A sports broadcasting employer shared this story with me.
A guy arrived for a job interview wearing jeans and a polo shirt.
The outfit is a fine choice if you’re going to pick up a gallon of milk. It’s a terrible choice if you’re interviewing for a sportscasting job.
I share this story because we all have extra time on our hands until the games resume. One way to use it wisely is to build a personal website.
You might wonder how a personal website ties in with the story I shared.
They’re both about first impressions. Your website may well be the first introduction an employer has to you. Make it a good one.
Here are some tips for building a terrific personal website.
Color
Limit the site’s color palette to no more than four colors.
Typography
Use uniform type for headlines and text. Make sure the size and style of your font is consistent from page to page.
Name Placement
Feature your name and title in the header: “Jon Chelesnik, Sportscaster”
Header Graphic
Include a graphic in your header. You could use your professional head shot, a picture of you in action, or a local stadium where you spend a lot of your professional time.
Home Page
Keep your home page simple. Don’t include so much content that employers don’t know what you want them to read or click on next.
White Space
Don’t densely pack the pages of your site with text and graphics. It’s overwhelming. White space is your friend.
Formatting
Use a single color. Don’t over-format text with too many italics, bolds, and other formatting. Keep it simple.
