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Website Critique   URGENT - Need Help Fast!  
 
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Please Critique My Resume Website
Posted By: Michael* on 6/14/2006 4:00 PM (CST) 125 Points
Hi Everyone,

Could any of you be so kind as to critique my website? I plan to use it to promote myself to potential employers. Please give your opinion on the layout and style of the website. Also, please let me know what you think of the different sections and the respective copy for each section. I guess a good question to ask is would you call someone in for an interview if based on the website.

http://www.michael-morton.com/

Thank you for your time!

Posted by: prbypr Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 4:20 PM (CST)
As someone who could be a prospective employer, here's my thoughts....

Nice, clean layout. That's a plus. You might want to have the "stock photo" phrase removed from your cover page photo. LOL.

You note you are a communicator -- but your opening copy is a bit bland. Sounds like everyone else. If you want a job in public relations or marcom, bowl me over with your fabulous writing style! Get creative!

You switch tenses in your bio. You start talking about yourself in the third person; then switch to first person; then back to third. A bit confusing.

Frankly, I really don't care that you find communications "fun." Tell me what you did for your clients in your three years of experience. Did you help them sell a product? Reach a specific goal? Build name recognition? Reach out to press and analysts? I'm more interested in what you can do for my company than how "fun" you think the job might be.

I have to ask. What is "bouldering?" Do you throw boulders down a hillside? Hmmm....

Nice portfolio section. I like the way you kept your resume on the side for easy reference (After 20+ years in the biz, mine wouldn't fit!! LOL!)

In the contact section, take the word "at" out of your email address and write it correctly. Threw me off.

I like your blog. Fun and informative. It also provides insight into your personality. Good idea to add it to your site. Just watch what you post. Prospective employers may be reading!! ;)

Overall, nice start. Upgrade the creativity from the copy side and you're on your way!

Good luck!

PR
 
Posted by: Frank Hurtte Member Response
6/14/2006 4:31 PM (CST)
I like your website. I suggest you still approach the job hunt the traditional way too
 
Posted by: crgleader* Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 5:58 PM (CST)
As I looked at your home page I went back to the concept of WIIFM – “What’s In It For Me” as a potential employer or contractor. It seems to me that even though my "receiver" is set for WIIFM you are broadcasting on frequency WID – “What I Do.” Now the problem is that the broadcaster – YOU – is not getting through to the receiver--me.

You’re doing your best to get your message across, but it’s not coming through loud and clear. So I am not responding. I might hear you, but it doesn’t make much sense to me

Why is this? It’s because you’re not broadcasting on the WIIFM frequency. Your potential clients simply don’t understand what’s in it for them.

What you need is a signal decoder. And that decoder is called your Core Marketing Message-yes even as an individual looking for work you need a Core Marketing Message about you.

Putting your CMM to work will turn your messages into something your potential clients or employers can understand and want to respond to. Your CMM transmits directly and powerfully what your clients or employers get when they use your services or hire you.

Your Core Marketing Message has to be focused, crystal-clear, and speak to the needs of your prospective clients or employers.

When they see or hear your CMM, your goal is to get a “he's for me” response. It should make them want to find out more, drive them to your contact page, get them involved in you as their solution and, ultimately, pick
up the phone to do business with you.

Your Core Marketing Message actually has several different but very important aspects.

Target Market – Who is your message directed to? A potential employer or a potential client.

Problem/Solution – What is the concern or issue of your potential employer or client, and what is your solution?

Benefits – What are all the various ways your services help your potential employer or client?

Unique Competitive Advantage (UCA) – What makes you stand out in a way that makes a difference to me as opposed to all the other marketing people out there trying to get me to hire them--I would hope that they all are harworking, ethical, and dedicated.

Risk Reversal – What are you promising to deliver that reduces the perceived risk of your clients or potential employers doing business with you?

You need a call to action on your page and I don't think "explore the site and contact me if you have any questions" cuts it. What happens if I don't have any questions? I guess I don't call you. You need something like, "When you have explored all your other options, exhausted all other possibilities, and you realize that you need the best, pick up your phone and call me"
 
Posted by: mbarber Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 6:14 PM (CST)
Gidday Michael

I reckon it looks great and certainly navigates well.

Are looks enough though?

The right hand frame that has the 'Experience' tab. I wouldn't put the company details or the time scales in there because that means its really a CV/Resume. What I'd like to suggest is that you refer to those areas by Industry type. This adds weight to the 'experience' you have.

So 'Ballet Memphis' becomes 'Performing Arts Sector'. You then ensure that your copy discusses how you created a campaign designed to attract the 'discerning customer of high end performance art'.

The Cotton Board becomes 'Primary Producers Industry' or the 'Agricultural & Textiles Sector'.

What this does is immediately expand the relevance and connectivity of your experience beyond the 'oh so he works in Dance' or 'righto he can do stuff for farmers but can he help me?' to 'so this guy has experience in Agriculture - I wonder if he can help my wheat board/ cow farm/nursery/clothing/retail/plastics (etc) business'

Let's also strengthen the copy in your landing page. I'd recommend you drop 'my name is' and replace it with 'I am...'

Replace 'In my career' with 'Throughout my career...'

Replace 'You may notice...' with 'You will see...'
And in that final paragraph give me a link to the portfolio section which is a good selling point.

Final thought for the front page - give me a paragraph that tells me why you'd be an asset to my company if I wanted to employ you. How your experience and creative abilities will transfer into high quality and valued output for my business. I need to see that upfront as a potential employer.

Other thoughts - make sure there is a 'contact Michael' link on each page and in your bio tell me a little about the types of companies that would attract you (not neccessarily what they do but how they do things)

Best of luck
MPB :-)
 
Posted by: Brian Bearden Accepted Answer
6/14/2006 6:59 PM (CST)
Your site currently does not do a good job selling you.

"I think business-to-business companies should simplify their website layout. These companies should highlight only their core offerings (at most four or five) on their homepage." This is what you wrote in your blog. Are you following your own rules?

Let's say I'm a MARCOM person of a company and I'm looking to add someone to my staff. (actually I'm a web guy who specializes in extreme web makeovers)

First thing I'm going to notice is that you graduated in 2002 and you have held intern and associate type positions. You do know that there are tens of thousands of people with the same type of credentials also looking for Marketing jobs? What makes you stand out.

I would get rid of the experience work history section that is on the front page. Then I would take all of your selected accomplishments and make them measurable.
Created online promotional content seen by thousands of subscribers. So you sent SPAM? What was the result of these thousands of subcribers viewing this online promotional content. Was there a high click through rate? Because of this online promotion the online auction increased it's sales by 145% So what was accomplished by the 20 trade shows you put on during the year? Did you see an increase in leads or an increase in sales. You should put your measured accomplishment on the home page.

As you know with any website. The home page must grab their attention or your visitor is gone.

I know Istockphoto quite well and there has got to be a better picture for your home page. How about #575032. Again promote your successes.

New communication technologies?? List them. Emerging Channels of Communication (web, email, blogs, pod casts, kiosks, Web2,).

On your contact page, change your email to Michael@michael-morton.com. Take ownership of your site by having your email part of the site. Anyone can set up a yahoo account but instead you built an entire website to help promote yourself.

Build your site like you would if you were hired to market a professional marketing consultant. The only difference is you are the marketing consultant that needs to be promoted.

Good luck with your job search.

Brian




 
Posted by: john_hicks Member Response
6/15/2006 2:19 AM (CST)
Congratulations!

This is a real example of guerilla marketing - a unique way of getting your CV on the desks of potential employers.

You remind me of me! I was guerilla marketing before the Americans found a word for it.

With your permission I will mention this in my Headline Promotions blog here in the UK (www.headlinepromotions.blogspot.com). You have marketing in your blood and I wish you a successful career.

I will not comment on your actual website as others have given you some excellent advice. I just wanted to let you know how I admire your initiative.

John
 
Posted by: smile Accepted Answer
6/15/2006 6:15 AM (CST)
Hi

Like John said , I too like the innitiative and this itself does make you stand out from several others.

a lot of my feedback has been covered above already . I have just two comments

1) Being in Communications , you should be well aware of what are the default fonts used and why. The default font for web is verdana, it is the most easily read font on the web and most profesional sites ( even this site )uses it.

2) You have given your office number for employers to contact you- is that right????
 
Posted by: skoobie99 Accepted Answer
6/15/2006 8:06 AM (CST)
Michael,

I too need to applaud your initiative.

I particularly like the link to your blog, since it allows potential employers to have a more personal look at Michael - and one of the things I would look for when in hiring mode (in addition to content) would be continuity. You currently have entries going back to early May - don't stop adding to this! The youtube video is a nice touch by the way and if people take the time to watch it and listen to the song lyrics, the message conveyed is positive as well.

Pet peeve - I found the snapshot when I clicked on 'blog', I would have expected it under 'bio' or 'contact'.

Other pet peeve, the title to your website is 'company name', since you likely left it blank.

Last comment: I thought the color scheme was a bit too soft and "all-over the palette" for my liking. I went back and checked and saw that you have a nice blue & green color scheme, however the colors that had stuck in my mind were those on the tabs (yellow, red, magenta and gray). What I am trying to say is that those colors make much more lasting color signatures (at least in my head), so you may want to think about modifying either the tab colors, or the website color palette to achieve the desired effect.

Hope this helps - wish you lots of luck out there,
John
 
Posted by: Michael* Author Response
6/15/2006 9:11 AM (CST)
Thanks for the great comments everyone! As you could probably tell (with the stock photo, etc.), the website is 90% complete.

crgleader - What do you think about this phrase as a Core Marketing Message?

"Vigor infused marketing specializing in both new and traditional tactics, all to reach the company goal."

Is something like that what you meant?

prbypr - I do realize that the copy is a "bit bland." I will work on this. Also, the 1st person tense in my bio is a typo (I have now deleted the entire paragraph).

Also, bouldering is like rock climbing but without the ropes!

mbarber - I will add your changes to my copy.

brian - Thank you for your comments. I was trying to go with something personal for my image selection (hopefully tying that image to my hobby of bouldering). I guess it did not work as well as I had planned. The image you suggest is generic business image. Which do you think is best to go with, an image showing my personality or one that implies my business success?

John - You most certainly have my permission to mention my website in your blog. Good luck with your new websites!

smile - I too had some reservations about including my office number. I should have listened to them. I will now remove that number. Thank you.

skoobie99 - I will make edits to the pet peeves that you listed. Thank you.

Thank you all very much for your comments! Please keep them coming!
 
Posted by: leesapara* Member Response
6/15/2006 11:17 AM (CST)
Michael

Very nice CV! I like the colors and the presentation is great!

The only thing I would change is the link to your blog to open in a new window. It might be hard for them to get back to the resume.

Nice touch on the PDF download!

I wish you success in your new endeavors

Take care,
Lee
 
Posted by: lara Accepted Answer
6/15/2006 1:05 PM (CST)
MMORTON,

I too was very impressed with the initiative you took to create a site for your CV.

My biggest piece of advice: Define the top 3 things you want everyone who visits your site to remember about you. Then focus on these messages and find ways to reinforce them on every single page.
Create a "personal brand" for yourself. Think about what defines you, what are you great at, what makes you different, and what makes you relevant. How can you define this in 2-4 words. Communicate this!

Re: Site design:
As I navigated through the site, I became more and more engaged by what you had to say. I found the first page lacked the feeling of excitement, individuality and innovative thinking I encountered when looking at your blog for example. The style of your blog is so distinctly different from your other pages. The blog feels young, interesting, humorous, thought-provoking. The rest of the site feels a bit on the dry side (don't want to sound negative as there are lots of great ideas throughout).

MAIN PAGE COMMENTS - I actually find the colours too muted. I believe you're trying to grab attention, elicit interest and feel passionate, but the page looks quite serene and soft. I also think you could find a much more interesting stock photo. The perspective is too far away - so it's difficult to see what it is. (Tip: you can find some great stock photos on imagebank.com...just create a free account and you can download images without a watermark).

I love the idea of a portfolio. You do state throughout the site that you address strategic objectives. Why not showcase this clearly by stating the strategic objectives and your solution. This would demonstrate what you're saying.

Good luck!
 
Posted by: Michael* Author Response
6/15/2006 3:11 PM (CST)
Thank you for the feedback everyone. I am still implementing the changes.

I do have another questions... Should I use a business image or an image that expresses my personality?

Thanks again!
 
Posted by: lara Member Response
6/15/2006 4:29 PM (CST)
My recommendation would be an image that best expresses your core brand essence (see my posting above).
 
Posted by: rbauman* Accepted Answer
6/16/2006 9:29 AM (CST)
If you are seeking a position as a web designer, your site definitely supports your case - it is well laid out, clean, uses sharp colors and easy navigation.

I was not impressed with the copy and the message. I felt that was not crisp and clear, but left a rather fuzzy impression. You have enough experience that should allow your resume to be organized in a more traditional format and give specific accomplishments and responsibilities for each position - you have these lumped together ahead of the specific of each position.

As someone currently on the job market personally, I know it is hard to define specifically what you want to do and create a resume that supports that vision. The difficulty lies not in the ability to communicate that but, rather the desire to not eliminate potential employment positions that may be of interest but in a slightly different area of focus. That's why many recruiting and employment experts recommend tailoring your resume to each specific position to which you apply. Obviously you can't do that on a website, so you'll have to draw a line in the sand and define your desired position and clearly communicate supporting documentation that proves your qualifications and accomplishments.

Good luck in your job search.
 
Posted by: coupon man Accepted Answer
6/16/2006 10:44 PM (CST)
nix the third person bio...use "I"...not he...
 
Posted by: jpoyer Accepted Answer
6/17/2006 8:30 PM (CST)
Wow - there are a lot of great comments here. I think the colors, the look, the feel of your site speak well for you and your personality. Adding the Blog is definitely a nice touch, and really what puts it over the top from just a regular resume site to something that _really_ does you justice. You might consider adding a text/keyword resume as a download in addition to the PDF. We usually provide both to our clients.

I don't really agree with approaching your resume site as a B2B site - it really is just your resume site, and IMHO should be approached as such. Being all things to all people is what will water down your site faster than anything else (which, since this is your resume, waters down YOU). I agree 100% with getting rid of the 3rd person thing. This site is an extension of you and what you have to offer; it is a very personal thing. The 3rd person changes that - it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of your site's contents, especially and including your Blog.

For your header graphic: since design is part of what you claim to do, I think you should consider making a more graphical header—something to showcase the artistic side of your design, but that will not change the clean look of your site. At the very least, check the quality of your "Michael Morton" jpg, it has that "jelly" that many jpgs do if you save it at too low a quality.

And ... depending on the "package" you are pitching to your potential employers (totally agree with Frank, be sure to give them something to look at on paper), you might consider designing a graphical resume to match your site. It would definitely be a cool package. Like a cherry on the hot fudge sundae.

Just a note about your PDF resume: To me, it seems ... very much not you. It seems almost canned. I don't think it shows your job skills, your creativity or your personality. I really liked your whole site, but when I got to your resume, I opened it and was ... I guess the best way to describe it is that I was disappointed, because everything else was so energized and it was not. Your accomplishments listed in the resume are "great" but are just out there and not really tied to your actual duties. ... I just think you could do better there. You are a PR professional - use your words! They are your magic.

Best wishes, I think you have what it takes. :)

Jennifer
XPRT Creative
 
Posted by: Michael* Author Response
6/19/2006 1:29 PM (CST)
Thank you for all your responses! All of your advice has helped me produce (what I believe to be) an effective website.

Some of the suggestions will take a while to implement but I will be working on them.

Thank you all so much!

Michael
 


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