Career Development Resources
Personal Branding
What is personal branding?
Your personal brand is the professional impression you leave on others.
It reflects your skills, strengths, values, experiences, and the way you present yourself to employers, faculty, classmates, and professional connections.
Your brand is not about becoming someone you are not. It’s about communicating your authentic strengths with confidence and consistency. Everything from your resume and LinkedIn profile to your classroom engagement, emails, interviews, and online presence contributes to your professional reputation.
What a strong personal brand helps you do
- Stand out during internships and job searches.
- Communicate your strengths and career interests.
- Build confidence and credibility with employers.
- Expand your professional network.
- Demonstrate professionalism online and in person.
- Leave a positive, lasting impression.
How to build your professional brand
Know yourself
- Identify your interests, strengths, values, skills, and career goals.
- Reflect on what makes you unique.
Gain meaningful experience
- Participate in internships, research, campus employment, leadership, student organizations, volunteer service, study abroad, or class projects.
Develop career-ready skills
- Strengthen communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism, critical thinking, technology, and career & self-development skills.
Create a professional online presence
- Maintain an up-to-date LinkedIn profile.
- Use a professional email address and photo.
- Be mindful of your public social media presence.
Build your network
- Connect with faculty, alumni, employers, mentors, and classmates.
- Attend career fairs, networking events, and employer information sessions.
Tell your story
- Practice introducing yourself confidently, including your elevator pitch.
- Be prepared to discuss your major, experiences, and career goals.
Personal branding checklist
- Create or update your resume.
- Build and maintain your LinkedIn profile.
- Develop your elevator pitch.
- Gain meaningful experience each year.
- Attend networking events.
- Meet with a Career Development Coach.
- Keep your online presence professional.
- Continue learning and developing new skills.
Your major tells employers what you studied. Your personal brand tells them who you are.
The experiences you pursue, the skills you develop, the relationships you build, and the way you present yourself all contribute to your professional story.
Want feedback on your brand?
Meet with a Career Development Coach for help with your resume, LinkedIn profile, and elevator pitch.