As students get closer to graduation, most have accumulated an impressive high school education and some work experience. But, as students gain more experience, they may wonder how to best showcase it. When you start filling out college applications and applying for jobs, having your experience up-to-date and easily accessible will make these processes smoother.
Having a resume is a great start; but in today’s digital world, it’s a great idea to have a LinkedIn profile. By creating a LinkedIn profile as a high school student, you are setting yourself up for success—especially as you continue your education and eventually enter your career. Here are our tips for high school students on how to use LinkedIn.
1) Why does a high school or college student need a LinkedIn profile?
Having a LinkedIn profile is one of the first steps to beginning your professional online presence. For many high school and college students, this is the time in their lives when they are starting to think about their future careers, and one of the best ways to showcase their experience is with a LinkedIn profile. A college admissions officer or the hiring manager at a job may want more information about you, so take this opportunity to show them who we are!
2) When should I sign up for LinkedIn?
Deciding when to sign up for a LinkedIn profile is different for every student. Depending on their current education, job experience, and skills that the student has obtained—students should start their LinkedIn account when they have a good amount of information to include.
Every student is on a different education and career path; generally, a good time to sign up for a LinkedIn profile is during your senior year of high school. During this time in a student’s journey, they may have a clearer idea of what they want to do after high school. LinkedIn also requires that you be at least 16 years old, so keep this in mind if you just started high school.
3) How to Set Up a LinkedIn Account as a Student
A good LinkedIn profile showcases relevant information from your past and present. As a student, it’s understandable that you are just entering the professional world, so there may not be a ton of information for you to include. But, that’s okay! You are setting up your LinkedIn profile to be used for years as you progress in your education and career.
On your LinkedIn profile, there are existing sections that LinkedIn has for you to fill out. Here is how to create a Linkedin profile as a high school student and a list of the sections students should focus on:
The Intro section:
This section is at the top of your LinkedIn profile. There are several required fields to fill out like: first and last name, your headline, current position, industry, education, and location. Your profile and background photo are also in the Intro section—make sure to include a professional headshot of yourself!
The About section:
This is where you write about yourself. It’s common for people to write a brief description of their years of experience, accomplishments, and any notable skills they possess. For high school students, you can summarize your current information and any goals or ambitions you have.
The Experience section:
Mention all your current work experience. For high school students, it’s common to not have worked too many jobs. So, make sure to list any experience you do have, like a summer job or part-time gig.
The Education section:
List what high school you are attending. Once you graduate and are in college, you can then update this section to include your college.
The Licenses & Certifications section:
This section is where you can highlight any licenses or certifications you have completed.
The Projects section:
If you have completed large projects that highlight your skills, include them in this section.
The Volunteering section:
Any volunteering experience you have done, mention it in this section! Looking for volunteering opportunities? Then check out StudyLab’s FREE Volunteering tool where you can find volunteer opportunities local to your area.
The Skills section:
The skills section allows you to select various skills that relate to your experience. There are numerous types of skills to choose from like: industry knowledge, tools & technologies, interpersonal skills, and others.
The Honors & Awards section:
As you have earned awards or special honors, list them in this section.
There are also additional sections that an individual can add to their LinkedIn profile, but as a student, the sections listed above are a good place to start with your existing.
4) How to connect with people on LinkedIn
As a student, making connections on LinkedIn can be tricky. Usually, people connect with others on LinkedIn that they know, like other professionals in their industry, coworkers, or clients. However, students who are just starting to network should try connecting with other students, mentors, or coworkers from past or present work experience.
Students can also join relevant LinkedIn groups or professional organizations. For example, your high school may have an alumni group or your honor society may have an organizational group.
Trying to connect with people that you don’t know isn’t the best idea. It’s okay if you only have a few connections in the beginning of your LinkedIn journey. As you continue to network and gain more experience in the professional world, your connections will grow.
5) Use your resume as your guide
It’s common for students to create their first resume when they are in high school. Usually, a student’s first resume consists of information about their recent experience like their education, work experience, academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, volunteer experience, and relevant skills.
Using your resume as a guide when you create a LinkedIn profile can be helpful. The majority of the information that you include in your resume can be transferred over to your LinkedIn profile, but LinkedIn profiles allow you to include even more information about yourself!
6) Student LinkedIn Headlines
LinkedIn Headlines can be a fun way to show the online world who you are and your current role. Headlines appear in your introduction section on your LinkedIn profile, and also in various sections such as search results, posts, and the “people you may know” section.
As a high school student, it is sort of obvious what your current role is—you’re a student! Listing “student” in your LinkedIn headline is common. You can also list other roles or skills on your headline that help showcase your passions and ambitions.
Here are some examples on how to write your LinkedIn headline as a student:
- Student at Ravenwood High | Graphic Designer | Fluent in Spanish
- Swimming Instructor, high school student, Parks Department volunteer
- A student who is passionate about making a difference in the environment
- Student, Aspiring Engineer, President of the Chess Club at Lakeview High School
For inspiration on how to write your LinkedIn profile headline, check about this LinkedIn talent blog post.
7) What is a good LinkedIn “About” section for students?
The “About” section on your LinkedIn profile is under the introduction section. For potential connections or employers, this section provides visitors who view your profile with a glimpse of who you are.
For students, the “About” section is an opportunity for you to summarize your education, experience, and passions. Remember, it’s normal for high school students to have little experience—so it’s okay to describe your career goals, school involvement, and the skills you have gained so far to reach your goals.
A good “About” section showcases your information in a clear and concise way. Make sure to proofread your summary as this section will be read by those who visit your profile.
8) Tips for students on how to use LinkedIn
After you have created your LinkedIn profile, you can explore more of the platform! There is so much to do on LinkedIn, and can be overwhelming for new users—so here are some tips for high school students on how to use LinkedIn:
- Search for and follow companies and industry leaders on LinkedIn that interest you. You never know, they may one day have a job posting that aligns with your future experience!
- Find people you know on LinkedIn and start connecting.
- Explore internships and job opportunities to help further your work experience.
- Also, search for dream job opportunities, and look at the qualifications to learn about what you need to accomplish to qualify for that type of job.
- View your LinkedIn newsfeed to see what your connections and companies you are following are posting about. Like, comment, and share posts that you found interesting and enjoyed.
- Update your LinkedIn profile regularly. As a student, you are learning new information every day. So, anytime you learn a new skill or join a new opportunity, highlight it in the appropriate section on your profile.
How to Build your LinkedIn Profile as a Student:
Starting your LinkedIn account is a great first step into entering the professional world. You will be able to have this account for many years and add more experience and skills as you accomplish them. Here’s a review of how to get started on creating a great LinkedIn profile as a student:
- Have a professional headshot of yourself for your profile picture.
- Create a headline that briefly lists your current role and ambitions.
- Have your “about” section describe your experience, accomplishments, passions, and ambitions.
- Showcase all of your work experience and provide detail of what you did in the description.
- Provide your education information and show off academic accomplishments.
- List your licenses, certifications, and special projects that you have completed.
- Select skills that align with what you have learned and are proficient at.
LinkedIn profiles help you get started on being able to sell yourself to potential hiring managers. If you haven’t already, get started and create your LinkedIn profile today!
Want to learn more about developing your professional skills and discover something new? Check out these helpful resources for students:
- 10 Ways to Get College Credit – Learn about the different ways you can earn college credit and graduate faster!
- 5 Uncommon Jobs & How to Get One – Check out these uncommon jobs that have a positive career outlook.
- What Are The Best College Prep Resources for Students? – Read this ultimate guide about various college prep resources and tips.
