You have literally thousands of options to choose from when building your own website during a job search, from premium HTML templates to raw code. But the key to your job search is to spend as little time doing the back-end stuff and as much time networking as possible. Here are three easy solutions for building a custom website for your job search.
WordPress
WordPress is an open-source (read free) content management system, or CMS. This means your content is separated from your site’s design, allowing you to post new content without worrying about layout. More than 60 percent of bloggers use WordPress. And literally thousands of people around the world develop themes (which control the look of a website) and plug-ins (which control the website’s functionality).
All you have to do is find the theme you like (they’re usually free or less than $100) and fill in your content. Separating design from content makes it easy for you to focus on writing great web copy instead of fussing over code. Install your chosen theme on WordPress and then build the pages you need to show your résumé.
The following are some favorite paid themes packages:
Here are some premade résumé themes that look pretty good right out of the box. You may want to start here for design options. In order to see the theme in action, click the Live Preview or Demo button on the following sites:
Weebly
Weebly offers a free, visual, website-building platform. The paid upgrade opens up more advanced features for about $5 per month. But even with the free version, you’re able to make a basic website. To see online résumés built in Weebly, enter “site:weebly.com resume” in your search engine.
After you create a new website during setup, you’re asked to choose a domain name. If you’ve purchased a domain, enter it here. Weebly gives you technical instructions on how to change your server records when you’re ready to publish.
Choose the design theme you prefer. Then under the Elements tab, you can drag and drop images, text boxes, and even contact forms wherever you want them on the page.
When choosing a theme for your Weebly résumé, the simpler the better. Find simple themes by choosing Design. Then, on the left bar, pick All Themes. Finally, click on the link for Simple. These themes are the best ones for job seekers.
After your site is built, simply go into Edit and change your Site Address to your new domain name.
Squarespace
Squarespace offers the same service as Weebly, but Squarespace uses a different interface and does certain things better. Squarespace isn’t free; it offers a 14-day free trial, after which you’re asked to upgrade. Currently, it’s $8 per month to have a website with this service. However, the templates look more modern and unique than Weebly’s.
If you’re a designer or have an eye for design, you may prefer Squarespace because the interface allows for more detailed customizations. To see some online résumés built in Squarespace, type “site:squarespace.com resume” in your search engine.
If you don’t change the domain name, squarespace will appear next to your name every time you share your link. It looks unprofessional, so you’re better off avoiding it. To enter your own domain, go to Settings and then choose Domain.
You’ll be given instructions on how to change your server records for the domain so that it points to the Squarespace page. Even though setting up your custom domain with this website seems like a pain, the advantage is huge.