15 Kickass Resume & Personal Websites: Build Your Own! π
Inspiring resume and personal websites and hacks to beat them.
Having your own personal resume website is the best way to rocket-propel your career to the next level.
These personal resume website examples will show you exactly what I mean.
Let's be real, everything nowadays is on the internet.
All your fav shops, businesses, supermarkets, blah blah blah.
It only makes sense that a professional like yourself is also advertising yourself online.
The problem is everyone's on social media, and it's all so messy and saturated.
What if you had your own online space? Your own digital headquarters. A place where potential employers, clients, and customers could go and hear all about you and only you, with no risk of scrolling on and forgetting about you.
Well, that's what a personal website is all about.
Whether you're trying to create a resume, portfolio, or a personal website that sells your services and products and cements you as an authority in your industry, you've come to the right place.
Today I'm taking you on a dope journey through some of the best and most killer resume website examples for you to draw your inspiration from. I'm packing this post with all the info, tips, and tricks you need to ensure your website is a smashing success. π
We're going to break down these sites, giving you a short description of each, highlighting the main reasons why they're successful, and even pointing out a couple of things that could be improved.
(We're all about constructive criticism here! πββοΈ)
Finally, I'll wrap it all up with a comprehensive guide on building the best personal website that'll make you the envy of your peers.
Let's dive into the best resume and personal websites!
Hack Alert! Start With One of My Fav Resume and Personal Website Templates
Hold up β
Before we get into the resume website examples, I need to run you by a bit of insider advice.
Web designer guru to up-and-coming web designer (hey, that's you!)
It's incredibly difficult to build your own resume website from scratch and have it do well. Quite frankly, that's just because designing a website is really hard, and it takes a lot of knowledge to make it look good, work well, and to bring everything together.
Because you have a career to take off and perhaps not enough time to build a website yourself (and you should almost certainly be focusing on your work in other aspects of your career, here's a way to make your life easier.
Templates.
A resume website template can easily be installed onto your website. You fill out the boxes of content to make it your own. Upload your images and portfolio. Change the links to your email address and social media pages. And there you have it.
Once fully designed website ready to publish within a few hours while looking like one of our best personal website examples you'll find here!
Here are my favorite templates for a personal website or traditional resume website that you can use for your own website. Enjoy!
Now, on with our regularly aired programming, kicking off with the best personal website examples to help you land your dream job!
The Ultimate List ofΒ Personal and ResumeΒ Website Examples
Isaac Tam's is one of the great personal website examples - a stunning example of minimalism done right. π
Granted, Issac is a product designer, so you can expect the design to be done professionally, which is why you should use sites like this for inspiration.
With a clean layout and an instantly captivating hero image which is a bright smiley face designed using vibrant colors. This instantly draws you into Issac's digital domain and makes you feel welcome, which is precisely what you want.
His UX/UI design skills are showcased front and center, while his concise, well-written copy keeps readers engaged. The site also features a blog, adding a personal touch and allowing Isaac to share his thoughts on design and other topics.
Navigation is simple, with a streamlined menu that doesn't overwhelm site visitors or potential employers. π
Takeaway: Isaac's minimalist approach is the star of the show, making his personal resume website easy to navigate while showcasing his skills. His blog adds a personal touch, letting visitors get to know him better.
π Successful aspects:
- Minimalist design: clean, uncluttered, and professional
- Engaging copy: concise and well-written
- Blog: adds personality and showcases expertise
π Possible improvements:
- More prominent call-to-action buttons
- A portfolio section highlighting completed projects
Jess Wang's art portfolio is a visual delight! π¨
Her personal resume website is bold, colorful, and packed with personality. A quick scroll reveals her impressive portfolio, putting her work, previous employers, and experience front and center.
This is EXACTLY how you should approach your own website. People are coming to you because they want to see the value you have to offer, which only comes from your content, experience, portfolio, and so on.
Therefore, you should work hard to make that aspect of yourself as accessible as possible, which leads visitors toward your value!
What's more, this is a great example of how to keep things simple. The site is easy to navigate, and the contact page is straightforward, making it a breeze for potential employers and clients to reach out. π
Takeaway: Jess's site shows off and shines with its bold digital design and focuses on her stunning artwork. The clean layout and ease of navigation let her art speak for itself.
π Successful aspects:
- Bold and colorful design
- Clear focus on her artwork
- Simple navigation and contact page
π Possible improvements:
- Add a clearer about page to share her artistic and professional journey
- Could benefit from a testimonials page or client feedback
Jeffrey Houng's personal website is sleek, modern, and professional, BUT, and this is a big but, and I can not lie, he hasn't been afraid to showcase his personality within his content.
You can tell from the moment you sign on to the website and see the tongue-in-cheek header content, coupled with a cheeky emoji.
This immediately draws people in and makes them want to know more cos clearly, Jeff's a fun guy, and who doesn't want to work with someone like that?
The site's navigation is smooth, with a well-organized portfolio section that showcases his previous work. Jeffrey's about page includes a brief bio, making the website feel more personal.
Takeaway: Jeffrey's personal resume website excels with its sleek web design, bold hero image, and smooth navigation. The organized portfolio and personal touches give it a clear edge over its competition.
π Successful aspects:
- Sleek, modern web design
- Bold hero image and clear copy
- Smooth navigation and organized portfolio
π Possible improvements:
- Include client testimonials or feedback
- Add a blog or resources section to share expertise
Naief Shakil's own resume website is a testament to the power of simplicity. π±
The site is clean and minimalistic, with a strong focus on his work. Naief's portfolio is displayed in an easily navigable grid, with each project accompanied by a brief description. The site also includes an about page featuring a photo and a short bio, adding a personal touch.
And the fonts. Oh Lord, the fonts are so clean and create such a nice atmosphere!
Takeaway: Naief's site shines with its clean, minimalist design, allowing his work to take center stage. The straightforward navigation and personal elements make it a standout.
π Successful aspects:
- Clean, minimalistic design
- Easy-to-navigate portfolio grid
- Personal touch with an about page
π Possible improvements:
- More prominent contact information or CTA
- Add a blog or resource section to share insights
Soyeon's personal website is a marvelous mix of playfulness and professionalism. π
The quirky, interactive illustrations and subtle use of emojis is a bit hit here, and the delightful custom graphic design and pastel colors come together to make this web space sing, all immediately capturing the visitor's attention.
Her portfolio is organized into categories (once again, front and center), making it easy to find specific projects.
Soyeon's about page features a brief bio and fun facts, giving the site a personal touch. The overall creative design is cohesive, with a consistent color scheme and visual elements that tie everything together.
Takeaway: Soyeon's site perfectly blends playfulness and professionalism with captivating illustrations and animations. The well-organized portfolio and personal touches make it a winner.
π Successful aspects:
- Some fantastic copywriting and a great color palette
- Organized portfolio with categories and CTAs
- The subtle use of emojis and graphics creates a very personal touch
π Possible improvements:
- Add a blog to share insights or behind-the-scenes content
- More visible call-to-action for contacting or hiring
I know I keep going on about how simple and minimalistic these websites are, but this one is actually the pinnacle of the niche.
It's a simple one page site, but it's actually only one section, with a simple introduction in a big, bold font and some simple links to the work and resume.
Overall, this could be bittersweet.
On the plus side, it's great because everyone can find exactly what they're looking for with ease, and nothing is overwhelming or too much.
One page websites are great for that.
On the other hand, it might be nice to see the portfolio work (or at least some example of it) on the homepage to instantly give visitors a sense of what they can expect from Carson's work.
Takeaway: Simple is usually always better, at least way better than overwhelming people. However, sometimes a resume website can be too simple and won't highlight all the value you have to offer easily, so make sure you're finding the right balance!
π Successful aspects:
- Stylish design and bold hero image
- Nice and simple design and content
- Dedicated work and experience pages
π Possible improvements:
- No CTAs on this resume website, aside from a very small Contact link
- No personal imagery and possibly not enough detail
WOW. JUST WOW.
I'm actually kind of blown away by Dave's resume website, and you can easily tell that he's a professional designer because being on this resume website just hits the spot. The graphics and the style are just beautiful. The portfolio is bold and creative and just grabs your attention. Everything is structured perfectly.
Everything is just spot on, and while it's simple, the space clearly shows off David's personality, which is precisely what you want from a personal website. The clue is in the name.
The only thing I would love to see would be some more links to David's social media profiles, but if he doesn't use them, then it's understandable.
Takeaway: David's resume website impresses with its sleek design, smooth user experience, and in-depth case studies. The personal touch and easy navigation make it a winner.
π Successful aspects:
- Sleek, minimalist design
- Smooth user experience and animations
- Detailed case studies and easy navigation
π Possible improvements:
- Add a blog or resources section to share expertise
- Include client testimonials or feedback
I both love and hate Jaina's resume website.
Sorry Jaina. It's really nothing personal, but let me break it down.
Firstly, this resume website loads incredibly slowly, which is bad for SEO and gives people coming to your resume website a poor experience that they won't stick around for.
This is all due to the video background.
When it's loaded, everything looks great. It's a really nice touch, and everything fits together well, making this resume website a true visual treat. It's just getting to that point.
Takeaway: Jaina's website captivates with its visually appealing design, engaging content, and organized portfolio. The personal touch and blog make it a standout.
π Successful aspects:
- Visually appealing design with a video background
- Engaging content and organized, good-looking portfolio
- The personal touches throughout this resume website!
π Possible improvements:
- The website is incredibly slow loading
- More prominent CTAs for contacting or hiring
Kevin Nguyen's personal website is a testament to great design and a great example of what you should be aiming for.
While I would guess this is probably one of the newer resume websites out there, and the resume/portfolio is limited, it's an excellent example of how even when you're starting out and putting everything together, you can still have a personal website that looks great.
Right off the bat, the welcome screen features a captivating paragraph of text to explain exactly what's going on, accompanied by an easy grid that highlights the completed work and experience.
Kevin's projects are showcased in a clean, organized layout, with each project featuring a detailed case study. His about page is both informative and personal, creating a connection with the audience.
Takeaway: Even with less than a handful of projects, Kevin's personal website creates a captivating and interesting online space that still showcases a ton of value and encourages employees and clients to want to know more.
π Successful aspects:
- Compelling storytelling on the resume page and captivating visuals
- Organized layout with detailed case studies
- Informative and personal about page
π Possible improvements:
- Add a blog or resources section to share expertise
- Include client testimonials or feedback from previous projects
Laura Rountree's resume website is a breath of fresh air. π
Now, it's clear that this really is a minimal personal website.
Everything is so concise and succinct, but it's just enough to get you interested and wanting to know more.
Take a little scroll down to the portfolio, and you'll want, I mean. Basic titles mixed with some gorgeous custom graphics, everything just looks so professional and easy on the eye. It makes you want to stay and learn more.
Moreover, the site greets visitors with a beautiful, half-screen photo of Laura, setting a warm and inviting tone and guaranteeing that you know this is a personal website.
Overall, the site is easy to navigate, with clearly labeled sections for her web resume, portfolio, and contact information.
Laura's resume page is visually appealing and easy to read, effectively showcasing her skills and experience. Her portfolio includes a variety of projects, demonstrating her versatility as a professional.
Takeaway: Laura's personal website stands out with its inviting tone, clear navigation, and visually appealing resume. The diverse portfolio highlights her range of skills.
π Successful aspects:
- Warm and inviting design with the concise summary
- Clear navigation and visually appealing resume
- Diverse portfolio showcasing versatility
π Possible improvements:
- Add an about page with a personal bio
- Include client testimonials or feedback
- The footer could have a little more love
Mmm, a big fan of Nicole Edgar's resume website. It's a beautiful blend of creativity and professionalism. πΌ
The homepage features stunning large images linking to a concise introduction, showcasing her skills and experience, her current role, and basically everything you need to know about her and her work, all in a matter of seconds.
Once again, the portfolio takes centerstage and is organized into categories, allowing visitors to find specific projects easily. Nicole's about page includes a personal bio and fun facts, adding warmth to the site.
Takeaway: Nicole's resume website balances creativity and professionalism with a visually appealing design and easy-to-navigate portfolio. The personal touch sets it apart.
π Successful aspects:
- Creative and professional design
- Easy-to-navigate categorized portfolio
- Personal touch with about page
π Possible improvements:
- Add a blog or resources section to share expertise
- More visible contact information or CTA
Olivia Sisinni's resume website is a vibrant and dynamic playground and is really quite different from the rest of the resume websites I've covered today. π
The homepage showcases a lively background pattern with is bright and cheerful, immersing visitors in her creative world.
Big fan of the CTAs here on this page as well, the headshot works great, and the portfolio and experience highlights are pretty clear. However, and this is a big however, some of the website's content does look very messy and cluttered, and this could be very off-putting for some visitors.
Takeaway: Olivia's resume website shines with its dynamic design, diverse portfolio, and engaging content. The colors and confidence really help it to sing.
π Successful aspects:
- Vibrant, dynamic design
- Diverse, well-organized portfolio
- Lots of bright graphics and content sections
π Possible improvements:
- Make the content less cluttered in places for a cleaner look
Ruth Davis's resume website is a striking balance of elegance and simplicity. π
Once again, we have that gorgeous minimalist design, however, the white space is more of a vibrant color gradient that adds more of an inviting, warm, and sophisticated feel to the site.
Combined with beautiful typography, this all creates a serene atmosphere that's a testament to Ruth's design skills.
Ruth's portfolio is easy to navigate, and her projects are presented with detailed descriptions. The about page offers a glimpse into her background and skills, while the contact form is straightforward and simple.
I'm also a big fan of the "After Hours" section, which adds an air of mystery to the resume website and really entices visitors to click and want to know more.
Takeaway: Ruth's resume website excels with its elegant design, simple navigation, and detailed project presentations. The personal touch and user-friendly contact form make it stand out.
π Successful aspects:
- Elegant, minimalist design
- Easy navigation and detailed project descriptions
- Personal touch and a great contact form
π Possible improvements:
- Add a blog or resources section to share expertise and add more value!
- Definitely needs more images throughout the homepage
I think this might be my favorite personal website by far.
Tiana's digital space is bold and interesting, choosing a rather unique color scheme that helps it stand out from the crowd, coupled with some super dynamic content animations that really help to draw you in and keep an otherwise boring page of text and block color really interesting.
Everything is laid out really well, including the text and imagery. Plus, the site's pastel color scheme and playful illustrations create a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
Tiana's portfolio is organized into categories, making it easy for visitors to find specific projects. The about page features a personal bio, adding a touch of authenticity to the site.
Takeaway: Tiana's online resume website charms with its professional, playful design, organized portfolio, and personal touches. The pastel color scheme and dynamic elements really help to create a unique visual experience like no other.
π Successful aspects:
- Bold, unique design and color scheme
- Organized, categorized personal portfolio with beautiful, punchy headers
- Gorgeous graphics throughout the site and a custom cursor!
π Possible improvements:
- The images load so slowly, which can be very off-putting!
- No calls to action!
Varsha Kori's resume website is a delightful mix of clean and functional. π
That seems to be a recurring theme among these resume websites, so it's probably worth noting that unless you're super out there and confident and want to represent that with a bold design, it's probably worth going for the clean, minimal approach.
To back this up, your resume website should really focus on your work and experience. Your portfolio. The value you have to offer other people and businesses.
Therefore, you don't want your resume website design to distract visitors from what they're really on your personal portfolio website to see. Unless, of course, you're a website designer, in which case your resume website CAN be your portfolio and a main highlight.
Takeaway: Varsha's resume website stands out with its playful design, clean layout, and organized portfolio. Everything is super clean, and the white background (negative space) really helps emphasize each project.
π Successful aspects:
- Simple design and bold colors
- Clean layout and organized portfolio
- Really great choice of colors and custom graphics for the project thumbnails
π Possible improvements:
- Add a blog to share insights, provide more value, and enhance SEO reach and ranking in the search engines
Alright, now that we've gone through all these fantastic personal resume websites, let's get back to the guide on building your own successful personal brand website!
The Ultimate Comprehensive Guide to Building Your Own Successful Website
Now we've dissected some kick-ass personal website examples, it's time to get cracking on your own!
But don't worry, while there's no hard and fast way to build a successful website (you can be as creative as you want to really connect with potential and upcoming audiences), but there are some rules and guidelines you can follow to help maximize your chances of success.
Even if you're not a web developer or have any web development skills or experience in building a website, you are as good, if not better, than any of our personal website examples.
Here's a comprehensive guide to help you build one of the best personal websites you can to make jaws drop and opportunities come knocking. π
Define your purpose and target audience
Before you start designing your website's personal branding, figure out your website's main goal and the audience you want to attract. This will help you create a site that resonates with your target users.
A great example of this would be if you're an animator, you'll probably be looking at video studios and businesses interested in animation marketing.
Choose a visually appealing design
A great design sets the tone for your website. Select a color scheme, typography, and layout that reflect your personality and brand. Don't be afraid to think outside the box and create a unique visual experience. π¨
Also, bear in mind there are several approaches you can take for your web resume. You could opt for a one-page resume, a multi-page design, a personal blog, or a simple yet professional website where you sell services and products.
The best personal website is one that represents you and your business, so don't be afraid to do that. Just because you find a great example of a website you like, that doesn't mean it will fit your business, so don't try and copy it exactly.
Instead, create the best personal website you can by collecting website examples, and website templates, then piecing all the good bits together with your own spin.
Make it easy to navigate
A user-friendly personal brand website is crucial to keeping visitors engaged.
As you can see from our personal website examples, it's important to organize your content into clear sections or categories. Then, use a clean layout that makes it easy for users to find what they want.
The best personal website is one that understands the power of an impressive resume and online portfolio.
After all, you don't want potential customers getting lost in your structure on the job search, being unable to find what they want, and then simply heading off elsewhere.
Showcase your work
Your portfolio and online resume are the heart of your website, so make them shine! Just like a traditional resume, present your projects in an organized, easy-to-navigate manner, and include detailed descriptions or case studies to demonstrate your expertise. π
Add a personal touch
Share your story, background, and skills on an about page to connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Adding fun facts or a personal bio can make your website more memorable, which is what all the best personal websites succeed at doing!
It's all about drawing visitors in and having them connect with you!
Include engaging content
Consider adding a blog, resources section, or behind-the-scenes content to share your thoughts, insights, and experiences. This can help establish you as an expert in your field and keep visitors coming back for more. π
And on that note, it really doesn't matter what your career or value is, whether you're a graphic designer, freelance writer, software engineer, product designer, or whatever, write content that draws readers in, as well as potential clients.
And try to play to your strengths.
If you're a copywriter, have great copywriting.
If you're a designer, have a good design.
If you're a content creator, show off your content creation.
If you're an animator, show off your slick animations.
If you're a speaking coach, maybe show some videos.
Whatever it is you do, add detailed information and show off you and your professional work.
Make it easy to contact you
Include a simple, user-friendly contact form, or make your contact information readily available. A clear call to action can encourage visitors to get in touch or hire you.
You could add a contact form to your home page, website footer, sidebar menu, or anywhere your potential clients will see. Make it easy, and they'll be able to contact you frictionlessly.
Optimize for mobile devices
Ensure your website looks great and functions well on all devices, especially smartphones, and tablets. A responsive design will help you reach a wider audience.
This is also vital for SEO and ranking high in the search engine results, so make sure you do it!
Collect feedback and testimonials
Include client testimonials or feedback to showcase your credibility and build trust with potential customers. People don't like to take a risk when using a new service and like to see that others have already taken the risk and are happy with the results.
A great example of this is when you're shopping for products on Amazon. You always look for the reviews first!
Promote your website
Share your site on social media, network with other professionals, and use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to increase your online visibility. The more people who see your website, the greater your chances of success!
And there you have it!
With these tips in hand, you're ready to conquer the digital world with your very own kick-ass personal or traditional resume website.
So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and show the world what you've got with an interactive resume that gets results! π