Who needs a website?

[expat]

I've have had my CV on the web for 15 years, on my own .com domain. At times I have come quite high in rankings for likely searches for my skills, but no client has ever found me directly for a contract. From time to time an agent has.

But now agents seem to be in one of two camps. Those who know me already will contact me, but only for exactly what they know I have done before. The others will fire off emails about almost any IT-related contract, and leave me to do the filtering.

So is there any point in maintaining a web site? I mean, apart form the CV, it's just a little bit of fin de siècle ego pages. Does it enhance my life?

[expat]

Who needs a website?

So is there any point in maintaining a web site?

OK I get the picture.

[sartois]

I keep a website, in the Ltd company name. It's a Wordpress site hosted on a cheapo Linux box at a hosting company.

I also use it as a technical blog to help me remember things. This generates traffic from google searches with people having the same problems etc. It does nothing spectacular for me at the moment, but who knows in future. I could put Google adwords on there but that is not worth very much unless you have 1000s of hits a day.

I also put the site address on my CV, just in case potential clients want to take a look at the things I have done.

Personally I would say keep it as it really doesn't cost very much to have a web presence, but maybe make it into something more than just a replica of your CV (if that's what it is). A technical blog is a nice way to help remember things and show off your skills to the community at the same time. IMHO it's just another little thing that distinguishes you from the guy that doesn't have one

[oracleslave]

I have never had a work/cv related one. Other than as being a marginal pointer to being a business I haven't seen the value for the average contractor.

[northernladuk]

Is it just your CV or is it your company site? If it is just a CV why not work it in to a bit of a company effort so not only keeps your CV presence and also adds another string in your IR35 bow (albeit a very small string though).

[MPwannadecentincome]

There is not much difference between a CV and a fully loaded linkedin profile these days and its linkedin where most people are searching these days I think.

[expat]

There is not much difference between a CV and a fully loaded linkedin profile these days and its linkedin where most people are searching these days I think.

Well that's exactly what I was thinking. LinkedIn is where I actually get found (or Xing for Germany), agents do keyword matches and then ask for my CV, so having it on the website is redundant. In fact the website is redundant.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

I have my own website and blog, although I'm currently in the process of redesigning and revamping the site to more emphasis on my services on the home page rather than the blog content.

The site makes it clear that I operate my own Ltd company and contains the company details but the site is very much about selling me (including the domain name). My reputation is in my own name, not my company name and most of my work comes through my site and recommendations so I don't see much point in having a separate Ltd company site. If people want to hire MyCo, they are going to go to my site as ultimately it's me they want.

I don't have a LinkedIn profile though. I deleted it ages ago - it served no purpose other than to attract recruiter spam.

[MPwannadecentincome]

I have my own website and blog, although I'm currently in the process of redesigning and revamping the site to more emphasis on my services on the home page rather than the blog content.

The site makes it clear that I operate my own Ltd company and contains the company details but the site is very much about selling me (including the domain name). My reputation is in my own name, not my company name and most of my work comes through my site and recommendations so I don't see much point in having a separate Ltd company site. If people want to hire MyCo, they are going to go to my site as ultimately it's me they want.

I don't have a LinkedIn profile though. I deleted it ages ago - it served no purpose other than to attract recruiter spam.

Its the recruiter spam from linkedin that is actually helping me now - but I guess my situation is different!

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Its the recruiter spam from linkedin that is actually helping me now - but I guess my situation is different!

I'm fortunate not to need agencies to get work and avoid them like the plague (I last did an agency job when I was starting out 5 years ago) but yes, if you rely on agencies then I suppose LinkedIn probably helps.