Some
people say looking for a job is a job in itself. You’ve got to update your
resume, craft compelling cover letters and find open positions that suit your
skills. Those things are undoubtedly essential, but have you thought about
using your website as a hiring tool, too?
Here
are six ways you can do that.
1. Make Sure It’s Free Of Errors
Hopefully,
you already know it’s not sufficient to solely trust a spell-checking feature
when proofing your resume or a cover letter. It’s important to look it over
yourself, too. If your website has numerous misspelled words, broken links or
grammatical problems, the people who see it may think you’re careless. But, if
your site is nearly flawless, it’ll go a long way in forming positive
impressions.
According
to a 2019
CareerBuilder survey, 92 percent of respondents agreed soft skills are essential when
choosing someone to hire. Also, nearly half reported attention to detail was
the soft skill they wanted most from candidates.
Keeping
a sharp eye out for website errors could show hiring managers you have some of
the abilities they want for the people they bring on board.
2.
Be Responsive to Feedback
When
your website has a blog with comments enabled, the things people say could give
valuable guidance about which topics to cover, the needs readers have, what
fascinates your visitors and more. Of course, some people use comment forms
only to assume the roles of internet trolls, saying vague things like
“This blog sucks.”
But,
in other cases, readers genuinely want to engage in healthy debates with you or
offer suggestions for improvement. Then, take the time to communicate with them
and thank them for weighing in with their thoughts or opinions. The feedback
may initially seem as harmful as what a troll would say, but there’s a good
chance a person who gives thoughtful feedback wants you to grow and have an
open mind.
How
does responding to
feedback
via a visible comment help you get a job? It shows the public — including
hiring managers — that you handle criticism respectfully, as well as spend time
engaging with the people who give positive comments.
In
any workplace, you’ll get feedback from superiors and peers. Employers
appreciate seeing signs that you’re capable of taking it into account and
acting on it. Blog comments can help demonstrate that.
3.
Show You’re a Well-Rounded Individual
Employers
usually want to hire people who have broad skills spanning outside the
respective open positions. College admissions professionals take a similar
approach when looking for prospective students. That’s why hobbies help high
schoolers get admitted to universities where they gain knowledge to start their careers.
Maybe
the main reason you started a website or blog was to enhance your tech skills
and get ready for the job you want now. In any case, use your blog as an
extension of your resume. You might only list hobbies as bullet points on your
resume, or not bring them up at all. But, a website gives you opportunities to
discuss your accomplishments and interests.
Are
you a state-champion horseback rider, someone who speaks seven languages or an
avid gardener? Depending on the job, it may not be appropriate or necessary to
add those details on your resume. However, bringing up those things on your
website lets others know you have a lot to offer as a person.
4.
Build an Online Portfolio
Many
of today’s hiring professionals want evidence of your capabilities beyond
merely reading about them as words on a page. With that in mind, consider
creating an online portfolio to display your best work. Whether you fill it
with photographs, design projects or articles you’ve written, a portfolio shows
you have the real-world skills to support your background.
Also,
a 2017 survey
from Hover
polled people involved in hiring to get their thoughts on the importance of
online portfolios. It revealed 86 percent either strongly agreed or agreed that
they’d visit a portfolio site if given the option. Also, 71 percent strongly
agreed or agreed a portfolio’s quality influences their hiring decisions.
Those
results suggest you should provide a link to the portfolio in your resume or
cover letter, but spend a sufficient amount of time making it excellent first.
5.
Populate the Site With Content That Emphasizes Your Interests
Employers
prioritize people who have an ongoing, sincere interest in their fields, and a
familiarity with them. You can show yours by publishing material to your
website that profiles up-to-date happenings in your current sector or the one
you want to work in soon. You can also do this in a way that shows your ability
to analyze information and give your take on it.
For
example, publish the link to a recent news story, then write a response that
goes in-depth about how you agree or disagree with the writer. Are there
potential pitfalls to the stance that person took? Do you have an idea about
the topic that the writer didn’t address in the piece? Taking this approach
provides content for your site, plus indicates you’re an emerging thought
leader.
6. Help Hiring Managers Find Your Website
Besides
considering these tips, it’s also crucial to apply best practices that help
recruiters find your website. For example, if most people who currently visit
your website only know you by a nickname, it’s time to branch out and add some
instances of your name as it appears on your job applications within the web
content. That’s known as personal
SEO.
Moreover,
add keywords related to the job you want. Hiring professionals attempt to
streamline their techniques, and using keywords effectively assists them in
locating your website quickly.
More
Valuable Than You Might Think
As this list shows, your website or blog could be more than something you do in your free time. It could help you land a dream job, too.
Kayla Matthews
Kayla Matthews is a WordPress blogger and independent writer. She’s done freelance work for Digital Trends, The Week, Website Magazine and VICE. To read more posts from Kayla, visit her blog, Productivity Theory.
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