Every Professional Needs a Personal Website to Show-Off Skills and Career Growth

May 17, 2024  • Career  • Blogging

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In today’s digital age, having a personal website is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Surprisingly, a recent poll revealed that 81% of professionals still don’t have their own website. This article explores why it’s crucial that developers, DevOps Engineers, Site Reliability Engineers (SREs), IT pros, designers, and all other professionals create and maintain their own personal website / portfolio, and how you can easily get started!

Don’t let the statistic of 81% of professionals without a website include you. Take charge of your digital presence today, and start building your personal website. It’s an investment in your career that will pay dividends in opportunities, learning, and personal branding.

Why You Need a Personal Website

The following are reasons why you need to create your own personal website, if you haven’t yet:

Reason 1: Showcase Your Work

Your website serves as a digital portfolio where you can showcase your projects, achievements, and skills. Unlike social media platforms, a personal website gives you complete control and ownership over your content. This enables you to have full control over the presentation and organization of your content.

You can highlight your best work, credentials, provide detailed case studies, and even integrate testimonials from clients or colleagues.

Here are some key elements that are great to showcase on your website:

  • Projects: Display a portfolio of your completed projects, including descriptions, images, and links to live examples or repositories.
  • Achievements: Highlight your awards, recognitions, certifications, and any notable accomplishments in your field.
  • Skills: Provide a detailed list of your technical and soft skills, along with examples of how you’ve applied them in your work.
  • Blog Posts: Share your insights, tutorials, and articles on industry trends, showcasing your expertise and thought leadership.
  • Case Studies: Offer in-depth analyses of specific projects, detailing your process, challenges faced, solutions implemented, and outcomes achieved.
  • Resume/CV: Provide an up-to-date resume or CV that can be easily accessed and downloaded by potential employers.
  • Other resources: Offer downloadable materials such as e-books, whitepapers, or templates that visitors can benefit from.

By incorporating these elements, your website will serve as a comprehensive and dynamic showcase of your professional journey and capabilities.

Reason 2: Stand Out to Employers

In today’s competitive job market, standing out is more important than ever. Employers often Google potential candidates, and having a well-crafted website can leave a lasting impression. It demonstrates your technical skills, creativity, and dedication.

A website can effectively showcase your resume, blog posts, and even video content, providing a comprehensive view of your professional identity.

Reason 3: Enhance Your Learning and Teaching

Creating content for your website, such as blog posts or tutorials, additionally reinforces your own learning. As the saying goes, “The best way to learn is to teach.” By explaining complex concepts in your own words, you deepen your understanding and help others in the process.

This habit of documenting and sharing your knowledge can position you as a thought leader in your field. This will really help you stand out among the crowd, when this is something the vast majority of professionals are not doing themselves.

Reason 4: Control Over Your Online Presence

Relying solely on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or GitHub means you’re subject to their rules and algorithms. A personal website, however, is entirely under your control. You decide the content, the design, and how it’s presented. This permanence and control are invaluable, ensuring that your online presence remains consistent and accessible regardless of changes in social media landscapes.

How to Get Started

So, you’ve decided to create a personal website to show-off your skills. Here are some steps to think about and take action on to get started.

Step 1. Choose a Domain Name

Your domain name is your unique address on the web. It’s worth spending some time to choose a domain that reflects your personal brand or professional focus. Domain registrars like Hover offer affordable options, often including deals that bundle web hosting and domain registration.

Want a discount registering your domain with Hover? I use Hover for my own domain name, and you can click here to save $2 off your first purchase from them. I hope you find a great domain name to register!

Step 2. Select a Web Hosting Service

Web hosting is where your website’s files live. Services like GitHub Pages offer free hosting for simple sites if you have the skills, while providers like Wordpress.com offer robust managed hosting solutions with the worlds #1 content management system. These services ensure your website is fast, secure, and reliable.

Want Wordpress hosting that just works? Without requiring technical skills? I use Wordpress.com to host a couple of my websites. The uptime is great, and I don’t need to spend any time on managing the infrastructure or servers. Wordpress.com hosting just works, so I can focus on writing more content. If you would like $25 in credit for signing up for Wordpress.com annual hosting, just click here to get it.

As a technical side note about the hosting I use for this blog at Pietschsoft.com. This blog website is built using GitHub Pages and a static site generator called Jekyll. It allows me to write my blog posts using Markdown, and GitHub Pages allows you to host the website for free; as long as you abide by there terms of services. For Pietschsoft.com, I am actually using Azure Static Web Sites to host it, but it’s still built using Jekyll and GitHub Actions.

Step 3. Use Website Builders and AI Tools

Building a websites has never been easier, thanks to modern tools and newer growth of generative AI like ChatGPT. Platforms like WordPress and other website builders allow you to create a professional-looking site without any coding knowledge. You can select templates, customize designs, and even use AI to generate content, making the process quick and straightforward.

Step 4. Create Compelling Content

Your content is the heart of your website. Start with a basic structure: an about page, a portfolio or project section, a blog, and a contact page. Regularly update your blog with articles on topics you’re passionate about or new projects you’re working on. Use multimedia elements like images, videos, and even infographics to enhance your content and engage visitors.

View your website as your central place to create and publish content that promotes your skills. If you don’t show your skills and promote yourself, nobody else is going to.

Step 5. Optimize for Search Engines (SEO)

SEO ensures that your website ranks well on search engines like Google. Basic SEO practices include using relevant keywords, optimizing your website’s speed, and ensuring it’s mobile-friendly. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console can help you track your performance and make necessary adjustments to improve visibility.

When you’re just getting started, you don’t really need to worry too much about SEO. As you publish more content, and your website starts getting more views, you can learn and hone SEO skills over time. Or, you don’t need to. How much you get into SEO is really up to you, and not really required. It all depends on your goals for your website.

Conclusion

Building a personal website is a powerful tool for professionals in any field. It offers a unique platform to showcase your skills, credentials, achievements, and projects, making you stand out in the competitive job market. Publishing personal website with a blog not only enhances your learning and teaching, but also gives you full control over your online presence, free from the constraints of social media algorithms or other platform constraints.

Don’t let the statistic of 81% of professionals without a website include you. Take charge of your digital presence today, and start building your personal website. It’s an investment in your career that will pay dividends in opportunities, learning, and personal branding.