I recently came across a Class 10 student’s profile on LinkedIn. To be honest, I was surprised seeing a 16 year-old optimizing their profile and networking with professionals?
It got me thinking about how drastically the professional landscapes are shifting.
On one hand, it’s a brilliant head start. In a hypercompetitive world, early digital literacy is a superpower. If a teenager is genuinely curious to explore and learn, finding mentors, reading research updates, and learning professional etiquette early on can give them an incredible advantage. It’s certainly a more productive use of screen time than mindless scrolling.
On the other hand, is it a privacy and mental health nightmare? LinkedIn can be an echo chamber of hyper-achievement. I wonder what it does to a 15-year-old’s mental health. There are also valid concerns about data privacy and exposing minors to a space meant strictly for adults.
What do you think? Should high schoolers be encouraged to build a professional network, or should we let them just be kids for a little longer?
This is news to me! I think this student needs to get out and enjoy his playtime at the playground when he can. Because this kid is not ready for what’s going to hit him once he enters his 11th and 12th grades and then into his undergraduate courses. There is a time for everything, is what I believe.
If I were to give this kid one piece of advice, I would say, “Why do you want to become an adult when you are still privileged to enjoy your childhood?”
I do agree LinkedIn is better than other available social media platforms. But as a 16-year-old, why not enjoy life a bit? Like, at the end of the day, after a few years, these teenagers have to eventually face the harsh competitive world somehow. Why worry so early?
It feels the same like students preparing for competitive exams from early childhood !!! Gone are the days when when kids used to enjoy. Life has become far more competitive. We have almost forgotten how to enjoy life without stress- be it children or be it adults.
I completely resonate with it. This is the time to play, enjoy, and learn. But being exposed to the harsh outside world so early on is primarily going to be a source of stress rather than joy. I do myself miss the good old days.
So true. Even adults who have slogged intensely to have a life of their own choice aren’t that happy. Constant comparisons, harsh competition, and the feeling of inadequacy are real. At least children should be spared from worldly worries.
In my opinion, I think awareness about the outside world is good. But again yes it is too early for 15 year old to enter this professional world. LinkedIn is highly professional social media platform. “Professional” world itself means someone who is trained and have qualifications to do specific work. So, I don’t think 15 year old fits into this category.
Absolutely!! It’s important to remember that the good old days aren’t going to come back. Learning and exploration are good but not at the cost of losing childhood.
I do agree with you. It’s too early to get exposed to the hypercompetitive professional world. Already, children are stressed about entrance exams, school projects, and homework, etc. Let me enjoy, laugh, and learn. These days aren’t going to come back.
What I meant was, if at all a social media is allowed, that should be Linkedn, not any other.
Also, it’s not like people on LinkedIn do not enjoy life. It’s more like they enjoy, but at the back of their mind are more aware of what’s happening in the world and the opportunities that exist. This would only help them take better decisions about their careers in their life.
There is an age to learn and know everything. Right now he is 15 years old; so much curiosity will have taken him somewhere else, leaving a bad impact on mental health and stability. At this age he should concentrate on his school studies. He should do all this even after 18 years or 12th grade.
As you said, there is an age to learn and know everything, that age can be different for different individuals and we aren’t the ones determining that.
Aren’t there young age entrepreneurs, do you think they all followed these restrictions.
All I believe is that, we are no one to determine what is the right time for another person. You never know, it might take him somewhere else, that can be something really great for him.
I saw a post from a tenth grade student sharing her class 10th board results with a marksheet.It was indeed surprising.Even though linkedin is a good platform it depends on the child’s upbringing and many other factors that shape the influence of this early exposure.
