By: Jaquelyn Smith

If you're trying to land a new job this year, a personal website could be your secret weapon.

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"It's one of the best ways to take a personal brand to the next level, beyond the standard résumé or LinkedIn profile," says Nick Macario, CEO of branded.me, a personal branding platform.

"Employers are researching potential candidates online and want to look deeper than someone's work experience," Macario says. "They want to get to know candidates and not only make sure they take pride in their craft, but also want to see if it's a cultural fit, which is equally as important in many cases."

However, few people actually have one. According to a new study from branded.me and .ME Registry, which operates the .ME domain name, 42% of people say they've struggled (or failed) to establish their own personal website because it's time consuming.

"But it's imperative that everyone have a website so that they can be found online, impress employers, and have a central place to store their achievements over their lifetimes," says Dan Schawbel, founder of WorkplaceTrends.com.

Approximately 71% of those surveyed say that having a website is either very important or important in helping build their personal brand, and 70% believe that employers are reviewing their online brand before they are interviewed.

Moreover, nearly half cite job offers as a benefit of having a personal website, in addition to professional recognition and networking opportunities. A whopping 61% say they've received a job offer because of their personal blog.

What do you think? Is this something you can benefit from or do you have a few tricks up your sleeve that are just as powerful? Make your voice heard by leaving a comment below. Don’t forget to hit the share button if you know others who will find this post useful.

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