Creating an Online Presence
For Web Developers
Nick Paterson |
25 Sept 2022 |
5 min read
For Web Developers
Nick Paterson |
25 Sept 2022 |
5 min read
Do you have all the skills required to become a web developer and struggle to get noticed? This article will guide you and give tips on creating an excellent online presence to get you noticed by potential employers.
Aivars Meijers mentions in the video above that if your work is not online, it doesn't exist.
I agree with this statement and believe that if you are a web developer, you should have an online presence.
Employers want to see what projects you have worked on and are capable of.
Aivars recommends a couple of books:
Show Your Work by Austin Kleon.
This fantastic book contains ideas and suggestions to show your work and get noticed.
An online presence is the existence of a business or an individual that can be viewed and searched for online. This can be from websites, publications, blogs, and/or social media websites and apps. According to a CareerBuilder survey,
70%
of employers use social media to screen candidates.
Employers are looking for information that supports your qualifications and skills for the position. Creating an outstanding online presence can use this to your advantage and set you apart from the competition.
A personal website showcasing your best projects is essential for aspiring web developers. This could prove to potential employers that you are the person they are looking for.
You can use numerous platforms and online tools to create a website. Some include WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly, or you can create a website from scratch.
For web developers, I encourage you to create your own website rather than using a template. Then you can include the website you make in your portfolio. Your website needs to showcase your best work and demonstrate your skills. Quality over quantity is the best approach.
Adding examples of your best work will help you stand out from the competition. You can include projects you have worked on, such as websites, apps, and games.
Adding information about the project will help the employer understand the project and your role in it.
You can see an example of a small selection of my projects on my website's home page.
And for my IP Tracker project, I have
included information on the technologies used, the challenges I faced, and the lessons I learned, with links
to the GitHub repository and live website.
Your website should be accessible and use the industry’s best practices. WHATWG is an excellent HTML standard to follow.
Check your website by using HTML5 and CSS validating tools like
https://html5.validator.nu/
and
https://validator.w3.org/
It is easy to go overboard demonstrating your skills by adding countless unnecessary functionality and all the widgets you can think of. This can clutter your website and make it hard for users to use and connect with you.
Networking is a crucial aspect of your online presence: to advertise your website and be seen by employers, talk to potential employers, share your content, and proudly show your work and skills. Using social media to share and advertise yourself. Some of the best social media platforms for professional web developers are:
Do you want your dream job to come to you? Sounds too good to be true. However, this could be a reality if you use LinkedIn to its fullest.
LinkedIn is a popular social networking platform for professionals. There are tools to allow you to search for job postings and for recruiters to search for you. You can see, like and comment on your connection’s posts. They can also see yours, so post information highlighting your best skills, post that you have just completed a training course or project.
93% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates like you and me. Optimise your LinkedIn profile to appear in searches so you do not miss out on your dream job.
Your LinkedIn profile tells a story about you. Having a completely filled-out profile helps you rank higher in search queries, your profile will stand out more, and recruiters will be more likely to see you.
Your headline can be a powerful tool.
When recruiters type terms into the search bar, if that keyword is in your headline, you will appear in their search results.
Search for your ideal job, look for the keywords they use and add them to your summary.
If your dream job is to be a React Developer, then change your headline to React Developer
Add connections. Having more connections helps you rank higher and more likely to be seen by recruiters
Connect with me here
Add profile sections
Now you have a website and a LinkedIn profile, you can start applying for jobs.
You can apply for jobs directly on LinkedIn, or you can apply for jobs on job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, and Monster.
You can also apply for jobs on company websites.
If you are applying for jobs, you can share your LinkedIn profile with the company.
This will help you stand out from other candidates and show the company you are serious about the job.