create a resume website on WordPress

Finding a new job is rarely a simple proposition. There’s so much competition that, even when the job market is strong, it can be hard to stand out. One creative way to address this problem is to create a resume website. And to do that, WordPress is the best option!

Creating a traditional paper resume has its limitations, whereas you can do almost anything with an online resume. You can add media and downloadable files, link to your social media profiles, and much more. Plus, putting together a simple resume site in WordPress is quick and painless.

In this post, we’ll go into a little more detail about online resumes, why they’re beneficial, and what they should contain. Then, we’ll walk you through how to create a resume website using WordPress. Let’s begin!

What a resume website is (and why you might need one)

A web designer's resume website.

A resume website is all about you and what you have to offer.

Traditional paper resumes are ubiquitous and have their advantages. They’re convenient, lightweight, and concise. However, job seekers now have another option – to create a dedicated website for their resume.

A resume website serves the same purpose as the physical alternative and contains much of the same information. It lists the job seeker’s work history, skills, and so on. Also, just like a physical resume, a resume website’s design should grab the attention of employers and solicit interviews or offers.

However, an online resume has a number of advantages. It’s more flexible, and better able to convey a sense of personal style. In addition, a resume website is easy to share with anyone, and potential employers can stumble across it online. Most importantly, it can help you stand out in a vast sea of applicants.

The essential elements of a resume website

A resume website's contact section.

Including a variety of contact methods on your resume site is a smart move.

When you create a resume website, it should reflect who you are, rather than simply adhere to a specific template. At the same time, there are a few elements you’ll almost certainly want to include. These are:

  • Your work history.
  • References and/or testimonials.
  • Contact information.
  • Samples of your past work (if relevant).
  • A short personal biography.
  • Any relevant certifications, awards, and so on.
  • A downloadable version of your physical resume.

We’d suggest gathering all this information before starting work on your website. That way, you can focus on the design process.

How to create a resume website with WordPress (in 3 steps)

When it comes to building your resume website, you can’t go wrong with WordPress. It offers the flexibility and tools you’ll need to create something that will attract employers, even if you’re a beginner.

If you haven’t already, you’ll need to choose hosting and install WordPress. Once you’ve completed those two basic steps, you’re ready to dive into the guide.

Step 1: Consider your goals and strengths

A personal statement on a resume website.

Your resume site should reflect both your skills and aspirations.

First, you’ll want to ensure that you know what your goals are for your resume site. It pays to be as specific as possible. You’ll need to answer questions like:

  • Am I looking for full-time, part-time, or contract work?
  • Exactly what kinds of jobs and employers am I trying to attract?

This tells you who your target audience is. You need to understand this audience as thoroughly as possible, so you’ll know what they’re looking for.

After this, you’ll want to consider your unique strengths. What aspects of your history, skills, and qualifications would be most attractive to your audience? Write them down, and again, be specific.

Then, while creating your resume website, make sure to reference and show those strengths at every opportunity.

Step 2: Choose the right theme

The Hestia theme is a great option to create a resume website on WordPress

Hestia, a one-page WordPress theme, is an excellent foundation for a resume website.

Your resume site needs to attract attention, so picking a strong theme is crucial. After all, your site’s theme will determine its appearance and style. It will also affect how easy it is to incorporate the essential elements mentioned above.

We’ve found that a one-page website is often the best choice for a resume site. It’s smart to keep your resume site concise and easy to work through quickly. After all, employers usually have a lot of applications to read.

A one-page theme also makes it easy to create dedicated sections for each type of information, such as your biography, work history, and references.

We’d suggest giving our own Hestia a try. It’s a free, flexible, and stylish one-page theme that’s perfect for showing off to potential employers. No matter what theme you pick, however, make sure to choose carefully. It should enable you to include all the necessary elements of your resume site. Plus, the theme should look professional, and perform smoothly.

Step 3: Build your resume website

With the upfront work out of the way, it’s time for the fun part! In other words, it’s time to actually create a resume website. As we’ve mentioned, your site should be unique to you, so everyone’s design process will be a little different.

However, we can provide some advice to keep in mind as you build your resume site:

  • Keep it simple and concise. Most visitors move on from a website quickly, and employers are especially busy people.
  • Create clearly defined sections for each type of content (again, using a one-page theme such as Hestia), and distinguish each one through design.
  • Avoid unnecessary or repetitive information, and don’t feel like you have to include a section just because it comes packaged as a part of your theme.
  • Be strategic about how you place the essential elements. The most vital details (like work history and contact information) should be most prominent.
  • Provide a simple way for potential employers to contact you. A contact form lets them get in touch without even leaving the site, and can be easily added with a plugin like WP Forms.

Finally, don’t forget about media as you’re building the site. An image or even a video of yourself provides an excellent personal touch. You can even use a plugin to add rotating slides that feature testimonials, references, and more.

Conclusion

If you really want to stand out to potential employers, it’s important to create a compelling and easy-to-read resume website. It’s a creative way to show off what you can do and offers more detail and style than a physical application.

Even better, it’s not hard to create a resume website using WordPress. Just follow these three simple steps:

  1. Consider your goals and strengths.
  2. Choose the right theme, such as Hestia.
  3. Build your resume website.

Do you have any questions about how to create a resume website? Let us know in the comments section below!

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