A private web site is your probability to showcase your persona and credentials in an enticing format. However with out robust private web site examples to information you, you might not know how one can get began or what is going to work finest to your private branding.

On this put up, we’ll cowl the very best examples of private web sites we’ve seen — together with resume web sites, portfolios, blogs, and demo web sites.

Why create a private web site?

Here is the factor about resumes and canopy letters: Irrespective of how distinctive you attempt to make your individual, for essentially the most half, they have a tendency to learn dry. And there is a good cause for it: It is alleged to be a single, no-frills web page that paperwork your work expertise. And whereas being concise is sweet, there’s little or no alternative to convey your uniqueness, or to your persona to shine by means of in any respect for that matter.

Whereas a resume is a sole, largely unchanging doc, a private web site might be personalized and up to date in response to what you are engaged on, or what you wish to emphasize. It is each fluid and present.

As well as, 80% of companies say a private web site is vital when evaluating job candidates. Recruiters are wanting you up on-line, and a private web site that tells the story you wish to inform could make all of the distinction between you and a competing candidate.

For those who’re fascinated with creating a private web site of your very personal, try the examples under that hit the nail on the top. Impressed by a selected kind of web site?

Click on one of many following hyperlinks to leap to that part of this text:

Private Resume Web sites

Whether or not you create a single-page web site or a bigger portfolio, the online resume serves as a extra customized possibility for sharing info and demonstrating your technological expertise — and it may be utilized by all forms of jobseekers.

Even when you have little or no work expertise, you’ll be able to leverage an internet site to construct a greater image of your capabilities and your self as a candidate, whereas leaning in your conventional resume to supply the essential background info.

1. Gary Sheng

In contrast to a normal resume doc, Sheng’s web site makes it simple for him to incorporate logos and clickable hyperlinks that enable his software program engineering and net growth expertise to shine.

We love that guests can select to scroll down his web page to view all the web site’s classes (“About Me,” “My Ardour,” and many others.), or soar to a particular web page utilizing the highest navigation.

The “My System” part reads like an organization mission assertion, and this private contact helps humanize his work and make him extra memorable.

2. Brandon Johnson

Johnson’s unbelievable resume have to be seen to be believed. Stunning photos of planets assist to enrich his planetary science background, and animations make his resume extra of an expertise than a doc.

By way of design, the textured, multi-layered background provides better depth to the two-dimensional web page in a approach that evokes emotions of area and the planetary techniques, which Johnson’s work focuses on.

3. Quinton Harris

Harris’ resume makes use of photographs to inform his private story — and it reads form of like a cool, digital scrapbook. It covers all of the bases of a resume — after which some — by discussing his instructional background, work expertise, and expertise in a extremely visible approach.

To not point out, the copy is incredible. It is clear that Harris took the time to fastidiously select the fitting phrases to explain every step of his private {and professional} journey.

4. Rubens Cantuni

Rubens Cantuni’s resume web site hits all the fitting notes: First, it showcases what he does with a playful GIF displaying the phrase “CIAO” getting edited point-by-point, simply as it might in a design software. Second, it summarizes Cantuni’s key strengths in a personable abstract. Third, it lists his expertise in a user-friendly collapsible format, so if you wish to learn extra, you’ll be able to click on every particular person position. He then leads into his ebook and portfolio.

At each step, you get to understand Cantuni’s robust sense of design, user-first considering, and sharp enterprise acumen. The designer ends with a call-to-action for guests to succeed in out to him. He additionally prompts recruiters to inquire about his work by mentioning that he can solely share sure items of his work privately. By yourself web site, you’ll be able to leverage tasks with non-disclosure agreements as “gated content material.”

5. Martine Myrup

Martine Myrup’s web site comes up twice on this checklist — first, as among the best resume web sites, and second, as among the best portfolio web sites we’ve ever seen. As a working towards artist, Myrup should emphasize visuals in her web site’s design. However she additionally contains an HTML curriculum vitae for potential employers and different events to see her levels, exhibitions, awards, and publications.

The CV is formatted in a approach that’s clear and easy-to-scan, with daring headings separating every part and dates on the left-hand aspect. Whereas artists’ CVs are formatted in a different way than skilled CVs, Myrup’s formatting would work in just about any area with some changes.

6. Taylor Vowell

Taylor Vowell’s resume web site is a superb instance of how one can introduce your self in a personable approach whereas highlighting your skilled expertise. He begins with a abstract about his private life: “I’m a father of three, an avid comedian and sports activities card collector, and an enormous Avs and Broncos fan.” That attracts readers in instantly and provides them a approach to break the ice after they attain out to Vowell.

Later down the web page, he contains his expertise in a carousel with playing cards for every of his employers. For those who’re all for seeing extra of his expertise, you’ll be able to click on to the subsequent card, or you’ll be able to preserve scrolling to see his expertise in advertising and marketing, product design, and know-how, as nicely his strengths and suggestions. This can be a robust resume web site that ends with a compelling, eye-catching call-to-action.

7. Johannes Schüchner

Johannes Schüchner’s movie resume web site is an instance that demonstrates how one can showcase your creativity and persona whereas nonetheless highlighting your most vital skilled achievements. Whereas the resume is in German, you’ll be able to nonetheless get an understanding of the actor’s key strengths.

On the backside, casting administrators have an choice to obtain a PDF model of Schüchner’s movie credit and theater work. This web site reveals which you can tastefully break the principles by yourself web site, as long as you stay aware of your audience.

8. José Rocha

José Rocha is a designer who makes use of pleasant parallax results on his web site to interact viewers and guests. He introduces himself as a full-stack designer, covers his key energy areas, after which invitations readers to scroll by means of his expertise in a concise, interactive part.

On the high is a clear navigation bar along with his contact info, permitting web site guests to get in touch with him promptly in the event that they wish to. On the backside is a proper type the place individuals can submit an inquiry.

9. Hugo Bazin

Hugo Bazin is a product designer whose resume web site combines friendliness with partaking consumer design. On the highest left-hand nook, he features a sticky button to obtain his resume in PDF format, however in case you’re all for getting an outline, you’ll be able to scroll all the way down to the “Expertise” part, the place you’ll be able to see his present and former employers.

All through the copy, Bazin makes use of emojis to showcase his persona, however he’s selective. He retains emojis out of the “Expertise” part of the webpage, the place it’s important to keep up a severe, skilled tone.

10. Christian Kaisermann

Christian Kaisermann’s resume web site employs distinctive visuals to maintain viewers on the web page and showcase his robust coding expertise. On the higher right-hand aspect, you might have the choice to modify from channel to channel, such as you would on an previous TV. He additionally solely contains two paragraphs of copy on the homepage, displaying that remaining transient is vital in order for you guests to focus in your web site’s design.

On the underside left-hand nook, customers can entry Kaisermann’s crawlable HTML resume, electronic mail, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can too activate “Area Mode,” which brings up a distant management to vary the channels — very cool!

Finest Practices for Resume Web sites

• Code your resume so it may be crawled by serps.
• Provide a button to obtain your resume in PDF so the hiring supervisor can add it to your file.
• Hold branding constant between the web site and doc variations: Use comparable fonts, colours, and pictures so that you’re simple to acknowledge.
• Be inventive and genuine to your self. Take into consideration the colours, photos, and media you wish to be part of your story that you simply could not embrace in a doc resume.

Private Portfolios

Constructing a web-based portfolio is a extremely helpful private branding and advertising and marketing software in case your work expertise and ability set name for content material creation. In truth, photographers, graphic designers, illustrators, writers, and content material entrepreneurs can all use net portfolios to indicate off their expertise in a extra user-friendly approach than a resume or exhausting copy portfolio.

11. Seán Halpin

Halpin’s portfolio is brief, candy, and to the purpose, which is genuine to his voice and private branding outlined on the positioning. As an alternative of a variety of copy, Halpin presents massive thumbnail playing cards in order that his tasks converse for themselves and permit the consumer to delve deeper if one catches their eye.

12. Tony D’Orio

It is vital to maintain the design of your visible portfolio easy to let photos seize guests’ consideration, and D’Orio accomplishes this by that includes daring pictures front-and-center on his web site. His emblem and navigation menu are clear and do not distract from his work. And he makes it simple for potential prospects to obtain his work freed from cost.

Need to give it a strive? Click on on the hamburger menu within the high left nook, then choose + Create a PDF to pick as many photos as you’d prefer to obtain.

When you open the PDF, you will discover that it comes totally geared up with D’Orio’s enterprise card as the quilt … simply in case you want it.

13. Verena Michelitsch

Once you’re a designer, not one pixel in your private web site ought to go unused. Verena Michelitsch’s portfolio, proven above, is roofed finish to finish in art work. From her in depth library of labor, she selected to exhibit a number of colours, kinds, and dimensions so guests can see simply how a lot vary she has as a designer. It is an ideal instance of the traditional adage, “present, do not inform.”

14. Gari Cruze

Cruze is a copywriter. However by turning his web site right into a portfolio that includes photos from completely different campaigns he is labored on, he makes guests wish to preserve clicking to be taught extra about him. Additionally, there’s an excellent CTA on the high of the web page that leads guests to his newest weblog put up.

His web site’s humorous copy — particularly within the “17 Random Issues” and “Oh Sure, They’re Speaking” sections — serves to indicate off his expertise, whereas making himself extra memorable as nicely. These pages additionally embrace his contact info on the right-hand aspect, making it simple to succeed in out and join at any level:

15. Melanie Daveid

Daveid’s web site is a good instance of “much less is extra.”

This developer’s portfolio options clear, well-branded imagery of campaigns and apps that Daveid labored on, and she or he reveals off her coding expertise while you click on by means of to see the specifics of her work.

Whereas it might sound overly minimal to solely embrace just some examples of her work, Daveid did her portfolio a service by together with her finest, most noteworthy campaigns. On the finish of the day, it is higher to have fewer examples of excellence in your portfolio than many examples of mediocrity.

16. The Beast Is Again

Christopher Lee’s portfolio is busy and colourful in a approach that works. Once you learn extra about Lee on his simply navigable web site, you understand that such a enjoyable and vibrant homepage is ideal for an illustrator and toy designer.

Recognized by his model identify, “The Beast Is Again,” Lee’s net portfolio highlights eye-catching designs with recognizable manufacturers, comparable to Goal and Mario, together with hyperlinks to buy his work. That is one other gallery-style portfolio with pops of coloration that make it enjoyable and provides it persona, thus making it extra memorable.

17. Daniel Grindrod

This freelance videographer is one other instance of a easy however smooth portfolio, permitting his potential shoppers to browse deeper into his “Work” and “Stills” sections. The opening video on the homepage — as proven on the nonetheless picture above — additionally ensures his web site guests know that he is actively creating lovely work.

18. Byron McNally

In his portfolio, Byron McNally doesn’t instantly embrace his work however moderately a photograph of himself, which instantly fosters a connection between him and web site guests. This minimal web site design additionally invitations customers to proceed partaking with the web site’s content material and see a few of his current movie, business, and music productions.

19. Martine Myrup

Martine Myrup was additionally in our checklist of finest resume web sites, however her portfolio is price a point out, too. With its muted colours and artistic use of typography, it instantly conveys her inventive imaginative and prescient and aesthetic. The web page additionally features a sticky vibrant inexperienced button prompting you to take a look at her CV. As you scroll down the web page, you’ll be able to see a preview of her work and click on on the one that almost all pursuits you, then get in touch along with her utilizing the e-mail on the backside.

20. Davide Perozzi

Davide Perozzi makes use of his web site to showcase his robust design expertise and artistic typography, in addition to his earlier work. Once you hover over every merchandise in his portfolio, a picture preview pops up, providing you with the chance to take a look at extra. The web site makes use of scrolling results and daring textual content to maintain viewers engaged.

Finest Practices for Portfolio Web sites

• Use primarily visuals. Even in case you’re showcasing your written work, utilizing logos or different branding is extra eye-catching to your guests.
• Do not be afraid to be your self. Your persona, fashion, and humorousness could possibly be what units you other than different websites!
• Group is vital. In case your portfolio is stuffed with photographs, logos, and different photos, be certain that it is easy for guests to navigate to the place they’ll contact you.
• Model your self. Select a emblem or icon to make your info simply identifiable.

Private Blogs

Constantly publishing on a weblog is a good way to draw consideration on social media and serps — and drive visitors to your web site. Running a blog is a brilliant approach to give your work a persona, chronicle your experiences, and stretch your writing muscle tissues. You may write a private weblog in case you’re a author by commerce, however just about anybody can profit from including a weblog to their web site and offering helpful content material for his or her viewers.

21. The Everywhereist

This weblog seems a bit busier, however its constant branding helps guests simply navigate the positioning. The journey weblog makes use of globe iconography to maneuver guests across the web site, making it simple to discover sections past the weblog.

Owned by author Geraldine DeRuiter, this weblog additionally encompasses a “Finest Of” part that permits new guests to find out about what the weblog covers to get acclimated. The colour scheme is heat, impartial, and freed from extra muddle that would distract from the content material.

22. Facet Hustle Nation

Facet Hustle Nation is the enterprise weblog of Nick Loper, an advisor whose web site provides tons of worthwhile monetary recommendation for particular person enterprise house owners. His homepage, proven above, units a lighthearted but passionate tone for his readers. It suggests you will get pleasant content material all dedicated to a single purpose: monetary freedom. The inexperienced name to motion, “Begin Right here,” helps first-time guests know precisely how one can navigate his web site.

On Nick’s weblog web page, you will see content material that reveals readers how Nick, himself, creates content material that helps his enterprise develop. These content material sorts give individuals a peek behind the scenes of your operation, displaying them you follow what you preach and that your perception is tried and true.

23. fifty coffees

The web site fifty coffees chronicles the creator’s sequence of espresso conferences looking for her subsequent job alternative, and it does an excellent job of utilizing pictures and visuals to help within the telling of her prolonged tales.

One of the best half? Every put up ends with numbered takeaways from her conferences for ease of studying comprehension. The high-quality pictures used to enrich the tales is like icing on the cake.

24. Minimalist Baker

I am not highlighting Dana’s meals weblog simply because the meals seems scrumptious and I am hungry. Her weblog makes use of a easy white background to let her meals pictures pop, distinctive branding to make her memorable, and mini-bio to personalize her web site.

25. Mr. Cash Mustache

Mr. Cash Mustache may tackle an old-school, Gangs of New York-style facade, however his weblog design — and the recommendation the weblog provides — could not be extra recent (he additionally does not actually appear like that).

This monetary weblog is a humorous, browsable web site that gives sound perception into cash administration for the layperson. Whereas his private tales assist assist the legitimacy of his recommendation, the navigation hyperlinks surrounding his emblem make it simple to leap proper into his content material with none prior context round his model.

26. Marco Feng

Marco Feng’s journey weblog is colourful, distinctive, and informative. Once you arrive on the web site, you’ll be able to instantly soar in to the weblog put up that pulls your consideration essentially the most, or discover by vacation spot. Our favourite a part of the positioning is the scrolling banner on the high that gives social proof: As a reader, you’d be becoming a member of 3 million others. Leveraging your viewers measurement will aid you look extra authoritative and set up your web site as a go-to.

27. Miramono

Miramono is a singular pictures weblog created by Fernando Puente, the place he curates a “collection of photographers he deeeeply loves.” In it, he contains interviews, essays, and picture choices. On the backside is an attention-grabbing graphic prompting viewers to subscribe. We love the simplicity of the web site’s design, in addition to its distinctive worth proposition.

28. Beamaker

This weblog combines partaking visible design with user-friendliness. Since Japanese is written vertically, the house web page features a sequence of vertical playing cards, every for a distinct weblog put up. You’ll be able to then click on on every card to broaden a particular put up. The author divides his musings into three classes: Make, Suppose, and Jumble. He discusses his private life at house in addition to his life at work, epitomizing what a private weblog ought to comprise.

29. Salt in Our Hair

Salt in Our Hair is a journey weblog with distinctive consumer design. The bloggers, Nick and Hannah, introduce themselves on the welcome display. Customers then have the choice of selecting a particular vacation spot to examine or discovering a particular subject utilizing the menu up high.

30. Daniel See

Daniel See makes use of the weblog part of his web site to share his ideas on design. As a designer, he makes use of his subject-matter experience to jot down weblog posts about inventive processes. He additionally prompts readers to submit their suggestions and concepts by together with a button to “let him know your ideas.”

Finest Practices for Blogs

• Hold your web site easy and clutter-free to keep away from extra distractions past weblog posts.
• Publish usually. Those that prioritize advertising and marketing efforts are 13x extra prone to see constructive ROI.
• Experiment with completely different weblog kinds, comparable to lists, interviews, graphics, and bullets.
• Make use of visuals to interrupt up textual content and add context to your dialogue.

Private Demo Web sites

One other cool approach to promote your self and your expertise is to create a private web site that doubles as an indication of your coding, design, illustration, or developer expertise. These websites might be interactive and animated in a approach that gives details about you and likewise reveals hiring managers why they need to work with you. This can be a nice web site possibility for technical and inventive content material creators comparable to builders, animators, UX designers, web site content material managers, and illustrators.

31. Albino Tonnina

Tonnina is showcasing superior and complex net growth expertise, however the photos and storytelling strategies he makes use of are easy and simple to know. Within the course of, you get a demo of the depth of his animation and coding expertise.

32. Robby Leonardi

Leonardi’s unbelievable demo web site makes use of animation and net growth expertise to show his portfolio and resume right into a online game for web site guests. The whimsical branding and distinctive approach of sharing info be sure that his web site is memorable to guests.

33. Samuel Reed

Reed makes use of his web page as a start-to-finish demo of how one can code an internet site. His web site begins as a clean white web page and ends as a completely interactive web site that guests can watch him code themselves. The cool issue makes this web site memorable, and it makes his expertise extraordinarily marketable.

34. Renaud Rohlinger

Renaud Rohlinger’s demo web site does an excellent job of displaying his 3D design chops, and it takes it a step additional by telling guests all about him and his passions. It is the proper stability of a demo and a mini-portfolio.

Plus, we love the video he contains because the background, in addition to the parallax results that activate as you scroll down the web page.

35. Enric Moreu

Enric Moreu showcases his 3D design expertise by creating an interactive 3D resume. As customers scroll, the web page easily takes them by means of Moreu’s spoken languages, coding languages, expertise, and work experiences. It’s partaking, gentle on textual content, and visually putting.

36. Mariah Weathersby

Mariah Weathersby has coded a putting “playable” resume that pays homage to old-school video games and showcases her robust design expertise. For those who love experiencing nostalgia, this demo web site will reel you in. For those who solely need the resume, you might have the choice of downloading a text-based model — a win-win.

37. Isaac Fayemi

Isaac Fayemi’s demo web site is refined and putting on the identical time. Reasonably than loading the web page with extreme graphics, he has created a 3D model of his head that follows your cursor as you progress round. You’ve two choices: To seek out out extra about him or try extra of his work. This demo web site is a stellar instance of how one can preserve it easy whereas nonetheless delighting the senses.

Finest Practices for Demo Web sites

• Model your self and use constant logos and colours to determine your identify and your expertise amongst the bevy of visuals.
• Do not overwhelm your guests with too many visuals directly — particularly in case your demo is animated. Make sure you preserve imagery simple to know so guests aren’t bombarded after they go to your web site.

Creating a Private Web site

No matter the kind of private web site you are constructing, there’s loads of inspiration above on how one can convey persona whereas connecting along with your viewers. Conserving the above suggestions in thoughts, keep in mind to design to your viewers’s expertise, and most significantly, have enjoyable.

Editor’s notice: This put up was initially printed in April 2019 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.

Initially printed Sep 22, 2022 7:00:00 AM, up to date September 22 2022