From High School to University: Creating a Personal Brand
As you advance your way into higher education and the workforce, creating a professional network can help with growing start-up businesses, attracting audiences, and advancing your career. Creating a professional network takes time and commitment – it requires finding a way for others to remember and respect you. A way to create this network would be to start building a personal brand, or a good reputation.
Personal branding is defined as the intentional and strategic method of expressing your value. It is a way to ensure that the narrative about you is accurate, coherent and compelling.
Importance of Personal Branding
In this digital era, human focus has become a scarce resource to continuously compete for. Additionally, the existence of digital information throughout thousands of websites makes it harder to keep audiences’ attention.
So, why should you build a personal brand?
Competitive Advantage
Nowadays, people say that hiring managers perform a “seven second scan” through potential resumes. You want to make sure that you use industry-specific keywords and concise bullet points to help your resume stand out and advance to the next stage of the recruitment process.
Once you are able to pass the seven second resume scan, it is possible that hiring managers search you up on different social media websites. This makes personal branding very important as it provides a competitive advantage. Having a defined personal brand helps differentiate your value and allows you to stand out in a world where people are competing for the same jobs, audiences, and customers.
A Method to Build Trust
Think about times where you had an option to purchase shoes from two brands – one that has been your go-to brand for years, and one that you discovered recently – which one did you pick?
In business, customers tend to buy from brands they respect and trust. At the start, it may seem weird positioning yourself as a product. However, if you are consistent with your brand messaging and maintain a professional online presence, it becomes easier for people to get to know you as an expert in your field. They expect a certain level of consistency, and maintaining that consistency can help build a sense of familiarity and trust.
Building your Brand
Finding your Value
Before creating a brand, you need to know your purpose – this being your values and goals. You need to find something you care about, something you want people to know about you, something that makes you special. While doing this, you need to think about your audience. Finding your purpose helps create a value proposition, which is known as a statement that briefly explains who you are and what value you provide.
Implementing your Value
As you compare your current personal brand with the one you are trying to implement, try to find gaps between the two. Once those gaps are identified, you can work towards getting credentials and/or capital to fully implement your value. This can include achieving your education, awards, professional connections, and emotional intelligence gained through cultural experiences.
Communicating your Brand
Using a mix of different kinds of social media, it is important to communicate your brand in a professional manner. You are trying to make your brand more accessible and visible to a wider network. By increasing your visibility, you can access more potential opportunities.
Not only can you use social media to communicate your brand, but you can also communicate your brand during face-to-face interactions, whether it is at a job fair or an interview.
Reevaluation
Building a personal brand is not a one-time project; it requires commitment, reevaluation, and adjustments. You want to make sure that the brand you are trying to project matches your current experiences, thoughts and values.
Common Mistakes in Brand Building
Building a personal brand comes with its own challenges. Here are some of the most common mistakes to be aware of:
Inconsistency between your content and reality
Sometimes, people over exaggerate their achievements and thoughts while on social media. This could be unintentional, however doing this can create a bad image for you as there is inconsistency between your brand and your true self.
Trying to create a “perfect” image of yourself
People who hide flaws and mistakes seem inauthentic. Generally, trust is created between people who view each other as relatable humans rather than a flawless, perfect person.
Overshadowing your Team
Focusing on your own achievements too much and overpromoting yourself at the expense of your team or company can create an image of arrogance and self-centeredness.
Final Notes
Your personal brand is your own story. By staying authentic, building your online presence, and continuously developing your skills, you can create a reputation that opens doors throughout university and beyond.
Written By: Krisha L
Sources
Karrie Ann Nauseda-Frey (January 2, 2024). What is Personal Branding? https://books.forbes.com/blog/what-is-personal-branding/
Catherine Cote (March 21, 2024). Personal Branding: What Is It and Why It Matters? https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/personal-branding-at-work
Forbes Council Members (May 6, 2025). 19 Personal Branding Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Credibility. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2025/05/06/19-personal-branding-mistakes-that-can-hurt-your-credibility/
Images
PeopleConnection (March 30, 2021). Be the CEO of your own career - with personal branding. https://www.peopleconnexion.com/latest-news/be-the-ceo-of-your-own-career-with-personal-branding-2/
Jesse Sumrak (August 14, 2023). How to Build a Personal Brand to Skyrocket Your Business. https://foundr.com/articles/leadership/personal-growth/how-to-build-a-personal-brand
MBA Knowledge Base (n.d). What is Competitive Advantage? Definition and Meaning. https://www.mbaknol.com/strategic-management/competitive-advantage/
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