What are your thoughts on LinkedIn for high school students? Do you recommend it?
I've already done quite a bit of research on this topic, and have found that most professionals advocate for high school students to have one to increase their digital footprint (positively). I still want to hear more input from professionals, and what they think! Just to put into perspective, I'm in grade 10 and looking to acquire an internship by the end of grade 11 (as I have mentioned many times on this forum). #internship #college #job-search #job #career #networking
15 answers
Doc’s Answer
The site has well over a million and a half student jobs and internships. And more than 9 in 10 companies use LinkedIn to recruit new hires. If you’re not on LinkedIn, you simply don’t exist in the working world. Think of LinkedIn as your resume that never sleeps. But a lot more. It's your professional brand in the world.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE
In 2013, LinkedIn lowered its minimum age requirement from 18 to 14. More and more high schools are now offering classes that teach students how to make the most of LinkedIn. LinkedIn gives students the power to post their skills and interests — something they’re proud of and want colleges and potential employers to find. When you connect to favorite teachers, coaches and mentors on LinkedIn, you make it easy for them to stay in touch and follow your progress. They can write better recommendations and continue to support you.
MOVE TO THE HEAD OF THE CLASS
According to LinkedIn Aun, only 9% of high school students use LinkedIn, meaning those who do have a better chance of standing out from their peers. In fact, social media experts are coaching students to create well thought-out profiles on LinkedIn and bringing them to the attention of college admissions officers. While there’s no official spot to link to your profile on a college application, there’s a good chance someone will look at it if you include it.
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Think about it: Taking the time to craft a LinkedIn profile (even if your experience is light) tells a potential boss that you’re serious about your future in the work force. LinkedIn is a unique social platform because it is designed specifically for professional networking. If you’re looking for an internship or part-time job, LinkedIn has well over 1.5 million student jobs and internships up for grabs. And it’s easy to search for specific companies, schools, or fields you’re interested in.
START YOUR PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING NOW
Creating a LinkedIn profile from scratch can be a little intimidating, especially when the site keeps emphasizing that you need to complete as many sections as possible to have a competitive online presence. While it is true that the more LinkedIn features you use the better, it’s not necessary to have content for every section on your profile. Just be sure to be professional and thorough in the sections you do complete.
• PHOTO – A high-quality profile picture of just you (no friends cropped out) in appropriate clothes and smiling.
• HEADLINE – An informative yet catchy headline that succinctly tells people what you do and what you’re excited for in the future.
• SUMMARY – A smart summary statement to highlight your experience, qualifications, and goals, but also show a bit of personality.
• EXPERIENCE – Thorough work and volunteer experience — both are equally important to recruiters. Even include
photos and/or videos from your work you accomplished at each. Admissions officers and employers often see volunteer experience as just as valuable as paid work.
• HONORS & AWARDS – Internships, noteworthy projects, honors, awards, and your GPA, don't be shy. Let the world know about it!
• LEADERSHIP – Whether you led a team assignment in school or built an app on your own, talk about what you did and how you did it.
• SKILLS & EXPERTISE – Add at least 5 key skills and then your connections can endorse you for the things you are best at.
• A unique LinkedIn URL to easily share your profile with others. e.g. www.linkedin.com/in/OttawaAun
https://university.linkedin.com/
To help young people get started, LinkedIn has created an online LinkedIn University, completely dedicated to supporting students while they apply to higher-education institutions and start their careers. One of the most helpful tools for high school students is their LinkedIn Profile Checklist that highlights each section of your profile and explains what should be included.
Hope this was Helpful Aun
Paula’s Answer
Google this for some great tips on why you need a profile and how to create it: LinkedIn Tips for High School Students
Best of luck!
Alecia’s Answer
Ask your friends and family to share connections.
You can highlight awards, volunteer work, interests, and job experience
Toshiba L’s Answer
Katerina’s Answer
Rebecca’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team
Rebecca, CareerVillage.org Team recommends the following next steps:
Liam’s Answer
Christopher’s Answer
Nicole’s Answer
Great question! I work at LinkedIn and I'm excited to see you're thinking about this as a great opportunity for you so early on. I agree with what a lot of the answers already here and I hope this only helps you in your decision.
It will never hurt you to have a LinkedIn profile. If anything, it helps you stand out in the talent pool, like others mentioned. Think of it like your resume but just a step beyond that. Your profile is a digital way to tell your story, who you are, what you're passionate about, what you're skilled at, and more to your network and prospective employers. You own your profile (not your school, university, company, etc.). No one else can speak for you aside from you so let your profile really show who you are and what you want to do.
There are two great resources I recommend to people starting off on LinkedIn. The first is a quick breakdown of tips and tricks when creating a profile. Link is here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rock-your-linkedin-profile-5-easy-steps-perry-van-beek?articleId=6415680603823362048
If your school offers Lynda.com or LinkedIn Learning to you, I highly recommend taking this course by a fellow LinkedIn employee on how to rock your profile. Course link is here: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/rock-your-linkedin-profile
Again, kudos to you for thinking of this early on and please feel free to reach out with any questions along the way. Best of luck to you!
Rich’s Answer
Shefali’s Answer
LinkedIn is definitely recommended for all students looking to join the professional world. It helps find available opportunities.
Based on your interests, you can never down your options easily. It also keeps you updated on the latest developments in your field of interest.
Personally, it has helped me a lot.