How to Make a Personal CV Website: Beginner’s Guide

In today’s digital world, having a personal CV website is one of the best ways to showcase your skills, projects, and accomplishments.

It’s like an online portfolio that speaks for you when you’re not in the room. Whether you’re a student, a developer, or a professional, hosting your own CV website can set you apart from the competition.

But how do you get started? Don’t worry—this guide will walk you through the entire process, from choosing a hosting provider to making your site live for the world to see.

Experience

Choose a Hosting Provider

First things first: you need a place to host your website.

A hosting provider is a company that rents out space on their servers so your website can live online. There are several options available depending on your needs and budget.

Recommended Hosting Providers:

IONOS: Great for beginners, with user-friendly website builders and affordable plans. I used IONOS myself to host my CV site, and I can vouch for their reliability and ease of use.

Hostinger: Affordable and beginner-friendly, with fast hosting and great customer support. Ideal for simple, low-cost websites.

GitHub Pages: A free option for developers who want to host static websites (HTML, CSS, JavaScript). Perfect for a simple CV that doesn’t need a back-end.

Netlify: Another great free option for static sites, with automatic deployment from Git repositories.

Tip: If you’re on a tight budget or just starting, GitHub Pages and Netlify are excellent places to begin. But if you want more flexibility or need a custom domain name, IONOS and Hostinger offer budget-friendly plans that provide more control.

Register Your Domain Name

Your domain name is the address people will type into their browsers to access your website (e.g., www.nikolatancic.com).

It’s like your website’s street address in the digital world.

Choosing a Domain Name:

Keep it simple and professional: Use your full name or a variation of it (e.g., nikolatancic.com or nikoladev.com).

Avoid numbers or special characters: This makes it easier for people to remember and type.

Consider a .com domain:While other extensions like .dev or .io are cool, .com is still the most recognized and trusted.

Once you’ve picked your domain name, you can purchase it through your hosting provider (e.g., IONOS or Hostinger) or through dedicated domain registrars like Namecheap or GoDaddy.

Build Your Webiste

Now comes the fun part: actually building your site. As a developer, you can choose to build it from scratch or use a website builder provided by your hosting provider. Here’s a breakdown of both options:

Option 1: Build it from Scratch (For Developers)

If you want full control over your website, you can build it using HTML, CSS, and maybe some JavaScript. This is the perfect opportunity to show off your development skills.

Here’s a basic file structure to start:

You can also add more advanced features, like animations, responsive design, or interactive sections to make your CV stand out.

Option 2: Use a Website Builder

If coding isn’t your thing (or you want to save time), hosting providers like IONOS, Hostinger, and Wix offer drag-and-drop website builders. These are easy to use and come with templates to get you started.

You just pick a template, customize it, and you’re good to go.

If you choose a builder, you’ll usually get access to pre-designed sections for things like:

About Me

Skills & Experience

Projects Portfolio

Contact Form

Tip: If you want a faster start and prefer less hassle, the website builder option is great for beginners. But if you want total control, building it yourself is a rewarding challenge.

Upload Your Website Files (or Publish)

Once your website is ready, it’s time to make it live. Here’s how you can upload your files or hit that publish button:

For Custom HTML/CSS Sites:

Log in to your hosting provider’s control panel.

Find the File Manager or FTP Settings.

Upload your website files (index.html, styles.css, etc.) into the public_html folder or its equivalent.

For Website Builders:

After customizing your template, click Publish to make your website live.

If you’ve purchased a domain, link it to your website through your hosting provider’s settings.

Tip: Most hosting providers have simple step-by-step guides to help you upload or publish your site. If you ever get stuck, their customer support is usually quick to assist.

Connect Your Domain Name

Now that your website is live, it’s time to connect your domain name to your site. If you registered your domain with the same provider, this is usually done automatically. But if you used a separate registrar, follow these steps:

Go to your domain registrar’s settings (e.g., Namecheap).
Find the DNS settings.
Update the A record or CNAME to point to your hosting provider’s IP address (you’ll find this info in your hosting control panel).
Wait for the changes to propagate (this can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours).

Promote Your CV Website

Now that your personal CV website is online, don’t forget to promote it! Here are some ideas:

Add it to your resume: Include the link in your contact details section.
Share it on LinkedIn: Add your website to your LinkedIn profile to make it easier for potential employers or clients to find you.
Mention it in emails: Add the link to your email signature.

Conclusion: You Did It!

Congratulations, you’ve just hosted your very own personal CV website! Whether you built it from scratch or used a website builder, you now have a professional online presence that showcases your skills and experience to the world.

Remember, a personal CV website is a work in progress, so keep it updated with new projects, achievements, and blog posts as you continue your development journey.

Nikola Tancic