Establishing and Protecting Your Brand

Adulting comes with all kinds of new trials and tribulations for teens. These tips help teens protect their brand as they enter adulthood.

These days, teenagers have heightened expectations placed upon them if they are to succeed throughout their working lives. It can feel like walking on eggshells if you are not careful. Preserving your most important relationships becomes a daunting task the very second you graduate high school. One mistake, and everything that you’ve worked tirelessly for can slip through the cracks of your fingers quicker than your iPhone after you’ve stepped out of a shower. Thankfully, there are several steps that you can take now to ensure that your brand is protected as you make your way through your early adulthood.

Your Digital Footprint

Meme culture has infiltrated everyone’s brains, for better or worse. On one hand, meme culture has made it possible for strangers to connect on deep levels because we all feel like we share deep seated “inside jokes,” except they are shared with everyone who is on social media. It’s important to be responsible and respectful with the voice that you use on social media. Your friends, relatives, and colleagues will all see what you post. People often forget about “lurkers,” too–people who keep an eye out for you without your knowledge. Everything that you say online has the potential to come back to you, even years later. Insensitive comments made in passing ten years ago have made people lose jobs, friends, and significant others.

Your Brand Development

Over time, you’ll develop a solid idea of what your brand consists of. Elements of your personality, your speech patterns, and your expertise will all culminate into your overall “brand.” There are experts who specialize in brand development for young people, but you’ll do a lot of this work yourself. Spend time getting inspiration from Pinterest, LinkedIn, and other social media so that you can accurately establish your brand. These websites provide resources for you to deeply understand how you present yourself, both in physical terms (the way you dress) and “invisible” terms (the way you speak). Create a brand that you’re proud of.

Your Network

You may have heard that a large part of success relies upon who you know. Your closest connections can open doors for you that you didn’t even know existed. For example, a teacher from high school may recommend you to your dream college or job. Preserving these relationships is crucial; you should always conduct yourself with poise, respect, and confidence. Sometimes, your greatest allies will be found in unlikely places. Also, ensure that you have a professional resume and email address to contact professional connections. While “memelord69@email.com” may be okay for friends and family, it’s a safer bet to choose “firstname.lastname@email.com” for job applications or other professional conversations. Similarly, your resume does not need to be full of experience right off the bat. Instead, keep relevant experience to the field you wish to enter on hand, such as educational or volunteer experience. Your skills, professionalism, and personality are all valuable assets to your professional and personal connections.

Overall, protecting your brand will consist of both everyday and larger-scale actions that eventually culminate into a successful career and personal life. Everybody has a brand, and these days, everybody is a brand. Circles are so closely intertwined that there’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to establishing a solid, reputable brand. Don’t let that intimidate you! Instead, take inspiration from those you admire as you figure yourself out. You’ll figure out adulting eventually.

Categories: : Getting and Managing a Career