A year ago I was job hunting. Turned out someone I play trivia with is a higher-up with a tech company in my area. So I asked if I could send along my resume and a link to my website. The website was, admittedly, very basic. My name, a link to my resume, a list of work samples. That’s about it. I embedded a Twitter widget, too.
The message I got back from my trivia teammate was like a cold shower. It sent a shiver up my spine. Here’s what I was told:
- The biggest thing I noticed was that your web site (which you reference on the last line) is pretty outdated. Your Twitter feed is 192 days old. You’d better start tweeting — or remove that feed from your web site.
- As well, I thought it was highly unusual that, as a writer, you don’t incorporate a blog as part of your web site. If you really are interested in pursuing web-related jobs, you should use WordPress or Blogger or ExpressionEngine or something and start blogging so folks can gather insights into your interests, analytical abilities, and online demeanor. (You could craft a bunch of posts and backdate them so that when you launch your blog, it is already pre-populated with entries.) It would also underscore your familiarity with the blogging tool and blogosphere in general.
- In addition, if you incorporated social media links into your web site, it would show your familiarity with the importance of social networks in today’s online world.