LinkedIn is a professional networking platform designed for working professionals to connect with each other and share career opportunities. Given its focus on career development and professional profiles, many people wonder if minors under the age of 18 can have a presence on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn’s Policy on Minors
According to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, individuals must be at least 14 years old to sign up for an account. Here is LinkedIn’s official policy on minors:
The Services are not directed to individuals under the age of fourteen (14), and LinkedIn does not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 14. If LinkedIn obtains knowledge that it has collected personal information from an individual under 14 years of age, it will promptly delete such personal information from its database. If you are the parent or legal guardian of a minor under 14 and believe he or she has disclosed personal information to LinkedIn, please contact us so that we can take appropriate steps to delete the minor’s personal information.
So while LinkedIn does allow users aged 14-17 to create accounts, there are special restrictions and considerations for these teenage users compared to adult users.
Restrictions on Accounts for 14-17 Year Olds
Here are some key restrictions in place for minors between the ages of 14-17 on LinkedIn:
Limited Profile Visibility
By default, profiles for 14-17 year olds are only visible to their 1st degree connections. Their profiles will not show up in searches or be viewable to the general public. This limited visibility helps protect their privacy as minors.
No Public Engagement
Minors cannot actively engage in public discussions on LinkedIn. They cannot post public comments, join Groups, or follow Company Pages until they turn 18. This protects them from unwanted attention from strangers.
No Connecting with Strangers
LinkedIn recommends that minors only connect with people they already know in real life, such as family, friends, classmates, coaches, etc. They should not connect with recruiters, headhunters, or strangers to build up their network. This prevents inappropriate communication with adults they don’t know.
Parental Supervision Recommended
LinkedIn encourages parents to supervise their minor children’s activity on the platform. Parents can check their child’s privacy settings and connections to ensure they stay safe online.
Benefits of a LinkedIn Presence for Teenagers
While LinkedIn imposes restrictions to protect minors, there can also be benefits for teenagers aged 14-17 to have a limited presence on the platform:
Start Building a Professional Online Presence
A basic LinkedIn profile allows teens to begin establishing an online professional brand that can help them in future college and job searches. Having their name, interests, activities, and early work experiences searchable on LinkedIn gets their foot in the door.
Make Connections for Future Opportunities
Teens can connect with extended family, teachers, coaches, mentors, and family friends who may be able to provide career advice, internship opportunities, job referrals, college recommendations, and more down the road. Starting these relationships early is helpful.
Learn Professional Etiquette and “Soft Skills”
Observing how adults network and interact on LinkedIn can help teach teens the etiquette of professional communication. The experience of messaging connections and requesting informational interviews allows them to practice important “soft skills.”
Demonstrate Interest and Motivation in Field
Joining relevant LinkedIn Groups, following Company Pages, and listing career interests allows teenagers to signal passion for future college/job interests like engineering, business, medicine, etc. This demonstrates motivation.
Find Scholarship and Internship Opportunities
Many scholarships and summer internships are advertised on LinkedIn. Teens can discover relevant opportunities by following relevant organizations and looking for program listings.
Guidelines for Responsible LinkedIn Use by Teens
Here are some key guidelines teenagers and their parents should follow to use LinkedIn responsibly and safely:
Only Connect with Trusted Contacts
As mentioned, minors should only connect with people they know well in real life like family, friends, teachers, coaches, etc. Connecting with strangers opens the door for inappropriate communication.
Be Cautious Sharing Personal Info
Don’t share private contact info like phone numbers, email addresses, or home addresses. Also be cautious about sharing details like date of birth, current school, home neighborhood, etc. to avoid security risks.
Review Privacy Settings
Take time to review account privacy settings and change as needed. For example, teens can adjust settings to approve or hide notifications about new followers.
Do Not Misrepresent Age or Professional Qualifications
While some teens may be tempted to pretend to be older or embellish credentials, this is strongly discouraged. Honesty is always the best policy on LinkedIn and in life.
Ask for Parental Guidance
When in doubt, ask parents for advice! Let them review activity and connections regularly so they can provide guidance about online safety and professional etiquette.
Demonstrate Maturity
Any communication on LinkedIn should demonstrate maturity and professionalism appropriate for a networking platform. Teens must keep in mind their online image.
Parental Controls on LinkedIn
In addition to supervising their minor children’s LinkedIn activity, parents can set some formal parental controls:
Require Parental Consent for Sign Up
LinkedIn requires parental consent for minors under 18 to sign up. Parents must provide consent through email during the initial signup process.
Revoke Access to Account
Parents can revoke access to a child’s LinkedIn account at any time if they have concerns about safety or misuse of the platform.
Request Data Deletion
If desired, parents can request deletion of a child’s account and all associated personal data per LinkedIn’s privacy policy. This permanently removes their information.
Disable or Monitor Email Notifications
Parents can disable email notifications from LinkedIn to the child’s account. Or, they can add their own email address to receive copies of notifications sent to the account to monitor activity.
Utilize LinkedIn’s Reporting Tools
If a child experiences inappropriate messages or connections, parents can report these issues to LinkedIn for further action.
Creating a Professional But Conservative Profile
For minors who are permitted to have a LinkedIn presence, the key is creating a profile that is professional yet conservative, given their age. Here are tips:
Use an Appropriate Profile Photo
A headshot dressed in nice casual attire is a safe bet. Stay away from informal pictures with friends. The photo should match the professional brand.
Write a Bio Highlighting Skills, Goals, Interests
Briefly introduce abilities, academic achievements, hobbies, career aspirations. But don’t overshare personal details.
Customize Public URL
Create a custom public profile link with their full name to look more professional. Avoid using juvenile usernames.
List Relevant Education, Activities, Awards
Include academic credentials, sports teams, clubs, volunteer work, honors and awards. But leave off sensitive details like home addresses of schools.
Showcase Examples of Abilities
If relevant, add examples of skills and talents like art portfolio pieces, videos of sports highlights, academic project samples. Ask parents for guidance here to ensure appropriateness.
Recommendations from Trusted Adults
Ask teachers, coaches, employers to write recommendations highlighting qualifications and character. But do not ask strangers for endorsements.
Appropriate Ways for Teens to Engage on LinkedIn
While public engagement options are restricted for teens on LinkedIn, here are some appropriate ways minors can interact on the platform:
Comment on Posts by 1st Degree Connections
Commenting on posts by accepted connections is a great way to start building rapport and relationships with contacts.
Congratulate Connections on Work Anniversaries, New Jobs, Other Milestones
Send congratulatory notes when connections share major career or company announcements to build goodwill.
Request Informational Interviews to Learn About Fields of Interest
Respectfully ask trusted connections like family friends or past teachers if you could schedule a short informational interview by phone with them to learn about their career journey and industry. This shows initiative.
Share Relevant Articles, News with Connections
If you find articles or news to share that would be of interest to connections based on their industry or role, send them along. Being a resource helps strengthen ties.
Follow Company Pages to Stay Current on Industries
Follow companies you’re interested in working for someday. See the content they post to learn about their mission, values, career opportunities, and industry news.
Join Groups Focused on Academic/Professional Interests
Seek out and join Groups focused on fields of interest like technology, medicine, business, public policy, etc. Monitor discussions to learn more about these industries.
Alternatives for Younger Minors
For minors under 14 who cannot sign up for LinkedIn, there are some alternative professional social networks suitable for younger users:
JuniorGuide
JuniorGuide offers free profiles for students age 13-18. Users can list resume details, share examples of work, and connect with mentors and counselors to explore career options.
Careerly
Careerly helps students as young as 13 build career skills through quizzes, advice content, virtual mentoring, live webinars and more. Users can get matched with mentors relevant to their goals.
Hazelify
Hazelify is a career exploration platform for high school students. Users take assessment quizzes and get matched with potential career paths and colleges. They can network with student mentors and chat with AI bots.
Scholar
Scholar helps students 13 and up identify career interests, search colleges, and find scholarships. Users build a profile showcasing skills, experience, interests and can message with counselors.
Platform | Minimum Age | Key Features |
---|---|---|
JuniorGuide | 13 | Profiles, resume builder, mentor matching |
Careerly | 13 | Career quizzes, mentoring, webinars |
Hazelify | 13 | Career matching, mentoring, college search |
Scholar | 13 | Career interest surveys, college prep |
Key Takeaways
Here are some of the key points to keep in mind about teens and minors using LinkedIn:
– LinkedIn requires users to be at least 14 years old to create an account.
– Accounts for 14-17 year olds have restricted visibility and engagement capabilities for safety.
– While there are benefits, minors’ LinkedIn use requires parental supervision and guidance.
– Teens should only connect with trusted contacts like family and friends on LinkedIn.
– Parents can utilize tools like parental consent, account revocation, and notification monitoring to oversee their child’s LinkedIn activity.
– Minor users should showcase skills, interests and achievements on their profile – but avoid oversharing personal details.
– Younger teens under 14 can explore professional social options on alternative platforms specifically designed for their age group.
Conclusion
LinkedIn can be a valuable platform for teens and young professionals, but special care and precautions must be taken given their age. Following LinkedIn’s guidelines along with parental guidance allows minors to benefit from career exploration and networking opportunities safely and responsibly. With the proper approach, LinkedIn can help prepare motivated teenagers for future college and job success.