personal website advice

doubtful · Post by **doubtful** » Fri Sep 30, 2011 6:10 pm

Opinions needed--Is creating a website helpful when seeking an overseas job? I've read on this forum and elsewhere that some people trying to find teaching positions in international schools have used this strategy. I'm registering with SA, so would this be overkill?

What are the pros and cons? I like the idea of putting my information in an easy to find place, but I also worry about having that information so easily accessible. I don't think it would be such a great thing for my current employer, students, and parents to just "stumble" upon it....

What are the best items to include?

D. Vader · Post by **D. Vader** » Fri Sep 30, 2011 7:58 pm

I second doubtful's request for information. It's been a while since I've been in the job market. Are personal online sites that critical in securing an international teaching job, or is emailing your resume and cover letter sufficient? Do you get a sense that international schools like prefer websites and are they safe? Thanks for any info!

buffalofan · Post by **buffalofan** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:13 am

I had an online portfolio with my philosophy of education and a few examples of units and assessments I had recently taught. The only personal info I had on it was my name. I was registered with Search Associates, and I put a link to the portfolio in my Search bio.

I ended up getting a job via Search. But did the portfolio help? I doubt it. None of the schools I interviewed with brought it up, and I also brought a hard copy with me to the job fair but nobody wanted to see it, even when I offered. I don't blame the interviewers, they are probably interviewing 20+ people at each fair and just don't have time to pour through a portfolio or website.

The next time around, I will probably just provide a link to my current classroom website if I'm asked to at an interview.

doubtful · Post by **doubtful** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:10 am

Thanks for the advice!

justlooking · Post by **justlooking** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:29 am

I agree. I spent hours making one and tweaking it. I sent it to maybe 50 schools as a link in a letter of interest. I had maybe 3 people mention it in their responses and none led to a job. I got a great job through a Search fair, so I just chalk it all up a lesson learned.

JISAlum · Post by **JISAlum** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 3:13 pm

To add a 'different' experience, I've created a site for my wife and I. I have my full cv, family description, downloadable resume, have had a Youtube clip of me answering typical questions, as well a contact form.

I have Google - installed, which tells me who is visiting and from where.

I include the link on my emailed resume's.

In looking at the site stats, I notice a significant increase in site visits around the job fairs. I also see the number of visits from specific cities, and can trace those visits to close to the schools.

While I get 2-3 visits typically per day, when the Search or UNI fairs get close I get visits from 10-11 different countries per day, with site visits tripling.

Within the site, I can count the number of times my resume is accessed, and it's the most popular. I can also see how visitors are coming to my site- either from links in Search or my Uni application.

Android · Post by **Android** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:08 pm

Huge job search fairs like Search, CIS, ISS etc are time-restricted with hundreds of candidates to go through in a short period of time. The heads and directors already know that they will have to deal with a long line up of very interested future employees (especially if they are a sought-after school). During the interview, they definitely would not have the time to stop, look throughout the website and chat with you about it. Even the candidate's portfolio is for "backup" during the interview. I would bring it with me but it's not the first thing I open because I know that they are interested to see who I am as a person based on my responses that I give them. I only bring out the portfolio when I want to secure the job (when I feel that the interview is going really well) or if I want to really get the job (when I feel that the interview is not going so well). In other words, your personality / character should shine through to wow them and that's when you bring out your portfolio to back up what you are saying.

Even if let's say you sent the link to your personal website well in advance, heads and directors have a lot to do that have nothing to do with recruitment but academics and the management of the school. Sometimes, premier schools don't even have people looking through the resumes but a computer generated program that filters resumes by certain " catch words ", relating to subject areas and number of years taught. So the link to the wonderful website that you created for weeks to a month or so could pretty much be left unnoticed.

However, if you are really want to portray your social media or tech savvy, perhaps a simple presentation, saved on a CD to hand out after the interview to jobs that DID NOT officially hire you on the spot should be able to pique their interest further and perhaps secure you the job you really want.

Open Communication · Post by **Open Communication** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 1:36 am

edited.

JISAlum · Post by **JISAlum** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:25 am

It's called Google @nalytics. Many websites come with it pre-installed, or with an easy add-in (Wordpress is an example).

Google's Blogger comes with a less complicated tool- but it still tells you country source, page - and referring sources.

For those of you thinking about using this during job fairs, I don't see this as being that valuable.

I find it's value prior to job fairs, during the Oct-Jan time period when I'm trolling school websites and sending in resume's and email to prep for job fairs.

I target schools with specific jobs open that I know I can fill. It's nice to see hit go up from countries that I know I've emailed and I know have a position that is open.

I can see the initial visit to my resume, and then if there is interest, a spike in additional hits as I'm assuming other members of the admin team are taking a look. I can then follow up with additional information that might further contact.

This gets in you in the door- and it's not just for those technically inclined.

doubtful · Post by **doubtful** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:52 pm

Thanks for all of the great advice!

Open Communication · Post by **Open Communication** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:40 pm

edited.

JISAlum · Post by **JISAlum** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:29 am

Google Sites/Blogger seems to be a popular choice. Here is a very simple instruction page on how to use Google Docs to publish your resume:

http://blog.simplyhired.com/how-to-host ... -docs.html

You can certainly do more, but at least at the minimum this puts your resume online for email use.

There are many who do more. You could use Google Sites to put up a resume, links to online work you've done, as well as other digital resources. Down the road you could expand if you feel the need.

mathgym · Post by **mathgym** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:21 am

We made out website on weebly.com It was pretty easy. I don't know how it compares to google or any other, but it was free. You can upload photos, videos, files etc.

indogal · Post by **indogal** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:07 pm

For what it's worth- I don't have a webpage, but when I was leaving a top tier school in Asia to look for a new position, my principal strongly recommended that I create a website. He's now a head of school in Africa, so maybe that would be the kind of thing he would look for from a candidate.

personal website advice

personal website advice

thanks for the advice

JISAlum, Google?

thanks