Quick Answer
Yes, high school students who are 13 years of age or older can create a LinkedIn account. LinkedIn requires users to be at least 13 years old to sign up. High school students can use LinkedIn to build their professional network, join groups, follow companies, and build their resumes.
Can High School Students Legally Sign Up for LinkedIn?
LinkedIn’s user agreement states that you must be at least 13 years old to create an account. Here is an excerpt from LinkedIn’s user agreement regarding age requirements:
You must be at least thirteen years old to register for and use our Services. If you are under eighteen years old, you may use our Services only with involvement of a parent or legal guardian. Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring that all account information entered by a minor is true, accurate, and complete.
So yes, any high school student aged 13 and above can legally create a LinkedIn account as long as they provide accurate information. Students under 13 years old are prohibited from using LinkedIn.
Why Would a High School Student Want a LinkedIn Profile?
Here are some of the main reasons a high school student may want to create a LinkedIn profile:
Get a Head Start on Their Professional Network
Creating a LinkedIn profile early allows students to start building their professional network. They can connect with family, friends, teachers, coaches, employers, college alumni and more. The larger their network, the more opportunities they may uncover in the future.
Join Relevant Groups
LinkedIn groups allow members to share content and engage in discussions focused on specific industries, interests or topics. By joining groups, high schoolers can expand their knowledge and connect with like-minded professionals or peers. Some groups they may want to join include college alumni associations, student clubs, academic honor societies, volunteer organizations, and more.
Follow Companies and Organizations
Following companies on LinkedIn allows students to receive updates on hiring, events and any news related to the organization. Staying up-to-date on an industry helps prepare high schoolers for future jobs and college majors. Following nonprofits can help students find volunteer opportunities.
Build Their Personal Brand
A LinkedIn profile lets students begin shaping their personal brand and image as a young professional. Profiles with about summaries, skills, volunteer work, recommendations and projects allow students to highlight achievements and share their ambitions.
Discover Internships and Jobs
The LinkedIn Jobs portal allows users to search millions of listings for internships and entry-level roles. High schoolers can search for relevant opportunities and potentially get a head start on their career path. Many summer internships are open to students 16 and older.
Research Colleges and Majors
By following universities and alumni pages, students can gain insight into campus culture, academics and post-graduation outcomes for various majors. This can help them evaluate potential colleges and degree programs.
What Information Should a High School Student Include?
Here are some tips on the key information high school students should include on their LinkedIn profile:
Profile Photo
Add a professional headshot in business or business casual attire. The photo should clearly show your face. Backgrounds should be neutral. Avoid casual photos with friends, pets, etc.
Headline
The headline under your name can list your high school and anticipated graduation date, for example: “Student at Smith High School, Class of 2025”.
About Summary
Use 2-3 paragraphs to summarize your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, skills, interests and career aspirations as a high school student.
Work Experience
List any part-time jobs, internships, freelance work, family business involvement or volunteer work. Include organization names, position titles, dates and brief descriptions of your responsibilities.
Education
Add current high school and expected graduation date. You can also list key coursework, relevant projects, academic honors and involvement in sports/clubs.
Skills
Curate a list of 5-10 key skills – these may include technical abilities, foreign languages, soft skills or other expertise relevant to future jobs or college studies.
Recommendations
Ask managers, teachers, coaches, employers or other associates to write a recommendation highlighting your strengths as a student and young professional.
Accomplishments
Share relevant honors, awards, certifications, press mentions and projects. These help demonstrate well-rounded experiences.
Interests
Add hobbies or interests to share a bit of personality and connect with others. You can also follow related companies, groups or influencers.
Profile URL
Customize your unique LinkedIn URL with your name or a username that looks professional.
10 LinkedIn Profile Tips for High School Students
Here are 10 additional tips to create an impactful, professional LinkedIn presence as a high school student:
1. Showcase Leadership Roles
Highlight student government, club/team captain positions, group project leadership and similar roles that display responsibility.
2. Demonstrate Community Involvement
Share volunteer work, fundraisers participated in and causes you actively support as examples of community engagement.
3. Use a Custom URL
Change your profile link to include your name instead of random numbers and letters.
4. Outline Transferable Skills
What skills from schoolwork, activities, internships or jobs could translate to future college and career success?
5. Build Your Network
Connect with friends, relatives, peers and leaders who can support your goals. Aim for quality, not quantity, in your connections.
6. Follow Companies You’re Interested In
Research organizations you may want to work for or partner with and follow their LinkedIn page for updates.
7. Showcase Results & Impact
Quantify achievements. Instead of “Volunteered at a nonprofit”, say “Fundraised $2500 for local charity through car wash event”.
8. Join School and Local Groups
Search groups related to your high school, hometown or hobbies to meet similar members.
9. Get Recommendations
Ask managers, professors, or classmates who can positively highlight your abilities for recommendations.
10. Share Examples of Skills
Don’t just list skills – demonstrate them with projects, presentations, online courses, academics, publications or other examples and work samples.
Should High School Students Disclose Their Age on LinkedIn?
It is not mandatory for high school students to list their exact age on their LinkedIn profile. However, they are required to provide their accurate date of birth when signing up for an account to verify they meet the minimum age requirement of 13 years.
Once registered, high schoolers can simply list their high school name and anticipated graduation date instead of their age if preferred. Listing the high school provides enough context that they are a current student without disclosing exact age.
Some students choose to list their age or birth year in the Contact Info section of their profile. This can demonstrate transparency as a young LinkedIn user. However, it is up to each user’s discretion. As long as the birth date used to register was accurate, high school students do not have to publicly reveal their exact age.
Should You Connect with College Admissions Officers?
Many high school students wonder if they should connect with college admissions officers on LinkedIn. There are pros and cons to consider when deciding whether or not to connect.
Potential Benefits
Here are some possible benefits of connecting with college admissions staff:
- Demonstrates interest in the college.
- Opens direct communication channel for any questions.
- Lets you share involvement updates they may find compelling.
- Allows admissions officer to view your profile and put a name to an application.
- Gives context beyond test scores and grades if you have an impressive profile.
Potential Drawbacks
Here are some potential drawbacks:
- May seem like you are trying too hard to promote yourself.
- Profiles with inappropriate content could hurt your application.
- Colleges likely will not base decisions solely on LinkedIn connections.
- Adds pressure to keep your profile regularly maintained and updated.
- Direct outreach could annoy busy admissions staff.
Overall, connecting with admissions officers is unlikely to significantly influence the outcome of an application. Students should focus on making their profiles presentable and professional just in case admissions staff view them. But excessive outreach is not necessary.
Can You Get a Job with Only a LinkedIn Profile?
While having a strong LinkedIn presence is helpful for students seeking jobs, a profile alone is unlikely to secure employment. Here is an overview of how LinkedIn can (and can’t) help high schoolers find jobs:
How a LinkedIn Profile Can Help
- Showcases involvement, skills and motivation as an applicant.
- Surfaces relevant job openings that may not be advertised elsewhere.
- Allows students to expand their professional network.
- Gives employers added context beyond just a resume.
- Lets students directly engage with company pages and employees.
What a LinkedIn Profile Can’t Do
- Guarantee a job – you still need to formally apply and interview.
- Take the place of a resume, cover letter or application.
- Get you a job on its own without actively applying for openings.
So in summary, while having a strong LinkedIn presence can improve a high school student’s visibility and networking opportunities, it is not enough on its own to directly secure a job offer. Formal applications and interviews are still required.
Should You Pay for LinkedIn Premium as a Student?
LinkedIn Premium offers several benefits like unlocking profile visitors, searching profiles anonymously and using advanced messaging and analytics tools. But the free version offers enough features for most high school students’ needs.
Here is an overview of pros and cons of paying for Premium as a student:
Potential Benefits of Premium
- See who has viewed your profile.
- Advanced profile search filters.
- Ability to message anyone, even without connecting.
- Take unlimited free online courses.
- Access extra profile customization features.
Drawbacks of Paying for Premium
- Cost ranges from $24-$60 per month.
- Free account has enough features for most students.
- You can still build a strong profile and network without premium.
- May not provide enough added value as a high school user.
Overall, LinkedIn Premium provides some useful upgrades, but is likely not worth the cost for most high school students who can build a solid foundation with the free account options. However, taking advantage of Premium’s free online courses can be very beneficial for students.
Conclusion
Having a professional LinkedIn profile offers many advantages for high school students preparing for college and future careers. Students should carefully curate their profile to highlight skills, achievements, involvement and goals.
While LinkedIn can help expand networking and job opportunities, it works best when paired with formal applications and resumes. High schoolers should keep their audience in mind and avoid sharing unprofessional content. With the right strategy, LinkedIn can provide a valuable platform for students to get a head start on their professional image and future success.
