How to Build a Website Resume

1. Find a website host and choose a design

First, you need to find a website host and choose your design. There are plenty of website hosts–some are free while others are not–with ready-to-use design templates. Website hosts with templates allow you to create a resume website without prior coding experience. All you have to do is select a template you like and drag and drop individual website elements.

Note that the best design strategy for one person will not necessarily be the best for you. For example, if you're a professional in the science industry, you may have several published research articles you want to share. So, you'll need a website that can cater to your specific needs and allow you to upload multiple articles or links. Your site’s layout will also be different if you decide to have a CV website instead of a resume website.

Think carefully about what design is best for your website, and use it to showcase the essential features of your resume. Like any other website, you want to make it as easy as possible for people to find the most important parts of your resume.

2. Include a professional headshot

Adding a professional photo of yourself to your website is a good idea. There's no right way to take a professional headshot since every industry is different; however, there are a few tips you should follow. They include:

• Have someone else take your photo. Don't take a selfie if you're adding a resume photo to your website. A selfie isn't the most professional, so always have someone else take your picture for you.
• Use a neutral background. A plain, bright wall as a background is usually the best way to go. You don't want the wall or background to be too distracting. You want people to be focused on you and not on what's happening behind you.
• Check the lighting before you finalize the photo. You want the lighting in your photo to be even. If the lighting is uneven, one part of your face may show up brighter than another.
• Dress professionally. Even if your photo is only from the neck up, people can still see your shirt. Don't wear a graphic t-shirt or anything that could be seen as inappropriate.
• Make eye contact with a camera. Look straight at the camera to ensure it doesn't look like you’re distracted.
• Put a frame around the photo. A neutral frame is fine. Even a plain, white outline of the picture is appropriate.

If you keep these tips in mind, you should be able to take a professional photo for your website.

3. Add an inviting homepage highlighting key achievements

There's a saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. You need to make that first impression count. That means it's necessary to create a homepage that highlights your key achievements. That way, you can convince people to learn more about you and your skills. However, you probably don't want to incorporate middle or high school experiences on your homepage. Instead, think about what you're most proud of and what aligns the most with potential employers.

You may want to include your education, skills, experience, and personal projects. Then, place those on your homepage to encourage people to learn more about what you have to offer. If social media is relevant to your work, you may also want to include links to some of your social media profiles.

4. Create different pages

Don't try to cram everything onto one page. Otherwise, your visitors are going to get overwhelmed. Instead, create multiple pages to highlight different things on your resume. Make sure you have a menu that makes it as easy as possible for people to find what they’re looking for.

Here are a few possible page ideas you might want to include:

• Home page
• About me page
• Skills
• Experience
• Testimonials
• Contact page
• Work examples

Every industry is different, so it’s best to customize these pages to meet your needs. If you're curious about what pages you should include, you may want to see what other professionals in your industry have on their resume websites.

5. Choose a domain name

Before your website can go live, you need to choose a domain name. You can't use a domain name that someone else has already used, and you must be very careful playing around with top-level domains. You don't want your website to appear “sketchy” if you use a domain suffix that people are unfamiliar with. Do some domain research, and try to figure out what works well for your visitors and search engines.

For example, you may want to use a domain name that has your name and title. Or, you may want to choose a domain name that has your first initial and last name. If you keep your domain name short, it'll be easier for people to remember.

6. Optimize the site for SEO

Don't forget that you also need to optimize your website for search engine optimization (SEO), which is the process of making your website easy for search engines to find. When someone is looking for something on a search engine, it's the job of the search engine to show the most relevant results.

Most people click on websites at the top of the page, so that's where you want your website to appear. You can increase your SEO by conducting keyword research, ensuring your website loads quickly, and keeping it updated. It's also a good idea to ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as many people use their cell phones to browse the internet. If your website loads well on all devices, you can maximize the traffic from hiring managers and recruiters.

7. Review and publish your site

Conduct a final review of your website before you publish it. Make sure every component and feature works as it should.

Test the site on multiple devices to ensure it shows up well on all of them. You should also review your site's content to verify it's free of grammatical errors and has been optimized for SEO purposes.

Consider having someone else review your website also. A friend, relative, supervisor, teacher, or co-worker can pinpoint any issues you may have missed the first time around.

8. Make a dedicated landing page for your resume

Finally, creating a landing page where you can link your resume is a great idea. This makes it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to learn more about your skills and experiences should they be interested. Before publishing your landing page, ensure the links work correctly and direct visitors to your website resume.

Create a resume website with Mailchimp

If you want to create the best website resume, you need to use the best tools. With Mailchimp, building a professional website for your resume is fast, easy, and free. Plus, you can pair your website with other powerful marketing tools from Mailchimp to maximize your reach and land your dream job.

If you want to put your best foot forward with a great website resume, check out our free website builder today. Create a stunning website that'll help you stand out from the crowd in minutes.