As college students and young adults, one of the main things we tend to overlook is the importance of building our personal brands. Your brand defines who you are in the professional world. It sets the stage for the opportunities that will come your way and the options you will have in your lifetime — something we should all work on having. It's responsible for landing you that job you want, that awesome opportunity to travel to Dubai, or maybe even a great partnership with a notable public figure or corporation. With the ever-evolving technology at our fingertips and popular social media platforms, we should be doing the most to be respectfully recognized as capable and qualified individuals. This week, I'm giving you two reasons why establishing your personal brand should be at the top of your list of priorities.

1. Opportunities

Opportunities come in various ways and sometimes once in a lifetime. They could present themselves to you whether in your career life and/or your personal life. Building your unique brand showcases your skills and talents to the world, and through marketing these gifts properly, you are inevitably channeling great opportunities down your path.

It has been said on countless occasions that, "good things come to those who wait," which is true. Patience is a commendable virtue, but I also believe that great things come to those who work for it. Taking the time and using your efforts to define yourself in a world filled with carbon copies of each other, is a job within itself, and the mere fact that you've shown great interest in creating your own unique identity, shows potential employers, investors, clients or partners that you're ready to take on whatever task is presented to you.

2. Self-Development

Developing your brand is basically a self-study in which you share with the public. During this self-investigation, you highlight your interests, your strengths, and your weaknesses. By now, you should know that the way in which you perceive yourself is mostly how others perceive you. By building your unique brand, you are ultimately displaying your highest level of self-confidence. It shows that no one defines you but yourself and that you're willing to put in the effort to stand out from the crowd. Through your brand, you will give onlookers and genuinely interested people an insight to the type of person you are, and the type of person you are working on becoming.

Initially, the idea of "building your brand," will seem scary, far-fetched, or maybe even impossible. Take this from me; it takes time, diligence and genuine effort, but in the end, it will be totally worth it. Think about it this way: no one wants to hire, sponsor or even be associated with someone who doesn't hold themselves in high regards. It's your time to shine, so beginning today, think about the special gifts you have to offer and how best you can showcase them to the world.