A recent study from the University of East Anglia has unveiled how Generation Z views online “personal brands” as a critical tool for gaining a competitive advantage in job markets. The research highlights the importance of developing authentic strategies and tactics for online personal branding to bridge the gap between Gen Z’s desired and perceived images on social media while job hunting.
Gen Z individuals, born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, prefer a more dynamic and interactive approach to personal branding that allows for imperfections and weaknesses to be shared instead of presenting a “perfect” image. These findings suggest that Gen Z utilizes this approach as a means of building trust and engagement with potential employers.
“As Gen Z start graduating from university and entering the competitive job market, understanding how they enter the workforce is important,” the researchers explain. “Less is known about the Gen Z student perspective, and their brand-building strategies, brand goals and motivation, and how they manage risks associated with their images when promoting on social media.”
Different generations
The primary distinguishing factor between Millennials and Gen Z is the extent of technology usage from an early age and how this has influenced their online conduct. Gen Z individuals remain connected to digital platforms through various activities, including interacting with their networks, playing games, watching videos, and creating their own content for sharing on social media.
Social media has become a crucial tool for shaping the personal brand of job seekers, and Gen Z’s approach to presenting themselves authentically on these platforms can significantly impact their job search efforts and influence hiring decisions. Consequently, personal branding has emerged as a critical component in achieving career success.
“We found that authenticity was perceived to play a central role in personal branding, as well as being the most crucial characteristic of Gen Z online personal brands that employers expected to find,” the researchers explain.
“Personal branding has shifted from celebrities and top-tier managers to employees and job seekers, making the ways in which people market themselves more of a conscious effort. Job seekers today need to effectively communicate their talents to prospective employers.”
Personal branding
In this study, final-year Gen Z students from a UK university were interviewed, along with recruiters and career advisors, to gain insights into the recruitment process and expectations surrounding online personal branding.
Prior to the interviews, the participants’ profiles on the professional social media platform LinkedIn were evaluated and used in the interview process. All Gen Z participants acknowledged the significance of digital personal branding as a crucial tool to present themselves and create favorable impressions on potential employers. Building and managing personal brands was found to benefit both Gen Z students and employers in the recruitment process.
Strategies such as effective self-reflection, authentic communication, self-promotion, awareness of risks, and continual monitoring of digital footprints were recommended to establish stronger and more coherent personal brands.
“Previous research has argued that professionals tend to maintain a perfect image online, but we find that for Gen Z job seekers, an imperfect online image works better,” the authors explain.
Career progression
The greater the focus of Gen Z students on presenting their personal brands on platforms such as LinkedIn, the higher the likelihood that employers will find their profiles and be able to assess their skills, talents, traits, and fit with company culture. Employers highly recommend Gen Z students to build LinkedIn profiles as a means of showcasing their professional skills.
The researchers suggest that universities should gather personal brand information from Gen Z students to better understand them and provide tailored guidance on achieving personal goals based on skills, knowledge, and opportunities for growth.
Organizations should make use of all available opportunities to engage with student job seekers, share their cultures, and be transparent about position requirements. Creating an authentic personal brand can also benefit organizations in significant ways. For instance, recruiters can quickly identify unique attributes and determine if candidates align with the organization’s culture, saving time, money, and resources while recruiting the most suitable employees.
