Update!

[LostinWords]

Hey guys! I was on here a few weeks ago getting your feedback on my work and my site...
I have done some major changes thanks to comments I got!

The site is still a work in progress... but I hope you check it out!

www.AshleyReynoldsOnline.com

again, thanks everyone who PM me and commented on here!

[LAWEATHER]

So much better... the site... the picture... the intro.
Now stop worrying about the look and move on with confidence and you will do just fine.
Best of Luck!

[overthehill]

It's a little too "Facebooky" Ashley.

Back away from the photos of YOU and put the emphasis on your stories (which are pretty good). Why not build the homepage with links to your stories, rather than a smiling face of you??!!

I don't want to sound harsh, but reporter or anchor wannabes that are big on pictures of themselves may be a sign of a person with an ego too big for my newsroom. Sure, NDs want to see what you look like, but we can do that without the cute photos of you and farm animals.

[John M.]

Didn't the previous version have a video clip right on the home page?

I highly recommend that you put at least one video right on the first page a visitor sees. That's what you're selling, not your face. Show me the product I'm looking to buy.

I would delete the copy on the home page. Those sentiments will appear in your cover letter. Let your work speak for itself. My site's home page does have a short statement explaining who I am and what I do but no mission statement.

Examples of my work will (or should) make that evident. Examples of yours should do the same. No text on the screen will make up for it if it doesn't

[LostinWords]

hmmm now I am torn... My look is what might hurt me...and I would hate for that to be the reason to set me back. so I got professional pics done based on the advice I got....I'm in no way all about face time, but I thought those pics gave it a professional sound--so that takes me back on what to do, because I put the pics up based on advice...If I go for small market anchor gig, doesn't a ND want to see pictures?

Yes, I originally had my montage on my homepage... but it looked cluttered with the photo... so I might just place the photo over the video....I like getting right to the video....thoughts?

[Gail sirens]

Keep the pix. They look good.
Try for a OMB in a small market.
You may get lucky and then anchor.
Then save some money for a little nip-tuck work; you'd be amazed at how many careers it worked wonders for.
Looks do count, no matter how "nice" people try to be on here or to your face.

[ISTHISTHINGON?]

I like the idea of putting an example of your work(video) instead of the words about you.
All but one sentence has you saying "I" or "my"....it's just a peeve of mine to hear those repeatedly. Don't get ME wrong(ha!), you have to sell yourself...but maybe in the cover letter to avoid any notion in comparison to .
Picture on homepage looks great, throw a video under it.
One last note...if you're applying for small market positions...you may just need a good tape sent to the stations...but I'm not an ND, and do not know if websites are the preferred method.
(just my insight...make a decision based on a combination of what advice comes in, and what YOU want). :hug:

[NewsMom]

Ask 250 people for an opinion, you'll get 250 opinions.

But many of us disliked the earlier opening photo, and I think the new one in the red jacket is very good.

I'm sorry you're still wedded to the old photo (you and the award) on the top of your resume page; I don't think it adds anything.... It's sometimes (more often than not) seen as overly ego-centric to put your photo on your resume.

And that doggone CDC stand-up is still in the montage..... which several of us didn't like the last go around.

Your improvements are a good start.

[Hack Wilson Fan]

Ditch this photo. Otherwise, it's a very professional looking site and work.
Good luck.

http://www.ashleyreynoldsonline.com/uploads/1/0/8/5/1085858/193328.jpg

[News Is Broken]

Do you own a poodle, and can it jump thru a flaming hoop? If so you should totally add that.

[Quagmire]

Too much head movement when anchoring.

[Chartsengrafs]

Put everything you want a ND to see on the front page. In fact, keep your site to 1 page. The more someone has to dig around to find something the less inclined they'll be to do so. I clicked your link, saw your pic and scrolled down to look for more completely missing the small links across the top of the page. Make it easy, mgmt types are a lazy lot.

[Jane Craig]

I agree -- make the links more prominent (with color, or a file-tab look).

The new photo is a great improvement, but I concur with those who suggest you put your WORK front and center. Make it ultra-easy to link to the work you most want a potential boss to see first.

es, hiring managers want to see how you look, but that's best done in the context of your video clips rather than stills (see other threads with very experienced NDs warning against sending headshots because it sends the wrong message).

[TAFKA wacowx]

Put everything you want a ND to see on the front page. In fact, keep your site to 1 page. The more someone has to dig around to find something the less inclined they'll be to do so. I clicked your link, saw your pic and scrolled down to look for more completely missing the small links across the top of the page. Make it easy, mgmt types are a lazy lot.

BUT, if she puts ALL that is available on this site on only one page it will be horribly cluttered and reflect poorly on her.

My suggestions: Main resume video piece online right under a smaller picture of you. Pick your best work, but have links right next to the main video for additional videos. In fact, after your video plays, you should have it end on a full-screen that says "Click on the links to the right for more examples of my work" or something similar.

You have to balance clutter with putting all the necessary things on that front page. I also vote to nix the 'mission statement'. People aren't going to be randomly bumping into you website they will most likely be driven their by you or people a link at a job site. Just show the your material and make it easy for them to watch more if they like what they saw.

If you do want to include some text about you and why you have this website, make it invisible which would still allow search engines to catalog those phrases like "anchor/reporter seeking a job" while eliminating them from view on the front page. The easiest way to do this is to make the color of the text the same as the background....and make the text as small as possible so as not to take up space...preferable placed on the bottom of the page.

The last thing I would say is try your best to put everything that immediately sells you on the top of the page, 'above the fold' in newspaper lingo. Don't make someone have to scroll around to see things or find info. It should all be there as soon as the page loads. Your current version does this well, just be mindful of it.

Good luck!

[Chartsengrafs]

BUT, if she puts ALL that is available on this site on only one page it will be horribly cluttered and reflect poorly on her.



I agree. That's why she needs to pare it down to her strongest material. Keep a lean and succinct website with your best stuff right up front, that's easy to navigate and isn't cluttered up with tons of links/subpages/etc.

[wx or not]

I have a problem with your resume. On the list of accomplishments, you tend to say "assisted with." If I were an ND, I could be wasting a lot of time when I find out that the assists were no more than moving a cable. Think about how you specifically assisted with those people, find the best one from each, and use action words to convey your message better. Even better is if you can quantify those actions. For instance, if you assisted with field reports and reduced the turnaround time, that might be reworded as "reduced production time in field reporting by 10%." Good luck!