Personal vs. Professional Websites

As a Communications major, I have found it quite strange that most people in this class want to minimize their presence on the internet. In my field, whether it be marketing, social media, or publishing, employers are looking for an individual who can create and manage social media and other webpages.

This being the case, I've immersed myself into every form of social media.

I've basically thrown myself out there. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, and Pinterest (aka I never get my homework done).

While my experience in social media has helped me land some pretty cool jobs, such as running the Michigan Dining Twitter and Instagram, I've found that employers aren't exactly wowed by my oh-so-hilarious vines or my witty insta captions. They don't care how many Twitter followers I have or the fact that I can make a kick-ass alfredo sauce thanks to Pinterest.


Employers want employable skills, and unfortunately, getting revines of me on a high-speed chase with a Krispy Kreme truck isn't what they are looking for.




So, this brings me to my main point- professional websites are important! Now I won't bore you with a bunch of rules and regulations of employer-friendly webpages, but I am going to show you a comparison of my personal website and my professional website.

During my senior year of high school, I got really into writing. I loved telling stories and making people laugh, so a blog seemed like the perfect place to document my crazy misfortunate and my insane transition from high school to college. I started a blog, with an incredibly cheesy name and tagline- Hurricane Kate: Not Literally a Hurricane, just a Girl with a Messy Existence.

I know, pretty bad, huh? Well, as stupid as you might think it is, my blog is an important part of my online presence.

If you see my blog here, you can easily navigate the site. This blog houses pages of all of my posts, an About Me section, other articles I've written, photos, and some videos interviews.

While this is a fun, relaxed setting, where I can showcase my personality and writing, how much do you think an employer would appreciate an applicant whose most recent blog post was titled "The Sophomore Experience: A Series of Unfortunate Hookups"?

Probably not much.



While my blog has given me many writing opportunities and has over 12,000 views, it's not a place that I want employers to "get to know me".
 
So, let's take a trip here, to my personal website. This easy to manage and create website, created on Weebly, has links to my resume, writing samples, work/volunteer experience, social media accounts, and my references.

An organized, professional place where employers can look at every aspect of my professional life is really important! This is an interactive, fun resume. Easy to read and navigate, employers will love being able to really see you and your experiences.

In closing, try setting up a place where employers can explore you and your qualifications. It's impressive, plus kinda fun to create something all about yourself, your passions, and your career goals. Personal websites are a fun, uncensored area for expression, but professional websites show and allow for real career connections to be made.

Kate out.