LinkedIn can provide many benefits for students, but there are also some potential drawbacks to consider. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of students having a presence on LinkedIn.
The Benefits of Students Being on LinkedIn
Here are some of the main advantages for students who use LinkedIn:
- Professional networking – LinkedIn allows students to connect with professionals in fields they are interested in. This can help students learn more about potential careers, gain career advice, and make valuable connections.
- Job and internship opportunities – Many companies post internships and entry-level job opportunities on LinkedIn. Having a profile on LinkedIn allows students to find and apply to these openings more easily.
- Showcasing skills and achievements – Students can build a professional profile highlighting their education, relevant skills, extracurriculars, honors and awards. This can help demonstrate their qualifications to employers.
- Learning about companies and industries – The newsfeed and company pages on LinkedIn provide helpful insights into different companies, career paths and industries that students may be interested in.
- Building professional social media presence – A polished, professional profile on LinkedIn establishes students’ online professional brand from an early stage.
In summary, having a presence on LinkedIn can help students expand their professional network, find job and internship opportunities, build their personal brand, and learn more about potential career options – all valuable assets during the college years.
Potential Downsides for Students on LinkedIn
However, there are some potential risks students should keep in mind as well:
- Time commitment – Maintaining a robust LinkedIn profile and networking effectively takes time. Students need to weigh the benefits against the time it takes away from academics, extracurriculars and social activities.
- Potential for distractions – The endless scrolling and notifications on LinkedIn and other social media platforms can easily distract students from more important work.
- Digital footprint – Any mistakes, errors or unprofessional content on a student’s profile could hurt their future internship or job prospects if seen by employers.
- Age bias – Some employers may still hold ageist attitudes and overlook qualified students simply because of their young age.
- Networking pressure – Students may feel pressure to network aggressively or make insincere connections on LinkedIn which could jeopardize authentic relationship building.
Students need to use LinkedIn in a strategic, professional manner and avoid letting it become an unnecessary distraction or obligation. Used correctly, it can be a valuable asset; used carelessly, it could potentially damage their professional image and growth.
Tips for Students Using LinkedIn Effectively
Here are some best practices for students looking to maximize the benefits of LinkedIn while avoiding potential pitfalls:
- Complete your profile – Include education, skills, experience, activities and interests. Having a robust profile makes students more noticeable and searchable to employers.
- Highlight accomplishments – Feature key awards, projects, publications and leadership positions that demonstrate your qualifications.
- Join relevant groups – Follow groups related to your major, interests or potential career fields to gain insider knowledge.
- Build authentic connections – Connect with professors, alumni and professionals you have actually met to grow your network organically.
- Follow companies – Stay up-to-date on news and job openings from companies you want to work for in the future.
- Seek recommendations – Ask professors, internship supervisors and others who can vouch for your skills to write you LinkedIn recommendations.
- Publish content – Share articles, images and other content that demonstrates your interests, knowledge and professionalism.
- Use student-focused sections – Add projects, honors, test scores and coursework to highlight your academic achievements.
- Monitor your brand – Conduct periodic searches to review the content and information returned by your name.
- Limit daily time – Set a daily or weekly time limit for LinkedIn use to avoid an unnecessary distraction from schoolwork.
Should Younger Students Be on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn can still provide value even for high school students, but the risks may outweigh the benefits at that age. Here are some factors for younger students to consider:
- Most don’t have relevant experience or qualifications to highlight yet.
- Networking focus should be on teachers, counselors, coaches who know them better.
- Miss out on opportunities by seeming overly eager or aggressive to connect.
- May be too young to fully grasp appropriate professional conduct.
- College admissions focus should be on academics and extracurricular accomplishments.
That said, exploring LinkedIn briefly can help younger students learn about potential careers and companies. But extensive networking or profile-building may be premature before starting college or internships.
Conclusion
LinkedIn can be an extremely valuable platform for college students if used strategically. The key is to focus efforts thoughtfully, showcase the right qualifications, build authentic relationships, and monitor your personal brand. With a measured, professional approach, LinkedIn can help students expand opportunities and prepare for future careers. But it should complement rather than distract from academics, extracurriculars and other elements central to the college experience.