The Good
Universities
Guide
  • Courses
  • Institutions
  • Careers
  • Ratings
  • Scholarships
  • Events
  • Study Info
  • Edu Blogs
  • Login
  • Compare
  1. Home
  2. Education Blog
  3. Career guidance
  4. The students' guide to cultivating a personal brand

The students' guide to cultivating a personal brand



By Karen Lomas

The trick in job-hunting is to make sure your pitch to a recruiter (via your cover letter, resume, or digital resume (the Zygadoc), clearly communicates your personal brand.

What is a personal brand?

We can portray different personas depending on the context. We might be playful with our friends and more contained in our mode of conduct in a business meeting. On the other hand, a personal brand refers to the bigger picture – the overarching you. This becomes the way in which you are generally perceived to be by others.

A personal brand refers to:

  • who you are
  • how you interact
  • what matters to you
  • your individual unique identity.

Consider one of your role models and what it is about their identity that you appreciate. How you describe that person is their personal brand. 

Social media and your personal brand

A prospective employer can access any public social media accounts –Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok – with relative ease. If people wish to portray themselves in a certain way but then have photos or videos published that contradict that image, it’s easy to spoil your personal brand. When job hunting, it’s a good idea to check all your social platforms so that how you present yourself is consistent and not confusing to others.

Realistically, you can’t ‘sell’ your personal brand in a certain way. You need to maintain your branded identity and demonstrate your style 24/7. For example, if you’re meeting someone while networking, you must be on-brand throughout. You can listen to an entire podcast on this topic.

Karen is a career coach specialising in early career exploration with school-aged students. This article is an edited excerpt, published with permission from the author. You can view the whole article and its accompanying podcast here.

Read on:
  • LinkedIn for students: Get noticed and get ahead
  • How to use social media more mindfully and productively
  • Beat procrastination with the Pomodoro Technique

Related blogs

100 jobs of the future


15 Aug 2019

read more

5 ways your uni can help you get job-ready


27 Aug 2021

read more

Australia's top 10 highest paying jobs


26 Aug 2019

read more

Categories
  • Guest 21
  • Rankings 37
  • Student stories 41
  • Tertiary study 87
  • After graduation 30
  • Education news 55
  • Career guidance 58
Tags
Karen Lomascareersnetworking

Become a member

Already a member? LoginForgot password?

Join the conversation

Search Universities

  • Universities in ACT
  • Universities in NSW
  • Universities in QLD
  • Universities in SA and NT
  • Universities in TAS
  • Universities in VIC
  • Universities in WA

Search TAFE Institutes

  • TAFEs in ACT
  • TAFEs in NSW
  • TAFEs in QLD
  • TAFEs in SA and NT
  • TAFEs in TAS
  • TAFEs in VIC
  • TAFEs in WA

Search by Field of Work

  • Architecture, Building and Planning
  • Create Arts and Design
  • Business
  • Computing and ICT
  • Education
  • Engineering and Technical
  • Health and Community Services
  • Hospitality and Tourism
© 2022 Good Universities Guide
Glossary | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy
Good Education GropuAbout | Media coverage | Contact | Bookshop
Good Universities GuideGood MBA GuideGood Schools GuideStudies in Australiaدراسات في استرالياEducar AustraliaUniversitas Australiđại học úcEducacaona AustraliaCoursen Australie澳大利亚的课程Australian Career ServicesGood Careers GuideACIRGOOD eDIGITALGEM 360 Virtual Tours