Methods for Veterans to Leverage LinkedIn During Their Transition

The statistics are different depending on the survey you read. However, one fact remains consistent - LinkedIn is a critical tool in the job search process. In a recent survey by Jobvite, 92% of human resources professionals said they use social media in the recruiting process with 92% of those surveyed using LinkedIn as their number one choice. (See the full results here)

Transitioning veterans should take advantage of the business networking opportunities that LinkedIn has to offer. Whether you are passively or actively job searching, your LinkedIn profile can be the difference as to whether or not you see positive results from your search. Here are some special circumstances that veterans should take into consideration when creating their profile on LinkedIn.

• Make sure potential employers can find you by loading your LI profile with industry-specific keywords. Research your industry on sites like o*net and the occupational outlook handbook to define keywords. Use these same resources to ensure you are translating your military skills effectively.

• Capture the attention of recruiters with a compelling headline. As a default, LinkedIn uses your most recent job title and company as your headline. Be different and stand out from the crowd when you show up in recruiter searches by customizing your headline. 

• LinkedIn profiles with photographs are 7 times more likely to be viewed when the profile comes up in search results. Make sure the photo you include is professional. Don't use your official military photo as your LI photo. This will give the impression that you are not ready to make the transition to the private sector.

• Manage the message you send with your profile. In addition to using a non-military photo, take the focus off your military status by avoiding military language, refraining from referring to your rank, and translating your military skills to private sector language.

• Ensure potential employers can find you. Use your personal email address, not your military address, as your LinkedIn contact method. Set your profile as public so that recruiters and potential hiring managers can find you when they do a search.

• List an end date or availability date on your LI profile. Give employers an idea of when you will be available to start with their company and remove the ambiguity of whether or not you are officially leaving the military.

Veteran's Job Search Quiz - Test Your Knowledge, Part 2

In this earlier blog post, I started the job search quiz that will test your knowledge of job search methods. Following you will find part two of the quiz. Take the following test to see if your knowledge of interviewing is as up-to-date as your knowledge of resume writing, which we tested in Part 1 of the quiz.


1. Most employers are well-trained in the art of interviewing and selecting candidates.
False. There is no way to control who is interviewing you for the job you are seeking any more than you can control their skill at interviewing. Unfortunately, many people are tasked with hiring without every being trained in the art of interviewing. Keep in mind that the interview decision is often based on emotions. It is a bit of a "chemistry test" where the employer is evaluating whether or not you fit into the organization.

2. When you interview for a job, you should always address the interviewer as "sir" or "ma'am" the same way you were trained to do in the military.
False. While calling people by "sir" or "ma'am" is indeed a polite sign of respect, it can be disconcerting for a civilian who is used to being addressed by their first name in the workplace. Take your cues from the interviewer and if they are less formal, you should be the same way. Ease up on the formalities and you will demonstrate that you are ready to transition out of the military.

3. No two interviews are alike, therefore there is no true way to prepare for an interview.
False. While it is true that no two interviews are alike and every interviewer asks different questions, the theme of the questions is always the same. It is imperative to prepare your "talking points" about your skills and the benefits you can bring to the organization. The more you prepare yourself to discuss the value you can bring to an organization, the more comfortable you will be in an interview - no matter what questions they ask or what order they ask them in.

Veteran's Job Search Quiz - Test Your Knowledge, Part 1

There are many common misconceptions - both among veterans and non-veterans. Take part one of the quiz below to see if you have clear expectations of your military transition job search process.

1. Employers tend to hire a veteran over a non-veteran if they have two candidates that are equally qualified.
False. Unfortunately these common misconceptions I spoke of earlier can negatively impact the hiring decision for a veteran. Less than 1% of the population has served in the military. If the civilian that is making the decision does not understand that the veteran has transferable skills, they will tend to shy away from hiring the veteran. To be successful in the transition process, veterans must learn to speak the language of the industry in which they are targeting jobs.

2. Your salary will be up to twice as much in the private sector as you made in the military.
False. There are some cases where veterans have exceeded or even doubled their military pay in the private sector. However, that is usually the exception versus the norm. Do your research on websites such as www.salary.com and www.bls.gov to determine the salary range in your industry and where you want to live. Use military retirement pay calculators on websites such as www.military.com to determine the amount of retirement pay you will receive. Be sure to calculate the loss of benefits such as Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) and Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).

3. Private sector employers believe that military veterans do not have the ability to manage profit and loss.
True. The perception in the private sector is that the military has unlimited funds and they do not have to manage with budget constraints or staffing challenges. It is true that the military does not even come close to turning a profit - that is not their purpose. However, most civilians are not aware of things like force shaping or high year tenure that have drawn down the military significantly in recent years. As a veteran, you must dispel these myths by discussing your focus on cost reduction, efficiency management, and budget oversight.

So, how did you do? Check back on Thursday for a continuation of the Veteran's Employment Quiz.