Shape Your Story: Personal Branding for Students

The phrase “personal branding” isn’t just another corporate buzzword or trendy topic in business. It might sound complicated, but personal branding is a simple tool people already use without even realizing it. The key is knowing how to harness the power of self-marketing and using it in a way that uplifts who we are. The earlier students learn the potential of personal branding, the earlier they can make wise decisions for future success in the workforce and life.

What is Personal Branding?

Personal branding is the way we present ourselves to the world—the collection of thoughts, feelings, and associations that come to mind when someone hears our name. Think of a famous artist like Taylor Swift: red lipstick, breakup songs, and flashy concert outfits might pop in your head. All of that is personal branding in effect—but it’s not just for celebrities. Everyone has a reputation, whether they shape it purposefully or not. That’s why being aware of how we present ourselves, in person and online, is more important than ever.

Why Does Personal Branding Matter?

For some students, thinking about personal branding may not seem very relevant—but understanding the effects of how we present ourselves can have long-term benefits.

Greater Career Success

Studies show that personal branding is linked to higher career success and satisfaction.¹ Not only that, an intentional personal brand can give students a competitive advantage,² while providing a clearer vision of their career goals.

Sets You Apart

Having clarity and determination in your goals is a sought after trait.³ For example, if a high schooler wants to start a business after graduation and creates a public persona that reflects that goal (LinkedIn profile, business cards, personal website), this automatically tells the world two things: that they know what their goals are, and they’re driven to accomplish them. This kind of confidence is magnetic to potential employers, clients, and collaborators.

Creates a Space for Your Work

Online spaces are a great way to showcase your work, skillset, and passions to the world. Students can use digital spaces in a variety of ways to highlight what they’re doing/working on, making themselves visible to more opportunities.⁴

Puts You in Control

Of course, we can’t control other people’s opinions—but we can set ourselves up for success by controlling what’s seen. Treating others with respect, showing up on time, and having a clear personal brand story online can make a huge difference to help students secure jobs after school or create their own opportunities.

Improves Social Media Responsibility

The Internet is forever. That’s why it’s important for students to be mindful of what they post online, as it could negatively affect their image later on. Awareness of their digital footprint early on can help students refrain from posting impulsively, creating more responsible social media habits.

The earlier students learn the potential of personal branding, the earlier they can make wise decisions for future success in the workforce and life.

Myths of Personal Branding

Personal Branding Is Fake. One of the most common misconceptions about self-marketing is that it’s inherently performative. However, the most effective personal branding is based on authenticity.⁵ Marketing yourself in a way that reflects your values, life story, and goals is anything but fake and can even be a valid form of self-expression.
Personal Branding is Narcissistic. Caring about personal branding could make people feel like they’re being egotistical. But self-marketing showcases all you can offer to serve people, not yourself. With personal branding, you aren’t bragging, but revealing how your skills can help others.
Personal Branding Never Changes. Personal branding is never fixed. Just as people continue to grow and change, so does the way they present themselves to the world. Students have the freedom to shape and reshape their public persona however they see fit.
Personal Branding Only Exists Online. While social media plays a big role, the image you present online should be consistent with real life. How you carry yourself and treat other people holds more weight than an online personal brand.

How Can Students Start Developing Their Personal Brand?

It’s never too early for students to shape their personal brand. Here are some practical, simple tips to help your students start thinking about the best ways to market themselves for future success:

Self Reflect

Knowing yourself and your goals is half the hurdle. Promoting honest self-reflection, let your students ask themselves questions to get to the root of their beliefs. Having a grasp of their core values and passions will help guide them in what they have to offer the world. Here are some prompts to help get started:

What am I passionate about?
What strengths or skills come naturally to me?
What do I believe in, and why?
What do I want to be known for?

Journaling, having conversations with friends and family, and taking time to think can all help in this process. Don’t rush this: give your students the space to come to these conclusions themselves. Once they have a clear grasp on who they are and what they want to achieve, they can begin developing their personal brand.

Create a Story

With all of these values in mind, let students piece together a clear narrative that’s evident in their lives. This is a simple elevator pitch that tells people their mission and goals. A quick guide that can work for anyone might look something like this: I’m a [insert identity] that’s passionate about [insert topic] and wanting to [insert goal] because [insert reason].

Let’s say a student athlete wants to become a personal trainer after high school. A personal branding narrative that follows these guidelines might look something like: I’m a [high school senior] who’s passionate about [fitness] and wants to become [a personal trainer] because [I’ve seen the way exercise has transformed my life and want to help others do the same].

This is just a baseline example. The reasonings for someone’s goals can always be more complex, but having a simple, snappy credo will get their mission across clearly. Not only that, this narrative can serve as an inspirational reminder when students need confidence to push forward.

Create a Simple Online Presence

Having an online presence is a great way to build up a personal brand.⁶ This doesn’t necessarily mean becoming an influencer. For students, it can simply be creating a space that highlights their passions and interests. This can be on a variety of social media platforms—or they can even use a free website builder! Research projects, writing samples, school awards, and more can uplift a student’s personal narrative. Their digital footprint can uplift who they are and reflect what they’re trying to achieve.

Remember to remind students of the potential consequences for what they post—and to always treat others with respect online!

Show Consistency in Character

A strong character goes a long way. Remind students to:

Be dependable. Follow through on what they said they’d accomplish.
Speak respectfully to others and avoid petty gossip and drama.
Be honest about their knowledge and be eager to learn more.

Overall, being someone people want to work with will get students far in the professional world, no matter the industry.

Conducting a Personal Brand Audit Online

Most highschoolers already have a social media presence online. For those who want to start fresh—or revisit what they’ve posted so far—here are some tips to conduct a brand audit on their current digital footprint:

Assess Current Image. Prompt students to Google their name and see what comes up. Does it match with what they want to be known for? Does it reflect their values, interests and goals? Because most employers search potential employees online,⁷ ask students to look at themselves from a hiring perspective.
Ask for Feedback. Let students get feedback from close friends, family members, or teachers on their current personal brand. Sometimes, an outside perspective is helpful for fresh takes on how a student may be coming off.
Archive Inconsistent Content. Once students have figured out what kind of personal brand they want to build, archiving current posts that go against their new image can be the next step. This process isn’t about being fake, but responsible. For any post, all students need to ask is, “Would I want my potential boss, client, or professor to see this?”

The most effective personal branding is based on authenticity—marketing yourself in a way that reflects your values, life story, and goals.

Example of Personal Branding: Julie’s Story

To understand this better, here’s a real-life example of how students can develop their personal brand and set themselves up for career success while they’re still in high school!

Self Discovery

Let’s focus on a high school student who has a passion for art—we’ll call her Julie. Julie wants to make art her career, but she’s not sure where to start or how to market herself.

Starting with self-discovery, the best way for Julie to develop her personal brand would be asking herself questions like:

What kind of art brings me the most joy (abstract, illustration, graphic design)?
What kind of impact do I want to leave on the world?
What makes my art style stand out from the rest?

This process doesn’t always look linear. Before thinking about personal branding, a student should understand who they are and what their goals are. But they should also know that this might change. Again, personal branding isn’t stagnant—as students learn and grow and gain more knowledge, their personal brand will likely evolve.

Define Your Brand Statement

Once Julie has a good understanding of the kind of art she wants to make, she can use the brand statement tool to come up with an elevator pitch story. It may look something like this:

I’m a high school student that’s passionate about drawing and wants to pursue a career in illustration because I believe art is a powerful tool for understanding ourselves and others.

This makes a great back-pocket statement Julie can now share on social media or keep to empower her to action.

Focus on Online Presence

Now that Julie has taken the time to find her passion and voice, she can focus on her online presence. For an art student, this can appear in tons of different ways. Julie can take pictures of her art and post them to social media, engage in popular drawing challenges, or maybe even offer commissions. Most of all, she can allow her personality to shine through online. Personal branding based on authenticity will always be most effective, and can even be a fun way to express yourself!

Network

Personal branding isn’t only about promotion—it’s also centered around connection. Finding your people can be a great way to get your work out into the world. For Julie, this might look like attending local shows, workshops, or connecting with others in class. Professional networking doesn’t just exist at conferences or networking groups and can start anywhere—all it takes is kindness and respect.

At the end of this process, our student Julie walks away feeling more sure of her identity and future goals. Not only has she zeroed in on the kind of art she wants to make, but she’s found her voice, met people with similar interests, and made her mark online. Julie’s story is an example for any passion or industry a student is interested in pursuing. Simply equipping students with the knowledge of effective personal branding can be freeing—because they can start at any time.

How Educators Can Support Students in Personal Branding

Everyone’s Path and Branding Will Look Different

Remember: developing a personal brand as a student isn’t for everyone. Some students know exactly what they want to do after graduation and are eager to take the next step. Others are still exploring and feel uncertain which path is for them. One thing is certain—it’s impossible to authentically market yourself if you don’t know who you are or what you want.

Though personal branding is worth talking about with students, acknowledging that everyone’s path looks different is important. Not everyone knows what they want right when they graduate from high school, and that’s okay! Self discovery is a life long journey. Simply giving students the tools to learn about themselves will help them throughout life as they inevitably change.

That’s why ERA’s first pillar is Self and Career Discovery. This foundation is essential for success in the classroom and life. We can’t properly show up for others if we don’t show up for ourselves.

Use a Variety of Techniques to Engage Students

Here are some ways to foster self-awareness and motivation in the classroom so the personal branding process can begin:

Career Exploration Projects: Have students present on jobs they may be interested in. By taking research into their own hands with project-based learning, students can have a deeper understanding of their best career options. PBL is especially effective when students have an opportunity to share with an audience at the end of their research. Resources like personality tests or guest speakers can also help spark curiosity and reveal different career paths.
Journaling: Encourage students to keep a journal and document their future goals. Prompts given in the classroom can help activate creativity and open up different avenues of exploration.
Inspiration in the Classroom: Before class each day, offer up inspiration for students to dream big with their goals. TED talks, articles, or inspirational quotes can push students to go beyond what they think they’re capable of achieving.
Goal Setting Check-Ins: Guide students in setting short or long-term SMART goals. Oftentimes, this can be a good indicator of where their interests and passions lie.

Final Thoughts

Personal branding doesn’t need to be over the top—it can simply exist in how we treat other people and ourselves. For students especially, being aware of the power of personal branding can help them make sound decisions, online and off. At the end of the day, it’s a reminder that we don’t have to wait to start shaping our futures—by showcasing our skills and passions to the world, we can pave our own way.

Honoring each student’s unique journey and equipping them with the right tools prepares them not just for careers but lifelong growth. At ERA, we’re determined to bring life skills to education so the next generation can thrive in the classroom. To learn more about our mission to support education reform, check out our Life Discovery curriculum. Or contact us today and join in the fight to help students succeed in the 21st century!

References

Gorbatov, S., Khapova, S. N., & Lysova, E. I. (2019). Get noticed to get ahead: The impact of personal branding on career success. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02662 ↩︎
Braesemann, F., & Stephany, F. (2020). Social Media Self-Branding and Success: Quantitative Evidence from a Model Competition. Cornell University. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2007.04113 ↩︎
Manolache, M., & Epuran, G. (2023). The mediating impact of goal–role clarity on the relationship between feedback-seeking behavior and goal orientations with job satisfaction intrinsic cognitions and person–organization fit. Sustainability, 15(17), 12776. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712776 ↩︎
Pathmanathan, P., & Dodamgoda, N. (2018). The impact of personal characteristics on personal branding in reflection to employability. Information Management and Business Review, 10(2), 38–50. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v10i2.2391 ↩︎
Schallehn, M., Burmann, C., & Riley, N. (2014). Brand authenticity: Model development and empirical testing. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 23(3), 192–199. https://doi.org/10.1108/jpbm-06-2013-0339 ↩︎
Girard, T., & Pinar, M. (2021). Examining the use of social media in building a student personal brand and the impact of demographics. Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.33423/jmdc.v15i3.4535 ↩︎
Express Employment Professionals. (2023, August 25). Social media integral to recruiting as most businesses use it to source, research and screen candidates. PRWeb. https://www.prweb.com/releases/social-media-integral-to-recruiting-as-most-businesses-use-it-to-source-research-and-screen-candidates-828377504.html ↩︎