How A Personal Web Page Can Expedite Your Job Search

Personal Domain

Have you ever read that you should own your personal “name” domain. Well, there are a lot of very good reasons for owning your name domain with the primary one being that you can control and protect it from being used nefariously or prevent anyone from  piggy-backing off of your success. When it comes to job hunting though, there are several reason why you should not only own it, but actually use it to expedite your job search.

Google, Google, Google

While this may seem like a no brainer, a personal web page can be used as a very positive synopsis of your work and life that YOU control. You control the content, you control the message and you control the picture it paints of you. Why is this important? Well in a word…Google. Once your personal page is indexed by Google (Bing and the other search engines) it will almost certainly move on to the first page of results returned by the search engine when someone Googles your name. In fact, more often than not I’ve seen it return as the “top” hit within a very short time for most people because your name is a part of the url.

This means that you get the first crack at telling your story to anyone who Googles you, simple as that. Trust me, they will click on joeblow.com if they’ve just Googled Joe Blow. It’s really just simple human nature and also one of the reasons why the “name” domain rises so fast in search results.

Opportunity

This, as you may have surmised by now, gives you an enormous opportunity to “speak” to a potential employer in a way that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to because Googling you happens before any interview, usually after having been made aware of you through a resume or referral. Oh, and if you think that employers aren’t Googling think again. In today’s world, and especially with jobs as hard to come by as they are right now, employers are using every tool at their disposal to find out as much information as they can about potential candidates and “Googling” is about as easy as it gets.

Bottom Line

The bottom line here is that if you’re in a job search, buy your domain name (they can be had for as little as $10 or less a year) and get something positive up for employers to see. We here at the Imagemakers, Ink! offer personal web pages as one of our many career services because we know how important the web (and Google, Bing, etc.) has become to a successful job search. If you have a common name, there are ways around that and we can help, just give us a call!

~Stu

Why On-Line Resumes Rock!

At The Imagemakers, Ink!, two of  the services that we’ve embraced in order to give our clients an additional advantage in today’s job market are social media and technology.

If you look around, you’ll see that most “resume” companies don’t and can’t do this because frankly, they just don’t have any expertise in these areas. It’s why we consider ourselves to be much more of a full-service, personal marketing firm rather than “just” resume writers.

We offer so much more than resumes because we know that a great resume or bio is just one piece of a much more complex puzzle when it comes to finding a new position, especially at the professional and executive levels.

With that in mind, I’m going to offer a couple of reasons why we believe having an on-line or web-based resume (just one of our “technology” offerings) can make your search more productive and even easier, oftentimes leading to your finding a new position faster than would otherwise be the case.

1. In a word, “simplicity”. By simply sending a link in an email, text or chat (or from anywhere else you post the link) your resume or bio is instantly available to be viewed on any device with a web browser.  Of course, this now gives you access far beyond the computer world and into the growing tablet and smartphone universe.

What this means is that potential employers can read your resume as they wait for their flights at the airport without “needing” a computer to do it. Their iPhone or iPad will do just fine for finding out that you’re the perfect fit for that position they’ve been trying to fill.

2. The language of the web. While this may be a little crossover with number one, I can’t stress enough that your web-based resume will be specifically formatted with the “language” of the web. Good old HTML. What this means is that any decision maker viewing your resume/bio doesn’t need MS Word, doesn’t need a PDF reader, doesn’t need Flash or any other proprietary format to learn about you and your qualifications.

This is critical because the web browser is, by far, the most ubiquitous way to view information these days and your resume or bio should have the advantage of being able to be viewed in one. Anyway, hopefully you’ll find the case for a web-based resume compelling as you sit there reading this…in your web browser!

-Stu

The Cloud-Based Career Campaign

Did your mother ever tell you to get your head out of the clouds? Well, I’m here to tell you it’s time to get back in the Cloud. Whether you want to find a new job, climb the career ladder, or start your own business, it’s no longer just how you look on paper, now looking good in the Cloud is also a must.

Back in the day looking for a job or starting a business meant creating marketing materials like resumes and brochures. You still need to have tools to market yourself and your business,  but in today’s high tech world it’s time to think and create your own virtual reality, one in which you’re the expert.

Ground-breaking technology is providing cloud-based solutions that, when used correctly, will ensure a successful marketing campaign, be it for a new position or a new business.  At The Imagemakers, Ink! we’ve embraced the latest and greatest to help you market yourself.

Here are some of the things you’ll need in addition to your classic marketing materials:

1. Web-based Resumes and Bios that enable job candidates and savvy new business hopefuls to quickly and easily get your resume or bio in front of key decision makers or customers by simply sending a link.

2. Personal Domain Webpages that enhance your web presence and add to your credibility. Owning your own “name” domain complete with a professional Personal Domain Webpage is a great way to show off your skills and assets to the world.

3. Google Apps for your domain. These are essential if you’re thinking of starting your own business or  becoming a consultant. Google Apps include a suite of tools like email, docs, calendar, voice and much, much more.

4. WordPress Blog. A WordPress blog (on your own domain) can make you an “expert” in your field in no time and dramatically expand your web footprint. This is an excellent technique to showcase your expertise and get the attention of prospective employers or customers.

At The Imagemakers, Ink! we often work with clients who are taking a two pronged approach to their career; not only are they looking for a move up, they’re also looking to move out. For this reason, we provide the aforementioned technology solutions to complement our already robust products and services, all to help you achieve your career goals. If you want to capitalize on the Cloud, check out or Technology Solutions, we’ll have you winning on the Web in no time.

Linda