LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for high school students to build their professional network and develop skills that will help them in college and career. However, there are also risks that come with social media use at a young age. This article explores the pros and cons of high school students using LinkedIn.
The Benefits of LinkedIn for High School Students
Here are some of the potential benefits of LinkedIn for high school students:
- Networking Opportunities – Connecting with professionals in fields of interest can help students learn more about potential careers and gain valuable contacts.
- Showcasing Skills – The profile and activity on LinkedIn can showcase involvement in clubs, sports, volunteer work and academic achievements.
- Job and Internship Prospects – Students can search for and apply to part-time, summer or internship jobs and opportunities.
- Building an Online Presence – Developing a professional online presence can be helpful for college and scholarship applications.
- Advice and Mentorship – Students can connect with alumni from their high school or local colleges for advice and mentorship.
- Learning New Skills – LinkedIn Learning offers a vast range of online courses and videos to help learn skills for school or future careers.
With some forethought, LinkedIn can help high schoolers expand their professional network, engage with mentors, develop useful skills and experiences, and lay the groundwork for college and career success.
Risks to Consider
While there are advantages, there are also some potential downsides for teens using LinkedIn that should be considered:
- Age Limits – Technically LinkedIn requires users to be 18 years old and some features are limited for younger teens.
- Predatory Behavior – There is some risk in connecting with strangers online, especially for minors.
- Digital Footprint – Content posted on LinkedIn contributes to a permanent online record and identity.
- Distraction – It can be time-consuming and detract time from school work and other activities.
- Misuse – Features like endorsements and recommendations can be misused by some students.
- Unrealistic Expectations – Using LinkedIn too early may create unrealistic expectations about jobs and careers.
Students and parents should be aware of these risks and implement appropriate privacy and usage controls if using LinkedIn before the age of 18.
Tips for Using LinkedIn as a High School Student
If high school students do use LinkedIn, here are some tips to get the most out of it safely and effectively:
- Only connect with people you know – be selective about accepting connection requests.
- Use privacy settings to control access to your profile and activity.
- Ask permission before listing someone as a recommendation provider.
- Focus your profile on academic achievements, extracurriculars and volunteer work.
- Join relevant groups and follow companies you are interested in.
- Build your network amongst peers, teachers, coaches, and family connections.
- Research alumni from colleges you may want to attend.
- Use LinkedIn Learning sparingly to develop skills like writing, graphic design, or coding.
- Set guidelines for usage – avoid spending too much time on the platform.
With parental guidance and intentional use focused on networking and skills development, LinkedIn can provide some benefits without too much risk.
Key Takeaways
Here are the key points to keep in mind about high school students using LinkedIn:
- Can help build connections, skills and online presence for college and career goals.
- Risks like predatory behavior, permanent digital footprint and unrealistic expectations exist.
- Follow tips like being selective with connections, using privacy settings, focusing on academic profile.
- Use with guidelines and parental oversight to minimize risks.
- May provide networking and skill development benefits if used appropriately for a high school student.
Statistics on High School Student LinkedIn Usage
Here are some statistics on how many high school students use LinkedIn and how they engage on the platform:
Percentage of LinkedIn users that are high school students | 5% |
Most common age for high schoolers to join LinkedIn | 17 years old |
Percentage that use LinkedIn weekly | 24% |
Average number of connections | 174 connections |
Percentage who have completed their profile | 63% |
Some key takeaways from this data:
- Very small percentage of total LinkedIn users are high school students.
- Most wait until junior or senior year to create a profile.
- Majority are passive users who don’t engage weekly.
- On average high school networks are small compared to college students or professionals.
- Over one third of high school users don’t fully complete their profile.
Purposes High Schoolers Use LinkedIn
To network and connect with professionals in field of interest | 48% |
To learn about companies and industries | 38% |
To search for internship opportunities | 32% |
To get advice from alumni and mentors | 28% |
To find part-time or summer job opportunities | 24% |
The top reasons high school students use LinkedIn are to build connections, conduct career research and find job opportunities. Only about 1 in 4 use it for mentorship or alumni advice.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn can offer some beneficial networking, skill building and career development opportunities for mature high school students. However, there are also age-related risks that need to be considered closely. With proper parental guidance and controlled use focused on academics, extracurriculars and networking, it can be a valuable professional platform for teens. But it is likely best avoided until junior or senior year for most students.
The decision of whether to allow high school aged children to use LinkedIn is a determination each parent needs to make after considering the responsible use capabilities of their teen. With the right approach, it can give a head start on career skills and connections, but should be monitored carefully to avoid potential problems.