There are many purchases that could ultimately help you advance in your career. Some of them might include tickets to a conference that’s associated with your industry, a new laptop that can more capably handle a robust graphics program you use at your design firm, or even a sleek new wardrobe that shows you’re ready for the professional world. However, a personal domain name could be just as important as those tangible items.





Why Do You Need a Domain?



A domain name gives you a greater degree of control over how readily people can find you on the Internet, especially if you have a very unique name. With the help of search engine optimization strategies, you may be able to make it so that your personal, career oriented website is the first website people see in a list of search results. That minimizes the chances where people will unintentionally stumble across other websites that mention your name and perhaps don’t show you in such a favorable light.



After all, no one is perfect, and one of the downsides of the Internet is that it can highlight memories from years ago and bring them back to haunt you; especially if you have a few embarrassing photos or less than glowing articles or reviews about you from a community newspaper.



Post a Blog on Your Domain



A blog is a great way to give people a glimpse into what you hope to achieve through your line of work. It’s a good idea to use a personal domain name for your blog, because it eliminates the need for people to remember longer addresses. Many popular blogging platforms allow you to have some version of your name in the URL, but not just your name alone. You can also use the blog to gently promote anything you’re already working on as part of your career.



Showcase Your Portfolio



If you’re involved with a creative profession, a blog is an excellent place to show others what you’ve done. Maybe you’re a programmer who was an instrumental part of a team that created a software suite focused on accounting for nonprofits, or maybe a creative writer that focuses on poetry with a social consciousness slant. Using a personal domain for portfolio purposes also works very well if you directly market your services to people, such as if you are a photographer reaching out to people who will soon be getting married.



Create a Professional Point of Contact



It’s often easier for your career to take off if you have a broad network of people who know you well. Make it easier to achieve that goal by using a personal domain as a resource for all the ways people can get in touch with you. That may mean listing your LinkedIn profile, or professional Facebook page. You can also go a few steps further by creating an e-mail address based off of your domain name.



These three ideas are certainly not the only ways you can capitalize on the worth of a personal domain name. However, they work very well as jumping off points to help you lay the foundations of a website that could keep your career aspirations on track.