This paper starts by an explanation of the context of personal branding and online personal branding and the problem identified by the authors. Thus, the purpose of the study is to investigate on the perception of students towards online personal branding through their own personal brand and with the perspective of matching employer’s expectations. A section reviewing online personal branding and related literature is provided in order to describe among others, the several components of the elaboration of an online personal brand and the different employers’ expectations towards this brand. Next, a section describing the different methods used in the study is implemented. The data of this paper is gathered through 13 semistructured interviews based on an operationalization of the different concepts presented in the theoretical framework section. The results are then presented in the empirical investigation section following recurrent identified themes bring by the respondents: The need to fit the norm, to stand out and of control. Then the data is analyzed through the theories and is therefore following the different components of an elaboration of a personal brand including the different items related to employer’s consideration and practices. Then the conclusion is drawing in order to answering the research question as well as providing some acknowledgement and recommendations. This paper has permitted to describe the perception of student towards online personal branding with the perspective of matching employers’ expectations. This perception is a rather incomplete online personal brand, consisting of a normalized image of the self, a tool for a certain self-realization towards a limited audience and a have a certain perception of an overall control of this online personal brand.

Up until now, there has only been a limited amount of research in the field of online self- presentation in combination with young adults transitioning from a social to a professional self online. The purpose of this thesis is to extend the existing literature and address the gap by exploring how students present themselves before, during and after the transition from university to work. The study was built on the self-presentation theory by Erving Goffman (1959) in combination with the role identity theory as well as the career development framework by Donald Super (1980). To answer the research question and fulfill the purpose of this study an exploratory research method in combination with a qualitative, inductive research approach was chosen. Ten long, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted using the long interview guide by McCracken. Individuals from Germany and Sweden between the ages of 21 and 26 were interviewed. The main findings showed that young adults categorize social media networks into two categories: private (social) and public (professional) applications. Individuals of the establishment phase meaning after transition to work represent a more professional self and alter other parts of the self. This process takes place over time and the representation of a professional self increased in importance and relevance. Individuals of the exploration phase meaning before transitioning to work show intentional behavior patterns towards their social self but not professional self. Therefore, the further individuals move towards the next life phase the more the presentation of the self moves towards a professional and intentional appearance online when in front stage. When in backstage privacy settings enable a carefully chosen audience for the more private self to be shared. The process of online self-presentation on social media is still a more intuitive process but the transition between different types of self can be linked to a stronger identification with a new life role. / Fram tills nu har det endast gjorts en begränsad mängd forskning inom online-självpresentation i kombination med unga vuxna som övergår från ett socialt till ett professionellt online-jag. Syftet med denna uppsats är att utöka den befintliga litteraturen och ta itu med kunskapsgapet genom att utforska hur studenter presenterar sig före, under och efter övergången från universitet till arbete. Studien byggdes på självpresentationsteorin av Erving Goffman (1959) i kombination med rollidentitetsteorin och karriärutvecklingsramen av Donald Super (1980). För att besvara forskningsfrågan och uppfylla syftet med denna studie valdes en explorativ forskningsmetod i kombination med en kvalitativ, induktiv forskningsstrategi. Tio halvstrukturerade djupintervjuer genomfördes med hjälp av McCrackens långa intervjuguide. Individer från Tyskland och Sverige i åldern 21 till 26 år intervjuades. De viktigaste resultaten visade att unga vuxna kategoriserar sociala medier i två kategorier: privata (sociala) och offentliga (professionella) användningsområden. Individer från etableringsfasen, som innebär fasen efter övergång till arbete, representerar ett mer professionellt jag i jämförelse med andra delar av jaget. Denna process sker över tid och representationen av ett professionellt jag ökade i betydelse och relevans. Individer i utforskningsfasen, vilket innebär fasen innan övergång till arbete, visar avsiktliga beteendeförändringar mot sitt sociala jag men inte mot det professionella jaget. Följaktligen, desto längre individer rör sig mot nästa livsfas, desto mer rör sig självpresentationen mot ett professionellt och avsiktligt framträdande online när de befinner sig på den publika scenen. När de befinner sig i bakgrunden kan det mer privata jaget delas för en noggrant utvald publik. Processen med självpresentation online på sociala medier är fortfarande en mer intuitiv process men övergången mellan olika typer av jag kan kopplas till en starkare identifiering med en ny livsroll.