Personal website :: oskargmerek.com

Description

I am Oskar Gmerek, and oskargmerek.com serves as my professional online presence. On this website, you will presently discover key information about my background, updates on the projects I am involved in, and ways to get in touch with me. Additionally, I provide valuable insights into the services and products I utilize and endorse, updates on my investment ventures, and thought-provoking articles on diverse subjects where I wish to convey my perspectives. Furthermore, you are welcome to peruse my personal notes on topics that pique my interest.

Motivation

I have not been entirely satisfied with my professional career, despite being self-employed for a long time, which many might consider a success. However, I work in an industry that I find dull and, unfortunately, tainted with characteristics I do not want to associate myself with.

In 2023, I finally decided to change industries. I am gradually closing down the companies I manage in a way that minimizes the impact on my employees. I am participating in the first Bootcamp for programmers organized by HyperionDev. I set goals for myself and strive to achieve them, all in order to attract the attention of recruiters and talent seekers in the IT industry. However, I am aware that without a portfolio, I will not catch anyone's attention. Thus, the idea of creating a personal website was born.

Problem

Lack of a professional online presence, which I believe is slightly hypocritical, considering I am pursuing a web developer position.

Absence of online projects that I can showcase and add to my CV.

No open-source projects that I can make public without violating any agreements.

No personal and convenient space for storing notes.

No place where I can collect materials, services, and products that interest me, divided into relevant categories.

Inability to demonstrate skills in project planning and management.

Inability to showcase skills using tools such as Git or GitHub.

Solution

Initially, I thought it would be better to create several simple projects. However, I don't want to create applications that nobody will use. No one needs another TODO list or a newer, less functional calculator. Such projects can be found in most portfolios, and I don't want to be like the majority.

After a longer brainstorming session, I decided to focus on building my personal brand. All the aforementioned problems can be solved within the scope of a single personal website. Moreover, working on one project should eventually lead to a size closer to the commercial challenges I will soon face.

Plan

1. Research and analysis:

   • Analyze personal branding strategies and success stories for web developers.
   • Identify key features and functionalities for a personal website that will best showcase my skills and interests.
   • Research the latest web development trends, technologies, and best practices.

2. Project planning:

   • Create a comprehensive project plan, including objectives, milestones, and deadlines*.
   • Identify tools, technologies, and frameworks required for the project, such as Git, GitHub, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Svelte, and others.
   • Establish a clear visual identity for the personal brand, including logo, color scheme, typography, and overall design.

3. Develop the website:

   • Set up version control with Git and create a GitHub repository for the project.
   • Develop the website's structure, layout, and design based on the established visual identity.
   • Implement the necessary features and functionalities, such as portfolio, contact form, and notes.
   • Implement the additional features and functionalities, such as blog, notes, and resource collection.
   • Ensure the website is responsive and accessible on various devices and browsers.
   • Optimize the website for SEO and performance.
   • Test the website thoroughly for any bugs or issues.

4. Content creation:

   • Write engaging and informative content for the website, including an about me section, and project descriptions.
   • Write first engaging article on blog.
   • Document personal notes on various topics of interest.
   • Curate a collection of resources, services, and products that I find useful or intriguing.

5. Launch the website:

   • Configure Continuous Integration for beta releases
   • Deploy the website on a suitable hosting platform.
   • Configure a custom domain for the website (oskargmerek.com).
   • Announce the launch of the website on social media and other relevant channels.

6. Continuously update and maintain the website:

   • Regularly add new content to the blog, portfolio, and notes sections.
   • Update the resource collection as needed.
   • Keep the website up-to-date with the latest web development trends and best practices.

7. Networking and self-promotion:

   • Share the website with recruiters, talent seekers, and potential clients.
   • Participate in web development forums, communities, and social media groups.
   • Attend industry events, such as conferences, workshops, and meetups to network with other professionals.

8. Monitor website performance and engagement:

   • Set up website analytics to track user engagement and other key metrics.
   • Analyze the data and make necessary improvements to the website based on the insights gained.

9. Continuous learning and skill development:

   • Stay updated with the latest web development trends, technologies, and best practices.
   • Pursue additional certifications or courses to expand my skillset.
   • Apply the acquired knowledge to improve my website and other projects.

Project Roadmap

Publicly accessible project roadmap on GitHub [ Link ] demonstrates proficiency in efficient project management

Conventional Commits Guidelines

The list below is based on an industry-standard approach; however, I have modified it to ensure that the utilized tags are more appropriate for website development purposes.

• feat: New features or functionality

  Example: feat: newsletter list

• fix: Bug fixes and issue resolution

  Example: fix: pagination in blog feed

• improve: Code improvements, refactoring, or formatting changes

  Example: improve: extend navigation to reduce user fraction

• docs: Documentation updates or additions

  Example: docs: explain recommend system

• test: Test-related changes

  Example: test: display error after wrong email input

• trivial: Routine tasks or non-functional updates

  Example: trivial: remove unused imports

• deps: dependency updates and management

  Example: deps: bump version of react

• i18n: Internationalization and localization

  Example: i18n: add Polish translations

• security: Security-related changes

  Example: security: test password against hibp

• seo: SEO-related improvements and optimizations

  Example: seo: structured data for contact page