EAHSAN ABEDIN

As a high-schooler, you might think that LinkedIn is for corporate hotshots only. Well, you might be wrong.

With 39 lakh active users in Bangladesh alone, Linkedin is the world’s largest professional network. Having opportunities to network, learn, make connections, and get jobs, it might seem somewhat contradictory as to why the minimum required age for opening an account there is 13. In reality, LinkedIn is for everyone, everyone who wishes to create a professional presence online.

Here are five reasons why teenagers like us can, and should, use LinkedIn.

START NETWORKING

Today, knowing people with varied interests goes a long way. And what better way to do that than starting early? With LinkedIn, you have the opportunity to connect with mentors and peers. Surfing their profiles, you can find inspiration and plan better. Widening your professional cloud and gradually growing connections lets you engage and learn in countless ways, which might possibly lead to making newer connections, learning and planning from an early age.

EXPLORE

With LinkedIn, you can filter out jobs, courses, companies, and even people who are passionate about the same subjects as you. You can learn about opportunities you didn’t know existed just by exploring profiles. Even if you aren’t passionate about a subject, you can discover just about any job, company, event, group etc. in any subject of your interest, potentially making that your passion and heading on.

EARLY START TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER

With 1.5 million jobs and internships exclusively targeted towards students, trying out for a post through LinkedIn might be completely worth it. Besides, an organised profile makes any student come off as more dedicated and driven in any application. In a world of CVs typed out in pasher golir mamar dokan, why not try saying “Yes” to showcasing your recommendations, ECAs, skills and experiences through an accredited and acclaimed platform?

KEEPING TRACK

Properly maintaining and documenting your achievements on LinkedIn doesn’t only let you enrich your profile gradually, but seeing those further motivates you to work harder. Sixty percent of college admission officers and employers try googling the name of an applicant while evaluating them. And when googling a person’s name, the algorithm always projects LinkedIn on top of any other social media platform. So, updating your LinkedIn profile might just give you that extra boost.

STAYING UP TO DATE ABOUT RELEVANT INFORMATION

Although other social media might cater to you with news and opportunities about various subjects you are interested in, none does it as exclusively as LinkedIn, maintaining its status as a professional networking site.Students can access information about their dream schools and companies of interest for internships. LinkedIn has also invested heavily in its online course offerings to provide more avenues for professional and personal growth, including vital courses such as how to save or manage finances.