5 Reasons To Start Building Your Personal Brand In College
They say that college years are the best years of your life. It’s easy for students to get distracted and focus more on having fun than planning their future. Four years go so quickly, that you get to the end of it and feel as if you’re floating in the middle of an ocean with no direction. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. By building your personal brand in college, you expose yourself to the complexities of the professional environment early on. If you want to know why you should start building your personal brand while in college, keep reading.
1) It Will Give You an Advantage in the Job Market
Did you know that some companies scout talent before graduation? They hire head hunters to secure the most promising candidates and they use websites like LinkedIn to do so. By developing your personal brand and putting yourself out there, you increase your chances of being found by one of these head hunters.
2) You Increase Your Chances of Being Hired Straight After College
According to research conducted by the University of Washington, it takes 3 to 6 months to find a job after graduation. Additionally, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York claim that there is a 41% unemployment rate amongst college graduates. If you’re scouted by a head hunter, you’ll have an interview during your final year and the company will provisionally hire you depending on your grades. So you’ll literally step out of college and into a job.
3) It Keeps You Focused
As mentioned, college can get pretty wild and you can spend more time partying than studying. But the aim of college is to prepare you for the real world. By building a personal brand while in college, you are constantly reminded of what you’re there for, and what you hope to achieve after graduation.
4) You Can Spend Time Developing Your Skills
You may not know exactly what you want to do, but your skill set will become more apparent during your college years. You can add some credentials to your resume by taking some online courses, or participating in extra curricular activities to strengthen your skills which will give you additional credibility and make you more employable. It may seem like a bit much to take on extra courses while you’re studying for a degree; however, it will be worth it in the end. Maybe you can sacrifice going out one night a week and work on your online course?
5) You Won’t Feel Disillusioned After College
It is not uncommon for students to feel completely lost after college. Students are sometimes left feeling totally disillusioned and not knowing what to do. Looking for a job after graduation is never a good idea and you should start a few months before, and practice your interviewing skills in the hopes of having a few interviews lined up straight after graduation. A lot of students get frustrated after graduation because they thought the hard work was over. They expect employers to fall at their feet because they’ve got a degree and are unpleasantly surprised when their emails and phones are not blowing up with job opportunities. The reality is that things get even harder after college, you’re thrown into a competitive marketplace with some extremely skilled candidates and you’ll be in for one hell of a fight. But developing your personal brand while in college will ensure that you don’t feel disillusioned after graduation. You’ll be well prepared, and ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.
As much as you want to have fun and enjoy college life, balance is important. Yes, go to some parties and let your hair down, but remember why you’re there and start building your personal brand so that you’re ten steps ahead of the game after graduation.
Source: Goldie Chan
