Career websites have become increasingly popular over the last 6-7 years and I can tell you authoritatively that they work very well to increase your odds of attaining an interview or call back when you otherwise are not acquiring them. Print portfolios also have extremely valuable use during the interview process, leaving a professional and lasting impression with the hiring committee. I have way too many stories of past clients' success in the arena for anyone to discount this fact. So if you want to have the best chance of landing your next job, a career website is a must-have asset for your career.

However, using a career website at your current club is an even more powerful way to utilize this asset. Most golfers or members at your club have no idea what you have done, where you have worked or even that you went to college for this most-demanding industry position. Instead of leaving them in the dark about you, a better strategy is to actively educate them on your career and what you have done at the club and other clubs.

Instead of leaving them in the dark about you, a better strategy is to actively educate them on your career and what you have done at the club and other clubs...

Even more to the point -- a small, yet significant percentage of members who work to get on Green Committees do this because they want to impact course conditions or may have a problem with existing policies you implement. If you provide them with your website and/or print portfolio, they can instantly get to know you on a more personal level before you ever begin working together. Proactive versus reactive behavior is always the best approach to take with these potential career spoilers.

A great idea every spring is to leave a stack of your print portfolios at the front desk in the clubhouse or pro shop for members to grab. Create a brand and identity for yourself with the golfing membership and show them how professional you -- and our industry in general -- have become. If you only have a website, then have some rack cards made up directing members to your website every spring and leave them out in these locations mentioned. Just make sure that you have the portfolio and/or cards done or at least looked over by a professional designer to ensure these materials reflect how great your career is and look superb. Good design can really transform perception of the content.

Create a brand and identity for yourself with the golfing membership and show them how professional you -- and our industry in general -- have become...

When creating a website or portfolio that is geared to use at your current club, there are some changes that should be made to content. A few suggestions are:

1. Remove the resume and/or resume page. You have no need to have a link to your actual resume.
2. Adjust the content of your biography and gear it toward your club. Try to word it so that your entire career has been spent building up to working for this club and that you intend to work for the club into the future.
3. Adjust your experience in a like-wise manner as your biography.
4. Create a page with a title like Member Resource. Here you can include links to all kinds of helpful and educational content you may have written or others in the industry have written.
5. If you have a blog, provide a separate page in the main navigation to the blog.

By using these small tweaks you should be able to create an asset that you can now use every single day in your operation that increases your professionalism, proactively fights against misinformation and makes you a leader at your club.