LinkedIn profile support

1. Your Photo

A good profile picture goes a long way toward getting people to click into your profile. A well-lit phone photo works great, as long as it's framed and styled the right way.

• Frame it head-and-shoulders, looking straight at the camera
• Pick a plain or uncluttered backdrop (a wall, a porch, a tree line)
• Dress the way you would for a school presentation or interview
• Skip filters, sunglasses, and group shots — keep it just you

2. Crafting a Strong Headline

By default, LinkedIn shows your school name under your photo wherever your profile pops up. Swap that out for something that says what you're curious about or working toward.

A simple formula to build a strong headline: an interest or goal + something you're actively involved in + where you're headed.

3. Writing Your About Section

This short paragraph is where you introduce yourself in your own voice — aim for three to five sentences.

Touch on:

• What subject, industry, or field genuinely interests you right now
• A specific activity, job experience, club, or project that backs that up
• A loose idea of what you'd like to explore in college or beyond (it's fine if this is still something you're exploring)

Example: "Junior at Stuart Hall High School with a growing interest in environmental science. I'm part of my school's Green Team and recently helped organize a campus recycling audit. Hoping to get involved in more hands-on conservation work over the next couple of years."

Write like yourself, not like a corporate bio — and give it a proofread before you publish.

4. Filling Out Activities & Coursework

It's completely normal not to have a job yet at this stage. LinkedIn still has plenty of room for school and extracurricular activities.

• Education: Add your school, your expected graduation year, and any standout classes, honors, or GPA (if you'd like to share it).
• Activities: List internships, part-time work experience, clubs, sports, volunteer hours, summer programs, or any leadership role — team captain, club officer, event organizer. For each one, write a sentence or two using strong action verbs (organized, coached, designed, raised) and a concrete detail or result ("Organized a fundraiser that brought in $400 for the animal shelter").
• No formal work history? That's expected at this point — activities, projects, and volunteer roles carry just as much weight here.

5. Skills

List 5–8 skills tied to your interests — a blend of practical skills (a coding language, video editing, a language you speak) and people skills (leadership, communication, time management).

6. Privacy & Who Can See What

• Open your privacy settings and decide what's visible to people outside your network. It doesn't need to be flawless before you go live — you can always make edits and updates.
• At minimum, keep your name and headline public so you show up properly in searches.
• Do not list your home address or phone number. If LinkedIn users want to get in touch with you, they can contact you using the platform.