Ask Laura: How can teens put their best foot forward online for colleges? Get on LinkedIn

We all have social media accounts and apps to have fun and connect with friends in the moment, but what about an account that sets you up for success in the future? LinkedIn is a great platform.

Posted 1:00 a.m. Aug 29, 2018 — Updated 2:18 p.m. Aug 31, 2018

Laura Tierney

, The Social Institute

Editor's note: In this monthly series, social media expert and Durham mom Laura Tierney, founder of The Social Institute, answers your questions about social media and kids. If you have a question for Laura, email her at contact@thesocialinst.com.

Question

My daughter is heading into her senior year of high school and getting ready for college applications. Any advice for my daughter so she is putting her best foot forward if (or when) colleges Google her?

Answer

This is a great question and one we receive from many students, too! A recent study by Kaplan Test Prep showed that 29 percent of college admissions officers report visiting sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to help them decide on candidates to accept. Nine percent say they had revoked an incoming student’s admissions offer because of what they had found on social media.

We all have social media accounts and apps to have fun and connect with friends in the moment, but what about an account that sets you up for success in the future? LinkedIn is a great platform for your daughter and any high school student to capture their core interests and experience. Plus, her LinkedIn profile is nearly guaranteed to show up on page one when someone Googles her name.

For advice, our team at The Social Institute always turns to the pros: the students! And so, I spoke with 18-year-old Ainsley Holman who created a LinkedIn profile during January of her senior year in high school and before she left home to attend Syracuse University.

Laura: Why did you create a LinkedIn profile in the first place?

Ainsley: I created my LinkedIn profile in January of my senior year. I realized that colleges are going to be Googling me, and it's important to have an online presence that isn't just personal but also professional.

At first, I abandoned my profile because I thought it was a lot of effort. When The Social Institute came to our campus the month before I graduated, it spurred that motivation to really work on polishing my profile. I personally don't see a lot of people on LinkedIn who are my age, and so I thought, why not get a head start and establish a foundation? That way, by the time I'm a senior in college, I'm more equipped to approach job applications and job interviews.

Laura: Are there other pro’s to LinkedIn beyond having a profile?

Ainsley: I added my portfolio to LinkedIn so that people can view everything I have ever written. I’m also using the platform to build connections. I send requests to old teachers, new teachers, friends, and people who are going to be in the same major as me.

For example, at my college, we get peer advisors during freshman year. I searched my peer advisor on LinkedIn and learned about her background that way. I’ll also search companies and people who graduated from Syracuse University so that I can reach out to them for future opportunities and get my foot in the door. I think it’s important to establish a relationship with someone outside of texting and Instagram. That could be beneficial during college or afterwards.

Laura: When would you encourage students to create a LinkedIn profile?

Ainsley: I would encourage them to create one during junior or senior year when you’re applying to colleges. That is when you’re figuring out what direction your life is going, and LinkedIn could help you tell your story.

Laura: Any final advice you would give to students when they create a LinkedIn account?

Ainsley: I think it’s important not to compare yourself to other people. For example, when I first signed up for LinkedIn, I looked at my friend’s profile and it was full of information and experience. I was like, “Oh my gosh, I don’t have anything to put on here.”

And then I realized, my friend has his own strong suit - international affairs - and I have my strong suit - writing. It’s important not to focus on the quantity of someone else’s work. Focus on the quality of work that you’ve done and own that.

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So, ready to dive into all things LinkedIn? Encourage your child to use this helpful checklist to create a thoughtful and meaningful profile — one they would love colleges to check out!

👊,

Laura

Laura Tierney is founder and president of The Social Institute, a Durham-based company that teaches students nationwide positive ways to handle one of the biggest drivers of their social development: social media. Laura, a digital native who got her first phone at age 13, went on to become a four-time Duke All-American, Duke’s Athlete of the Decade, and a social media strategist for leading brands. She also recently became a mom.

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