re generally constrained by the proprietary structure and design that comes with them. The job seekers out there who make the best impression on hiring managers are the ones who have successfully supplemented the more functional nature of LinkedIn with the distinct voice and visual identity of their own site.

Credibility and Versatility

Recruiters don’t just look for job seekers who meet the technical requirements of the position at hand. They also look for professionals who are credible in their field and can think flexibly about what they do. This is another strength of a well-made professional website. It’s the perfect place to write and publish articles about your industry and develop a greater sense of authority for yourself. LinkedIn offers a great blogging system through Pulse, but creating content on your own site draws more attention and traffic to the very core of your online presence. It showcases your creativity and versatility. Now that’s what a great job candidate looks like!

A great online presence and personal brand are some of the most important assets in navigating today’s professional world, but they’re not the only ones. Summit Search Group can connect you with the employers that are right for you, so give our job search portal a try today!

*If you experience trouble submitting your resume' here, please email the recruiter directly, you can find the recruiter's email address next to photo of the recruiter above, or contact your our local office.