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How can I make the best connections on linkedin as a high school student

I'm a 16-year-old high school student in grade 11, aspiring to pursue a future in the business industry. Subjects like economics, and information technology interest me and I hope to gain more knowledge in those areas. #business #technology #student #highschool #sfu #economics

business technology student highschool economics sfu
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John’s Answer

Hi Danieh, Starting your LinkedIn profile while still in high school will give you a chance to catalog all your connections.

A LinkedIn profile will set you apart from other students your age as a person who takes school and wants to take work seriously and understands the importance of a positive professional image. If you’re searching for a job, this type of profile will impress potential employers.

The connections made on LinkedIn are one of the most important aspects of this social media site. As you look for opportunities, these connections — colleagues or relationships through your family, teachers, bosses, or friends — can potentially open doors that could further your career experiences.

√ Customized LinkedIn URL. (Example: www.linkedIn.com/in/DaniehK_____BC)
√ Upload an appropriate photo. (No party shots, cartoon avatars, or puppy pics)
√ Profile Section. (Example: Honors & Awards / Volunteer Experience / Languages, etc)
√ Experience Section. (your in High School, its Okay)
√ Education. Section. (High School or any programs)
√ Skills & Endorsements Section. (list of skills your network can endorse you)

You can (and you should!) also join Groups, it's a great way to connect to new people, build your brand by engaging in these virtual professional communities, and learn the real lingo of the industry you want to get in. Start with groups for students or alumni of your desired college(s) and your desired job function.

Hope this Helps Danieh
Thank you comment icon Thank you Amy for helping us make a difference, thank you for volunteering. John Frick
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for taking the time to put so much detail into your response. It is greatly appreciated, and a great reference to look at! danieh
Thank you comment icon Danieh – "Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs". —Farrah Gray John Frick
Thank you comment icon Danieh – “The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.” – John E. Southard John Frick
Thank you comment icon Thank You Muneer. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” — William Shakespeare John Frick
Thank you comment icon Thank You Max. “Help one another. There’s no time like the present, and no present like the time.” – James Durst John Frick
Thank you comment icon Thank You Vikki. “Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr. John Frick
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Anthony T.’s Answer

Hi! Great question! LinkedIn is on e of the best tools available to you for connecting with people with the same interests as well as those in the same Career Path. You can connect with individuals at schools or at companies that interest you or connect to your career path. You can also see people that those individuals are connected with. In addition, when those connections post information, you will get these updates in your feed so that you stay informed of the latest information. Lastly, there are also groups that can connect individuals at your school, at companies, or with like interests. Network and start connecting and researching. Be sure to update your profile so that people can see your interests and experience and you never know where those connections may take you. Best Wishes!
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Pat’s Answer

Hello,
It is a great idea to create a Linkden profile in high school! This will put you way ahead of many of your peers. The best way to make connections is to research companies you may be interested in and find fellow employees on Linkden. You can then reach out explaining your background, why you are interested in their company, and ask them about themselves (job, career path, etc.). Hopefully from there you can build a relationship and a connection. Creating a profile at a young age and reaching out to other professionals shows that you are engaged and very interested in a career path in that field, many people will respond extremely positively! Relationships are pivotal in landing a first job out of college and this will help a ton!
Thanks,
Pat
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Andrew’s Answer

Hi Danieh,

One piece of advice I was given was to connect with people on LinkedIn for informational interviews. An informational interview is an informal conversation with someone who works in an area or career that you find interesting. You can search for professionals in business, economics, IT, and other fields and request an informational interview with them. You should be clear in your invitation to connect (mention that you're a student and are interested in their field, say you'd appreciate 15-20 minutes of their time and have a few questions about how they got into the field, etc). You should also always ask for their email during the call to send them a thank you note and keep in touch.

Here is a great article from LinkedIn about how to request, conduct, and follow-up an informational interview - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-request-conduct-follow-up-informational-interview-rebecca-beaton/

I also use Muse as a resource for job searching, resume/cover letter tips, and interview practice. They also have an article on informational interviews - https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-ask-for-an-informational-interview-and-get-a-yes

I hope this helps and good luck!
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Cori’s Answer

I think informational interviews can be your best friend. Once you've identified organizations that you're interested in based on your career aspirations, locate a couple of people in each one to set up an informational interview. This is an excellent way to build your network and you never know who may be looking for someone to fill a job down the road. While it's great to speak with a CEO/President, look at some other titles that may have many levels reporting to them. This will increase your chances down the road of possible opportunities.
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Xavier’s Answer

I would say reach out to anyone you may find in the field you are looking to work. If you do this now, you will be so far ahead of others, and when it comes time to look for a job, you will have already built a connection with people who can get you hired (possibly). Just to be on the safe side, I would advise doing this with a guidance counselor, or another adult, just to make sure you are receiving legit information from the people you are trying to connect with.

You can also see if there are any programs available for high school students to get some small experience.
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for the feedback. I will defiantly take what you said into account. danieh
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Tonya’s Answer

If you already made a profile, then you've taken the first step! Then I would look for people to follow in industries that interest me. If you find someone that looks interesting, message then to see if they would be willing to talk to you for a 1/2 hour. Make sure you have a list of questions that you'd like to discuss prior to the call. Better yet, set up a meeting with them and provide them with the questions before to make their time and yours as productive as possible. That becomes the start of building your network. And networking is critical when you start applying for jobs! Good luck!!

Tonya recommends the following next steps:

Create a LinkedIN profile
Find members that in the positions you would like to explore and follow them
Set up a 1/2 hour meeting with someone you follow (have questions ready for discussion)
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Sam’s Answer

LinkedIn is a great resource to start building your network and overall resources when it comes to different business industries you might be interested in. Even if you're not at the point where you would necessarily be actively applying for jobs, you can certainly connect with people who might work for companies that you are interested in learning more about or colleges/programs that you want to learn more about. This can be a general search or maybe connect with some family members/family friends and you will quickly be surprised just how small the business world is and who is connected to who. If you feel like you have found someone who has a specific job title or works in an industry that you want to learn more about, I find that people are usually fairly receptive to messages asking to do a quick phone conversation about their background/journey (people enjoy talking about themselves) and this cold be a great learning tool for you as well! Good luck. networking business
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Richard’s Answer

At that age, it is almost certainly more efficient to focus on college placement than on LinkedIn connections; focus on any way in your area to perhaps gain work experience, as well as on your grades, extracurriculars, and most critically, your own personal interests
Thank you comment icon Hey Richard, this is helpful but doesn't address the student's question on how to make good LinkedIn connections. Gurpreet Lally, Admin
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Nick’s Answer

Great question! I follow a lot of companies, schools, and groups on LinkedIn that I either find interesting or want to eventually join. You can also get updated when any of those groups you follow have something posted about them, or when there's big news with that group. Generally, there will be folks commenting and liking those articles or announcements, and you can find folks there that are like-minded and share your interests. Those are always great people to connect with. Bonus points if you follow up with a thank you note for their connecting with you and why you wanted to connect. Good luck!

Nick recommends the following next steps:

Go to LinkedIn and find 5 companies, groups, schools, or interest to follow
Find at least 1 person per your follows that you think would help you on your career path and ask to connect with them. It doesn't have to be anyone famous!
Send a thank you note and share why you wanted to connect with that person in a direct message to them
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Max’s Answer

This is the age of digital communication! You are in a great position if you want to begin connecting with the right people. Pop open your LinkedIn page and search those terms (economics, and information technology) along with the top companies that you want to work for and follow everyone with content available. Connect with as many people as you can because the formula for LinkedIn is based on people you know - especially for recruiters to be able to find you in like-minded searches.

I also have Google News Alerts set up - you can try " economics networking events near me" or "information technology seminar" to stay up to date on current opportunities as well.

Go crush it!
Thank you comment icon That great advice! Thank you for sharing it with me and for the positivity! danieh
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Dora’s Answer

Hi Danieh,

LinkedIn is a great platform to reach out to different people -you first should decide what exactly you are interested in and want to get more information, then browse forums or networks related to that topic, read the conversations and if you find someone, whose answers or contribution catches your attention,you can reach out to that person in a private message.
Best is if you make your message personal, explain why you write and where you think that person could help you. I recommend you to define what type of support you need - a 30 min call, a written answer to your specific questions, etc. The more concrete you are, the highest chances you have that someone will answer - generally people like helping others, they just don't know how.:)
Best of luck!
Thank you comment icon Thank you for taking the time to respond Dora. Your tips are great! This will defiantly help me in the future. danieh
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Flor’s Answer

This is a great question. You have received solid answers with great advice. I will only add that once you have set up your profile, I recommend you follow your favorite companies/brands and from time to time look at the types of jobs they are hiring for, the job descriptions and requirements (such as types of degree) for those jobs. At your age, you will be asked or will ask yourself about your career aspirations. By doing this, you will be better informed and might even have a good idea of your interests and direction. Wish you the very best!
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Brad’s Answer

Connect with people who have similar interests.
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Donna’s Answer

Start with people you know, co-workers, teachers, bosses this is a good start. Especially if you are in organizations like DECA where you meet many people in various careers who you can get business cards from. Always personalize your message to connect - this provides context how you know the person.
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