What do you put on a career website?
1. Determine your industry
The type of website you want to build and structure is highly dependent on the type of industry you want to go into. If it is an industry where individuals generally have portfolios or visible examples of work, then a full website is a way to go. If there is no type of portfolio usually attached to the work, then focusing on making a complete and robust LinkedIn profile is a better use of your time.
The type of website you want to build and structure is highly dependent on the type of industry you want to go into. If it is an industry where individuals generally have portfolios or visible examples of work, then a full website is a way to go. If there is no type of portfolio usually attached to the work, then focusing on making a complete and robust LinkedIn profile is a better use of your time.
2. What do you want to foreground?
If you are building a website that will showcase a portfolio or specific skill set, how are you both overtly and covertly positioning that skill set. For example, if building a website to apply for instructional design jobs, what instructional design theories and methods are you using in it's creation? Does your website represent the care and method you approach the work with?
If you are building a website that will showcase a portfolio or specific skill set, how are you both overtly and covertly positioning that skill set. For example, if building a website to apply for instructional design jobs, what instructional design theories and methods are you using in it's creation? Does your website represent the care and method you approach the work with?
3. What skills do you highlight?
The first thing to highlight is a resume. A resume is very different from a CV. A resume is short (no more than two pages) and privileges skills and tangible actions over specific examples and length. Please see the resume and cover letter section for examples.
The first thing to highlight is a resume. A resume is very different from a CV. A resume is short (no more than two pages) and privileges skills and tangible actions over specific examples and length. Please see the resume and cover letter section for examples.
4. How do I pick what to put in my resume or on my website?
One of the hardest things I had to wrap my head around was that "nobody cared about my research" or what I had written in the past. It was all about what tangible skills I could bring to a new role. The best advice I have is to look at LinkedIn and other sites to see how people in the industry represent themselves. Use that as your model on how to position your education, your skills, and what things you should learn.
One of the hardest things I had to wrap my head around was that "nobody cared about my research" or what I had written in the past. It was all about what tangible skills I could bring to a new role. The best advice I have is to look at LinkedIn and other sites to see how people in the industry represent themselves. Use that as your model on how to position your education, your skills, and what things you should learn.
5. So I can't put anything else but a resume and examples on my website?
You can put your academic CV, creative projects, and anything else you want on your website. The important thing is to make sure it provides lift to the work you want to do. For example, if you are applying for roles in Diversity and Inclusion, it is appropriate to have your CV and list public talks you've given about racism and privilege. It shows public engagement with the work you are hoping to do. But that is very different then posting a video of an obscure conference talk you delivered.
You can put your academic CV, creative projects, and anything else you want on your website. The important thing is to make sure it provides lift to the work you want to do. For example, if you are applying for roles in Diversity and Inclusion, it is appropriate to have your CV and list public talks you've given about racism and privilege. It shows public engagement with the work you are hoping to do. But that is very different then posting a video of an obscure conference talk you delivered.
6. Best advice I can give:
Think of the most obnoxious person in a graduate class you have ever encountered. The one who had read every book and new every theory and wanted the whole room to make sure they knew how smart they were. In the corporate sector, it is very, very, very easy to be that person. Academic culture socializes us to use every complex theory word in every conversation. Do not be that person. Make the language in your speech and on your website accessible. No one wants to hire a know it all.
Think of the most obnoxious person in a graduate class you have ever encountered. The one who had read every book and new every theory and wanted the whole room to make sure they knew how smart they were. In the corporate sector, it is very, very, very easy to be that person. Academic culture socializes us to use every complex theory word in every conversation. Do not be that person. Make the language in your speech and on your website accessible. No one wants to hire a know it all.