Educational consultants from abroad and other states are doing the rounds of the city schools, hardselling a new concept: ?personal branding?.

It?s a trendy method of helping students choose the course of study best suited to his or her individual aptitude and capability, rather than making a beeline to collect forms from the top colleges.

?The personal branding phenomenon is all about taking control, whether you?re an ambitious professional, a student or an entrepreneur. It is the intersection of what one is, what one wants to be, and what one?s institution expects from him or her. It highlights the individual?s special skills and talents that others value,? said Indrani Sinha Seth, Calcutta-based regional head coach of The College-Source Consulting India Pvt Ltd.

?It?s for people who want to take charge of their lives, who want to develop a strong sense of identity and purpose and for people who want to raise their profile and positively influence the way others perceive them,? she explained. ?After all, it is essential to stand out and get noticed.?

?The right fit is the key to a positive experience. A lot of importance is attached to grades and scores here, whereas the aim is to expose personality traits in the US. A ?personal brand? co-relates an individual?s values, abilities and personality traits, the associations that affect all aspects of their lives including careers,? said Prab Singh, country director of The College-Source.

According to him, the aim is to recognise special talents and hone them. These skills make an individual stand out in global competition.

?And Calcutta students, in particular, are suited to this concept, since they are more open to the international perspective than students from other metropolitan cities. They are more adventurous, more inclined towards community services, and have better communication and presentation skills that get them into a comfort zone quicker,? he said.

?It's a way of clarifying and communicating what makes them different and special. Using these qualities, one can separate themselves from their peers so that they can greatly expand their success,? Sinha Seth added.

Tamil Nadu-based Anto Xavier, representing Turning Point, was in Calcutta recently to attend a seminar on ?Opportunities for Higher Studies in Tamil Nadu?, where he expressed his desire to help students and parents through career guidance and counselling.