LinkedIn for Veterans: How to Use LinkedIn to Transition to Civilian Life

Veterans hoping to transition to the civilian workforce need more than just a resume to get noticed by hiring managers today. Using LinkedIn for veterans can be the first and the most important step in launching your new career post-military.

Whether you’re searching for a job actively or passively, you can connect with recruiters and hiring managers on LinkedIn with the right approach. Use LinkedIn for business to start your new career that is just as fulfilling as the military.

Why Use LinkedIn as a Veteran

85% of recruiters state that having a social media profile is extremely important. Having a presence on LinkedIn is one of the best things you can do to boost your job search efforts. Here are a few more reasons why you should use LinkedIn for veterans:

• You can use advanced search filters to find opportunities by experience level, location, and industry.
• You can signal to recruiters that you’re open to new job offers.
• You can network with other veterans and join veterans’ LinkedIn groups to offer and get support during your transition.
• You can connect with recruiters and apply for jobs that match your interests.

How to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job and Transition to Civilian Life

The key to successfully using LinkedIn for veterans is to create a strong profile and craft a personal brand that will showcase your military experience and how your skills can be applied to real-world scenarios. This will make it easier for recruiters to find and connect with you instead of you chasing them.

Here’s how you can achieve that:

Start By Creating Your LinkedIn Profile

If your LinkedIn profile is not gaining traction or generating new networking leads, it may need polishing. Job seekers with an optimized profile are 71% more likely to get a job interview.

Here are a few tips to try:

• Use a professional civilian headshot instead of one in a military uniform.
• Find keywords and terms used in the industry or job you’re interested in and use them through your profile.
• Your headline is the most valuable real estate on your LinkedIn profile. Make sure it isn’t boring by learning how to craft the perfect LinkedIn headline for maximum impact.
• Think of the summary section as your elevator pitch to recruiters and employers. Use it to highlight your core competencies.
• Avoid using military jargon and acronyms.
• Translate your military skills into civilian equivalents.

Create Posts That Show How Your Skills Apply to the Real World

Once you have a stellar profile, the next step is to show recruiters how your veteran experience can be applied to other fields. Use your personal stories and experience to show how you’re a good candidate in your field of choice. Use Taplio’s AI Assistant to generate ideas tailored to your target audience.

Here are a few ideas of what you can post on LinkedIn as a veteran:

• Stories from your service that highlight leadership, problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork.
• Post content that highlights the soft skills you learned during service, like discipline, determination, and resilience.
• Discuss the professional challenges you encounter during your job search and how you overcome them.
• Share your transitioning story, highlighting challenges, successes, and lessons learned.

Be Disciplined About Posting

When you’re transitioning to civilian life, there are many things you have to juggle, from finding housing to figuring out your finances. You don’t have to spend hours on top of that trying to build a personal brand on LinkedIn.

Simply spend a few minutes on the weekend to schedule LinkedIn posts with Taplio so you can spend the rest of the week focusing on other things that are just as important for your transition.

Make Your Posts Visually Interesting

81% of people online only skim the content they read. Instead of just posting text-based posts, use interesting visuals to convey the message you want in an interesting way. Here’s how to do that:

• Include bold, colorful images in your posts.
• Share information in bite-sized video format.
• Use bullet points, emojis, and formatting to improve readability.
• Use Carousel Generator to create visually stunning carousel posts in seconds.
• Don’t be afraid to post memes and GIFs occasionally.

Engage Authentically

Be authentic in all your interactions on LinkedIn. If you find a post interesting or valuable, don’t forget to like, share, or leave a thoughtful comment. The more you engage with others, the better your visibility will be on the platform. Taplio’s LinkedIn Engagement Builder can help you grow your network through intentional and proactive engagement.

Connect With Others Over DMs

Once you’ve engaged consistently with someone on LinkedIn, take things further by sending them a DM. If you’re using Taplio, you can set up an Auto DM that will automatically send a message to anyone who likes or comments on your posts. This is an effective way to reach out to others through a personalized message and break the ice with them.

Generate More Networking and Job Leads

A great way to use LinkedIn for veterans is by connecting with people who are already working in an industry you’re interested in. Employee referrals are four times more likely to be hired, so generating more networking leads can be an effective way to get hired.

Start by creating a professional profile and then focus on networking with others so you can build genuine relationships and get job referrals and leads, which can increase your chances of success.

10 Veteran Accounts You Should be Following on LinkedIn

Here are ten great examples of veterans who are using LinkedIn the right way to support their civilian careers.

1. General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.)

General Petraeus makes a huge impact with his LinkedIn posts by sharing the accomplishments of other veterans, talking about lessons he learned during his service, and supporting various causes.

2. Jon Macaskill

Macaskill has attracted over 80,000 followers by sharing a wealth of valuable content ranging from mindfulness and resilience to being an effective leader.

3. Kelly Kennedy

Kennedy is a civilian journalist with an incredibly impactful LinkedIn summary that highlights her achievements. She also regularly shares important news stories and issues related to veterans.

4. Michelle (aka “G-I”) Gardner-Ince

Gardner-Ince supports female veteran entrepreneurs and shares stories about fellow veterans, challenges for her audience, and opportunities.

5. Justina St. Clair, MBAA

This marine veteran and technical recruiter presents a polished image with a professional headshot and a great banner. Her LinkedIn headline and summary provide a clear picture of her achievements and skills.

6. Jennifer Chiang

Chiang’s LinkedIn profile is incredibly detailed, listing her skills, languages, honors and awards, publications, volunteer work, licenses and certifications, professional experience and achievements, and more.

7. Ryan Brown

Ryan regularly shares motivational content on his LinkedIn profile and shows that posting regularly and engaging with others is the best way to get more followers.

8. Angel Johnson

Angel Johnson is an Air Force veteran, founder, and TEDx Speaker who regularly shares a lot of visual content, articles, and personal stories that connect with readers.

9. Steven Philpott Jr., M.S.

Steven Philpott does it right with a great mix of vulnerable posts sharing his personal journey, GIFs, memes, and content that provide value to his audience.

10. Luke Beck

Luke Beck shows that you don’t need a long, complex LinkedIn summary to make an impact. This Director of Recruiting also attracts a lot of followers by regularly posting job seeker tips.