It’s time to get online

Companies, from small firms to large enterprises, have always used their websites to provide more information about their products and services to end consumers. Similarly, everyone who cares about their career should have their own website to showcase their unique talents and accomplishments.
Whether you’re a jobseeker, entrepreneur, student or an employee, a website will help you attract new opportunities. Here are my top three recommendations for getting started on your website:

Decide on your career goals and claim your name

Your website should position you for the career of your dreams instead of your current job. For instance, if you hate your current accounting job, but you love finance, then your website should depict you as a financial expert or enthusiast. Also, make sure you claim your full name as a domain name (yourfullname.com) using GoDaddy.com.

Create an About.me page as a placeholder

If you don’t have the resources or time to build a full website right now, get a free website for your brand at www.about.me. This site is easy to use, takes minimal effort to set up, and will start ranking high for your full name in search engines.

Invest in a custom website

When you’re ready and willing, purchase a website hosting account under your domain name. There are many online tutorials that will walk you through how to create your website, but it is wiser to hire a developer that can design and program the site for you. A custom design will help differentiate your brand and attract positive attention.

– Dan Schawbel is the author of “Me 2.0,” the Managing Partner of Millennial Branding, LLC and a personal branding expert.
Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages. Opposing viewpoints are welcome.