More and more, military veterans are using social networking tools such as LinkedIn. And recognizing that recruiters and hiring managers use social networking to source, attract and recruit talent, learning how to read a military veteran's LinkedIn profile is important.
In reading a veteran's LinkedIn profile, first understand that many military service members and veterans are hesitant to join online platforms where they share personal and professional information. In many ways, the sharing of data online feels counterintuitive to a veteran who was trained to be discrete and cautious throughout their military career.
Second, recognize that many job seekers who are veterans are not well-versed in how to use social networking sites to position themselves and attract employers. For this reason, you might see that a veteran job seeker's LinkedIn profile is set up and then sits idle. Unless the veteran understands how to use LinkedIn, it's easy for them to misdirect their online efforts.
For insight into the military veteran's online profile, consider:
1. Tagline/Headline
LinkedIn offers each user the opportunity to describe themselves in 120 characters underneath their name. We call this the tagline or headline. You may see a veteran's headlines read, "US Army veteran in transition," or even "Project Management | Leader | US Veteran," or anything in between.
Unlike with a civilian's LinkedIn profile, the headline on a veteran's profile could be less meaningful. Veterans are often taught how to create LinkedIn profiles by focusing on the Summary and List of Experiences, not necessarily the headline. For this reason, if you see an obscure headline, continue reading to learn more about the individual.
2. How Does the Veteran Present Themselves?
Does their profile image show them in a military uniform, yet they transitioned out five years ago? Or are they showing themselves in the job they want? The profile picture can indicate the candidate's state of mind in their career. However, in many cases, veterans have not been taught to project a civilian career image in their profile picture, and they still show themselves in uniform. This, again, would be a good topic for an interview.
3. City/State
When listing their city and state under their name on a LinkedIn profile, active-duty service members might list the location of their last duty station, instead of the city and state where they plan to locate after separating from the military. Remember this as you recruit based on location. Also, many online profiles will indicate the candidate is willing and open to relocating; look for this if recruiting near military installations.
4. Career Progression
With a basic understanding of military career progression, look for signs that the veteran was promoted ahead of schedule, took on significant additional responsibilities or changed their military career path. These could all be great indications of a unique military career, worthy of a conversation and interview with the candidate. You wouldn't want to just ignore a veteran's LinkedIn profile just because you don't understand their military career path.
5. Recommendations
While the technical aspects of the veteran's job experience might be qualification for a job, consider what others write about them in their recommendations. The Recommendations feature on a LinkedIn profile can give you insight into:
- How this person works with others
- Their leadership and mentoring skills
- The caliber of individuals willing to recommend and endorse the candidate
As you evaluate a candidate's LinkedIn resume and see they are a military veteran, remember that many veterans are new to the social networking space. While serving their country, they were focused on tasks and missions very different from self-promotion and social media. Reading between the lines can reveal great value in the profile of a military veteran.
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