A website for a job application: one page, one role, one reader
A page made for a single application shows effort a CV can't: you've studied the company, you've picked the work that matters to this role, and you've made it easy to read in two minutes. It's worth doing for jobs you really want where the hiring manager is likely to click, and wasted on applicant tracking systems that strip links. Build it in an evening; don't let it delay the application.
When the effort pays off
A tailored page is not a substitute for the CV and cover letter the employer asked for. It's an addition, and it only helps if someone opens it. Do it when:
- The role is one of a handful you'd really want, not one of fifty applications this month.
- You can reach a person: a referral, a hiring manager on a social network, a small company where the founder reads applications.
- The work is visual or hard to describe in a CV: design, product, marketing, engineering projects, research.
- The job advert invites a portfolio or "anything else you'd like to share".
Skip it when applications go through a large employer's portal that only takes a CV upload, or when the advert asks you not to send extra material. Following instructions is part of the test.
What goes on the page
- A headline addressed to the role: "Why I'd like to be your next product designer". Name the company only if you're comfortable with the page being public.
- Three reasons you fit, each tied to something in the job advert and backed by evidence.
- Two or three pieces of relevant work, each with the problem, your part and the result. Choose for this role; leave out your best piece if it's irrelevant.
- An idea for them, short and humble: an observation about their product or a small proposal. Show thinking, not a free consultancy.
- A short video link, under two minutes, if you're comfortable on camera. A face and voice can carry what text doesn't.
- Contact details and a link to your full CV.
Aim for a page that takes two to three minutes to read. A hiring manager with forty applications won't scroll through an essay.
Mistakes that backfire
| Mistake | Why it hurts |
|---|---|
| Criticising their current product or site | Reads as arrogance from someone who doesn't know the constraints |
| Using their logo and brand colours heavily | Can look like impersonation; a light nod is enough |
| Reusing the page for another company with names swapped | Easily spotted, and the old name often survives somewhere |
| Claims the CV doesn't back up | Interviewers compare them |
| A link that's down by interview day | Keep it up until the process ends |
Building it with Anticode
Give the Architect the advert and your material in one request, for example "a one-page site for my application to be a product designer at a fintech company, with three reasons I fit, two case studies and a link to a short video". It reads any links you include once and summarises them into the brief, so you can paste the job advert's URL. It shows a plan before it builds. Upload screenshots or photos of your work and the model sees and places them; link to your video on a video site, because published pages can't embed players or play video files.
If you apply for a second role, duplicate the approach rather than the page: start a new project, so the two stay separate. Within one application, version history keeps your recent saves, so you can try a bolder headline and go back if it doesn't read well. Before sending, open the client review link on your phone, or share it with a friend for comments tied to each section. The resume website page covers a general site you keep for every application.
Limits
- Pages are public at their address and listed in the site's sitemap; there's no password protection. Don't put anything confidential from the hiring process on it.
- No link tracking per recipient. Daily page views by source show in your dashboard, but not who opened it.
- Your own domain needs a paid plan; the free address works and carries a small badge.
Questions people ask
How do I send the page?
A single line in the cover letter or email: "I've put together a short page on why I'd fit this role", with the link. Don't make it the whole application.
Should I take it down afterwards?
Usually yes, once the process ends, especially if it names the company. You can unpublish it at any time.
Do hiring managers actually look?
Some do and some don't. That's why it's worth doing only for roles where you can reach a person who's likely to click.