To many underclassmen, internships, jobs, and LinkedIn profiles seem like tasks to be conquered many years from now. However, as the competitive nature of career preparation in high schools continues to increase, LinkedIn is something many seniors suggest underclassmen to become familiar with earlier on in.
Keeping a log of your accomplishments and experiences throughout high school can often be challenging. However, many students love LinkedIn because it provides users with areas to add activities, leadership roles, and awards while detailing certain skills you may have used while participating in these pursuits.
Senior Francesca Jones believes having a LinkedIn profile helps during the college application process.
“It helps you organize your accomplishments, awards, and any activities you might do which is very helpful for the activities section of your Common App,” she said.
Senior India Davis-Hannesian thinks LinkedIn is a great way to keep your achievements in a neat and accessible list. India loves how LinkedIn filters through experiences and internships that users may be interested in, especially for the summer when they are in high demand. India, being a passionate figure skater, has used LinkedIn to explore different skating-related events and opportunities.
“I even got a job offer to be a figure skating instructor which was really cool to receive,” India said.
LinkedIn’s advanced connection algorithms have also benefited many students by connecting them with Hackley alumni and students who they may have never been able to connect with otherwise.
“LinkedIn has allowed me to learn about, and sometimes start conversations with, former Hackley students that I never otherwise would have known,” Francesca said.
LinkedIn is a great resource for following former students’ coursework and career paths to get ideas for how you may want to continue your academic passions.
For Independent Science Research (ISRP) students, LinkedIn has been a familiar platform since the beginning of high school. ISRP teacher, Dr. Andrew Ying, requires students to create their LinkedIn profile during their search for project mentors.
Senior Arjun Virk, an ISRP student, has found Dr Ying’s guidance very helpful while creating his profile.
“He gave us a whole document of tips and guidance so that we knew how to properly add activities, our hobbies, and a description that people read at the front of the profile. From my experience in IRP I definitely think it could be beneficial to think about making LinkedIn profiles more known about or even mandatory for students in the future,” he said.
One of Francesca’s biggest tips when creating a LinkedIn profile is organization.
“I would outline the components of your profile on a paper or Google Doc in a resume format so you can easily input everything online at once,” she said.
India recommends a strong profile picture to bring a memorable first impression.
“Make sure your profile photo is appropriate and professional because this is the first thing that anyone sees when someone searches your name,” India said.
As seen through the experience of many seniors, creating a LinkedIn profile early on in high school is a great way to get a head start on showcasing your accomplishments for colleges to see while exposing yourself to the job and internship world earlier than most.
