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Do you feel awkward talking about yourself? Do you cringe every time you hear the word “elevator pitch”?

That is totally fine and you are not the only one who feels this way. The fact that you are reading this post tells me that you are the kind of person who cares about interacting with others in your most authentic way possible. You wish to express yourself, but don’t know what to convey, let alone how to do so.

Well, let me guide you from being as lost as freshmen on their first day on-campus to building an aligned brand that you wouldn’t feel embarrassed about. Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as you think.

Why Should I Build My Personal Brand With Intention?

Perhaps you might be thinking to yourself that you can just ‘wing it’ and go with the flow. After all, you can’t control what others think of you, right? That is true, but wouldn’t you like to ensure that you have done what you can to increase your chances of leaving a great impression?

This doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be someone you’re not. It means portraying yourself in a way that feels true to you, and one that showcases your strengths and work you’ve done thus far.

Whether you are aware of it or not, you already have a personal brand. People can tell what it is from the way you speak, write and interact with others (both online and in-person). For example, what comes to your mind when you think of Jackie Chan? Is it martial arts? Comedy movies? These are the impressions that people have of him. Branding is not limited to companies, celebrities, or influencers though. It applies to everyone, including you and I.

Even if you don’t have any plans to appear on the big screens, it is still crucial for you to be aware of what impressions you are leaving.

If you are applying for internships or job hunting, recruiters and hiring managers are going to want to know more about you, before they hire you.

That doesn’t mean you are bragging or boasting about your achievements. It is about showcasing them.

Think about it. You can be the best boxer in the world, but if you don’t show it, no one will know.

Now that you are aware of the importance of consciously creating your brand, how can you go about curating it?

What’s Your Style?

The first step to building your personal brand is to know yourself. You can start by answering the following questions:

• How would your friends describe you?
• What clothes do you like to wear?
• What organisations or people do you love to support?
• What top 3 values align with you the most?

If you are still unsure, take a look at your wardrobe and past photos of yourself. Note down the outfits you tend to wear, and the things that bring you joy. You could also gain some inspiration from different brands’ colour palettes, and adapt it to your liking.

Do you gravitate towards certain colours, shapes, objects or themes?

Even if you are convinced that you have ‘no style’, that is still considered an aesthetic.

Once you’ve listed down some of these words, think of what images and adjectives come to your mind. For instance, I love nature and neutral colours, so some images that come to mind are plants, light grey colours and nourishing spaces.

Create a Personal Portfolio Website

One way to showcase your personal brand in the online space is through your own website. (I promise creating one is not as complicated as you think it is.) Granted, there are many other ways to stand out an interview, but one of the best is to demonstrate that you are self-directed and motivated.

You can use free hosting platforms as a start (Your website URL will include the name of the platform, such as .wordpress or .weebly). Alternatively, I highly recommend that you use a self-hosted platform because it gives you more credibility and customisation to your brand.

Personally, I’ve been using Bluehost since I started this blog. I like its ease of navigation (great for beginners!) and affordability. Their default pricing starts from $3.75/month and it renews at $8.99/month in subsequent years. With my link, you can get started at only $2.75/month which includes a free domain for your first year. It’s a worthwhile investment, and you get all this for the price of a cup of bubble tea!

As you work on your website, you might like to include images to complement your texts. Besides displaying your own portraits and pictures of your projects, you can also use free stock photos from platforms such as Unsplash and Pexels. If you don’t want to spend too much time searching for the perfect images that blend well with your brand, you could consider signing up for a stock photo membership.

I personally have been using Tide and Tree’s beautiful images for this blog, and I’ve received positive comments about how stunning they look. If you are looking for neutral, soul-nourishing and nature-inspired images, the Tide and Tree stock photo membership would be the perfect fit. (Use code beatricekhoo for 20% off any plan.)

I highly recommend their membership if you wish to take a step further in elevating your brand and creating a cohesive look. You can also take their brand quiz if you are unsure of what theme would suit you best. I’ve been in contact with their founder, Charlie, and love how she takes member requests seriously!

Besides discovering more about yourself, there are many other benefits from having a personal portfolio website. You could improve on skills such as writing, designing, resourcefulness and time management. (All of which comes in handy for school and work!)

What if you really can’t think of anything to put in your portfolio?

Well, I remember I too, did not have a lot of work and project experiences to include before I entered university. In that case, try to dig up past projects you did in school. Even that small assignment you had to submit to your professor could be one of them.

If you are still struggling to figure out what to showcase in your portfolio, a good starting point is to provide an introduction of yourself and talk about what you are passionate about.

You could also create a new project and document its progress in your website as you go along. It would serve as a great way to stay accountable and review your learning.

What if you’re scared to reveal too much information about yourself?

In the beginning, I was a little apprehensive about sharing my personal life with ‘strangers’ on the Internet. However, I realised that I can still selectively write about aspects of my life that I am comfortable with. (It’s a bit similar to vlogging where viewers only see certain parts of the vlogger’s day.)

See this as a tool to help you document your work and make an impression on people who would like to get to know you. Just be careful not to disclose personal data such as your address and phone number.

Ultimately, you are the one in charge and get to choose what information you would like to share. If you’re not comfortable posting it, don’t.

How often should you update it?

As often as you like. It might take longer than usual to get it all set up, but once you have, it would be great to look over it once every 2-3 months (same for your resume and LinkedIn profile). If you are consistently publishing content on it, you can aim to post at least once a month or once every 2 months.

You Decide How You Want It To Be

It is really up to you what you would like to share, and how you go about doing it. Nothing is set in stone and you don’t necessarily have to follow a certain structure. Be creative and don’t overthink it. If you see the benefits of doing this, you will put in the effort and make time for it.

How do you leave a good impression? One piece of advice I learnt the hard way is to not try too hard. The more you pretend to be someone you’re not, the more you attract people you don’t like, and the less you attract people who you’d rather be around.

If you notice that you are comparing yourself with others, remember that they were probably once in your shoes. Everyone has to start somewhere, so take the first step. With time, you will get there.

How would you describe your brand? Which of the tips do you plan to implement? Do you already have a personal website? Let me know in the comments below!

As you go through university, let me help you create your best term ever with my free guide.