As a veteran myself, one of the first steps I counsel veterans to take when they are transitioning out of the military or looking for a new vocation is to focus some time and energy on their LinkedIn account. Social Media plays a huge role in building your “brand” and it is one of THE most overlooked items to accomplish on the way to a new career. The great news for veterans is that LinkedIn wants to wants to help veterans take the next step.

Once you get started in following the easy to use set up wizard for your free account, you will want to put an alert on your electronic calendar reminding you to update your LinkedIn profile regularly. Think of LinkedIn as your “living resume” that needs monthly updates and edits. Another reason you want to update your account is that you want it to be timely. I have included some helpful tips at the end of this review.

LinkedIn is a business and they know that the more people use their platform, the more they can get from paid sponsors. It’s a great time to be a veteran because many companies are hiring them. To make it simpler to make the connection to veterans, LinkedIn has provided free, online resources for those who have served in the military. They connect veterans to each other so they can network. There used to be a saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” That has been updated and now it’s, “It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.” For example, if you have a water leak in your house and you’re not handy, who do you call? If you’re smart, you’ve saved a trusted professional in your phone and he will be on the way within the hour. If not, you’re searching Angie’s List, looking through online ads and posting on Facebook to find someone.

LinkedIn connects you with employers who want to hire veterans, which is a great service that is often overlooked. Employers can search the databases for veterans that will be a good fit for their companies. They can also post jobs and recruiting events that are in your area. You can also look at the companies that are hosting virtual job fairs and check out their LinkedIn pages too.

If you need a service provider, LinkedIn is doing that too. They update their platform several times each year so you’ll need to be aware of the functions that are new and the ones that have disappeared.

Helpful tips: • To be professional, you’ll have to look the part. No selfies for your profile picture. • Have your peers add you and give you a recommendation. No one hires someone with five connections on LinkedIn. • Your network is your net worth. Start soaring with the eagles and ditch the magpies. • Write an article that showcases your talents. It will also improve your web SEO. • Watch a YouTube video on how to write your profile and set SMART goals. • Slow and steady wins the race. Check for errors and refine, refine, refine.

Check out https://linkedinforgood.linkedin.com/programs/veterans for the three ways LinkedIn is helping veterans.