U.S. Military Veterans on LinkedIn
Agenda
Growth Opportunity
Veterans on LinkedIn and U.S. Companies Hiring Veterans
Veterans on LinkedIn 2
Military 101
Background and Buzzwords
Recruiting
Using LinkedIn to Reach, Engage, and Hire Veterans
Data and Insights
Use LinkedIn to Fine-Tune Veteran Hiring
Veterans on LinkedIn 4
This playbook is designed to help you to…
Understand the opportunity to recruit Veterans
Understand military background and buzzwords
Gain new insight on Veteran recruiting
Where U.S. Veterans fit into LinkedIn’s strategy
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U.S. Veterans are a growing segment on LinkedIn
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The economic graphCreating economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce
2 Million+U.S. service members and Veterans on LinkedIn
300K+New U.S. service members and Veterans each year
200K+Service members transition out of the military each year
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Demand for Veteran Talent is Increasing…
Military leadership experience is a competitive advantage• Military leaders are over-represented among CEOs (Korn/Ferry study)• Companies like Amazon are hiring veterans for ops and logistics roles
Companies with veteran hiring targets • White House Joining Forces initiative – In April 2015, new companies in energy,
transportation and tech hiring commitments of 90K• 100K Jobs Mission – 190 companies with Veteran hiring goal
Federal market • New OFCCP regulations set federal contractor benchmark to hire veteran
employees (8% of company workforce is the default goal)
Veteran unemployment • Since 2011, Veteran unemployment has been a top priority for policymakers.
Today, unemployment rate for post-9/11 Veterans has fallen by almost 5 points.
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White House Joining ForcesCompany commitments to hiring veterans, including:
• Accenture• AT&T• BAE Systems• Bank of America• Boeing• Cisco• Citi• Comcast• Deloitte• DuPont• General Electric• Google• Home Depot• JP Morgan Chase
• Johnson & Johnson• LinkedIn• Lockheed Martin• McDonald’s• Microsoft• Northrop Grumman• Oracle• Pricewaterhouse Coopers• Safeway• Siemens• Target• Walmart• Xerox
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Demand for Veteran Talent: 100,000 Jobs MissionCompany commitments to hiring veterans, including:
• Amazon• Aetna• Bloomberg• Booz Allen Hamilton• CSC• Coca Cola• Dow• Delta• Eli Lilly• Ernst & Young• Genentech• GM• HP• Intel• IBM
• JP Morgan• JC Penney• Kaiser• Leidos• Macy’s• Monsanto• Novartis• Office Depot• Philips• Pfizer• Salesforce• Shell• United• Verizon
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LinkedIn’s Veteran Hiring Initiatives
Partnerships
100,000 Jobs MissionWhite House Joining ForcesDept of Veterans Affairs eBenefits Veteran Employment Center
Internal Practices
Veteran employee networkVeteran recruiting
Veteran Resources
LinkedIn Veterans site Veteran Mentor Network Job Seeker Materials Job Seeker Premium
Basics on military culture and skills
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Veterans on LinkedIn 12
Military culture and values
Ethics
Leadership
Service
Community
Responsibility
Excellence
Teamwork
Each branch of service has its own role
US Army Largest of the services, responsible for ground operations: “Soldiers”
US Air ForceResponsible for air, space and cyber operations: “Airmen”
US NavyNaval security, transport: “Sailors”
US Marine CorpsResponsible for rapid deployment: “Marines”
US Coast GuardProtects the coastline, managed under Homeland Security “Coastguardsmen” or “Coasties”
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There are different ways to serve
Active Duty members serve in the military full time
Reserve members serve in the military part time
National Guard members serve a similar mission as Active and Reserve, but under State control, unless federally mobilized
Veterans are those who served in the active components of the military and were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable
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As well as distinct ranks and grades
Officers Enlisted
Warrant Officers
Officers Managers and leaders of the force, commissioned through Service Academies, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) or Officer Candidate School (OCS)
EnlistedEnlisted ranks are specialists and supervisors: Senior Non-commissioned officers are leaders within the enlisted ranks. Senior NCOs are (E-7 and above) and junior NCOs (E-4 to E-7) are technical experts and front-line supervisors. Junior enlisted (E-1 to E-4) are new recruits and often in a training status.
Warrant OfficersProfessionals and Technical experts in the Army or Navy such as some US Army helicopter pilots
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Recruiters may encounter unfamiliar terms
JMO / NCOJunior Military Officer
Non-commissioned Officer
ETS / DOSExpiration Term of Service or
Date of Separation
DD214 Transcript of military
experience
MOSMilitary Occupational Specialty
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Commanding Officer
Command Master Chief
And unfamiliar job titles…
Platoon Leader
Veterans are highly skilled
7,000 positions in over 100
areas
81% of military jobs have a
direct translation
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Veterans have experience in many roles and job functions…
OperationsMilitary & Protective
ServicesSupport
Information TechnologyEngineering
Sales
Healthcare ServicesProgram & Project
ManagementEntrepreneurship
Education
368K
203K
135K
90K
73K
72K
67K
60K
55K
52K
0-2 Years24K 3-5 Years
106K 6-9
Years241K
10-14 Years295K
15+ Years874K
Years of Experience
Common Job Functions
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With a variety of backgrounds and fields of study…
BusinessInformation Science & Technology
GeneralComputer Science
Business Management & AdministrationSociology
PsychologyEducation
Electrical EngineeringPolitical Science
HistoryLaw
AccountingMechanical Engineering
Science
83K69K
67K63K
61K59K
36K35K34K34K
31K28K28K27K
26K
With leadership, program management and team building skills
Military
Leadership
Security Clearance
DoD
Military Experience
Military Operations
Microsoft Office
Program Management
Training
Management
Customer Service
Operational Planning
Command
Team Building
National Security
440K
412K
403K
312K
310K
306K
278K
273K
271K
267K
256K
220K
219K
207K
198K
Candidates at the entry level listed
customer service and troubleshooting
as top skills
While candidates at the manager and director level are skilled at program management and
strategic / operational planning
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This talent pool reflects broad work experience beyond military and defense industries…
Military
Defense & Space
Information Technology & Services
Government Administration
Higher Education
Hospital & Health Care
Financial Services
Retail
Aviation & Aerospace
Oil & Energy
684K
260K
92K
62K
53K
51K
33K
30K
29K
28K
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Top public sector employees of this talent pool include the military services and federal government…
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
Army National Guard
U.S. Army Reserve
U.S. Navy Reserve
278K
186K
144K
78K
29K
20K
11K
10K
9K
9K
…and private sector companies in the defense, aerospace, telecommunications, and IT industries
Veterans on LinkedIn
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Myths / Facts Learn to debunk the common myths about hiring military Veterans
Myth: Anyone can serve in the militaryFact: Standards are very high and only 25% of the population (between 18 to 24) are eligible to enlist
Myth: Veterans are unstable because of health issuesFact: Veterans are diverse and resilient. Most do not have health issues as a result of their service, and if so, they have access to treatment and rehabilitative care
Myth: All Veterans served in combatFact: Those classified as “Veteran” did serve on active duty. Military members view force as a last resort, and policy decisions on combat are made by civilian leadership, not military members
Myth: Reserve and Guard duty interferes with work responsibilitiesFact: Deployment dates are often known months, if not years, in advance. Reserve and Guard members bring tremendous skills and experience to their work
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Top Reasons Companies HireVeterans
Dynamic decision-making and performance under pressure
Problem-solving, entrepreneurial and collaborative skills
Advanced skills and technical training
Sense of honor and integrity
Leadership
Vast expertise in distinct and often adverse environments
Team-building and organizational commitment
How Veterans engage with LinkedIn today
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Veterans are migrating to LinkedIn via these core channels
Veterans at LinkedIn Microsite
1.2 million visits during
Veterans Week 2014• Job Seeker Materials• Tips and resources• Job Postings• Success Stories
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Department of Veterans Affairs
Over 160K US Service members transition every year
eBenefits Veterans Employment Center connects Veterans to LinkedIn
Veterans Mentor Network
Nearly 75,000 Members• Career Planning Tools• Mentorship and Guidance• Resources for Using LinkedIn • Direct Marketing via several social media channels
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Military Candidates are engaged on LinkedInLinkedIn is helping Veterans make informed decisions about their careers
59% Follow a Company
55% Member of a Group
57% are active on LinkedIn
64% use LinkedIn Mobile
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Veterans use LinkedIn to plan their career journeysLinkedIn is helping Veterans make informed decisions about their careers
57% Read an InMail
37% Viewed a Company Page
37% Viewed a Job
Military candidates are consuming content via LinkedIn Pulse and Company Updates
• Since 2014, 60% of Military Candidates have seen a Company Update on LinkedIn and 23% have engaged with an update.
Timeframe: January 2014 – March 2015Veterans on LinkedIn 31
LinkedIn’s U.S. Veteran recruiting strategy for employers
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Reach
Engage
Hire
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Establish a world class Veteran hiring initiative
Train your top-notch recruitment team
Establish a Veterans employee network
Use LinkedIn Recruiter to Build a Talent Pipeline
Use LinkedIn to Map the Veteran Talent Market
Use LinkedIn to Target Your Search
Use LinkedIn to Attract Veterans with Media
Use LinkedIn’s Data to Fine-Tune your Strategy
Reach the right veteran with information found in our rich profile data
Sam SmithMajor, United States Marine Corps
Quantico, Virginia Military
Current United States Marine CorpsPrevious United States Marine CorpsEducation University of Virginia
575 connections
Background
EducationUniversity of VirginiaElectrical Engineering, B.S.1998 - 2001
Groups
Military Background
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Groups
Service member orVeteran
Employer, Education
Geography
SummaryI’m a motivated team-player motivated towards service and excellence. I’ve deployed four times to Iraq and Afghanistan, serving with NATO allies and leading a dedicated team through tough situations.
Skills, Honors, Awards
School and Degree
www.linkedin.com/samsmith
Connect
Rank, Branch of Service
Use LinkedIn’s new search functionality to find the right Veterans with skills you need
Veterans on LinkedIn 36
“Army+logistics”
“Military+engineer+management”
“Air+Force+aviation+operations”
“Naval postgraduate+space”
“Army+engineer+management”
Find the right Veterans with LinkedIn Recruiter• Use LinkedIn Recruiter filters to identify “hidden
gem” Veteran markets to recruit from
• Target your search for Veterans with the skills you want
• Build a pipeline for Veteran talent
• Reach out and build relationships with InMail
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Bring your story to life with a LinkedIn Career Page• Setting up a Veteran specific view will
dynamically serve content that is most relevant to them
• Videos and testimonials allow you to focus on messaging that resonates most with Veterans
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Cultivate a Veteran community and keep the conversation going in a groupVeterans have an affinity for previous service – and join industry and skill-specific groups
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Employment branding media keeps you top of mind year-round with Veterans
Targeted InMails
Status Updates Targeted Ads
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Best Practices: Verizon
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At Verizon, U.S. Veteran engagement is a business priority. Veterans adapt their military values and skills into organizational success.
Verizon uses LinkedIn to recruit Veterans :
• LinkedIn Recruiter and InMails to connect with job seekers and passive professionals• Created their own Group “Recruiters 4 Veterans” • Boolean searches, such as combining Military Occupational Specialty Codes and military service branches to narrow results• Sharing featured video on Veterans.LinkedIn.com site
Best Practices: Starbucks
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Starbucks recruits Veterans for their skills and expertise, leadership ability, and dedication to teamwork
Starbucks uses LinkedIn to recruit Veterans with:
• Starbucks Career Page on LinkedIn• Advanced Search capability• Veterans.LinkedIn.com site
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Fine-tune your U.S. Veteran recruiting strategy with data
The complete supply and demand map shows all regions with military talent
Washington, DC 119K
Norfolk, VA 58K
San Diego, CA 53K
Seattle, WA 48K
New York, NY 46K
Los Angeles, CA 44K
Dallas, TX 37K
San Antonio, TX 35K
Atlanta, GA 35K
San Francisco, CA 28K
Top Regions
In the coming years, significant personnel reductions may be seen at the following US Army bases:Fort Benning, GA
Fort Bliss, TXFort Bragg, NC
Fort Campbell, KYFort Carson, COFort Drum, NY
Fort Hood, TXFort Stewart, GA
J.B. Lewis-McChord, WAVeterans on LinkedIn 44
Value Propositions Ranked by Importance
What Veterans care about when considering a career
Question asked: Please select the 5 most important factors when considering a job opportunity.Source: LinkedIn Q3 2014 survey; Sample Size: 3,771
Compensation
Balance
Security
Impact
Challenging
Pride
Culture
Career Path
Contributions
Superiors
Colleagues
Development
Vision
Flexible
Transfer
63%
56%
43%
40%
39%
37%
36%
31%
31%
27%
24%
23%
23%
22%
7%
61%
52%
31%
29%
43%
32%
30%
37%
30%
26%
30%
33%
32%
26%
7%
Non-Veterans Veterans
2%
4%
12%
11%
-4%
5%
6%
-6%
1%
1%
-6%
-10%
-9%
-4%
0%
Compared to Non-Military
Military Candidates are more concerned
with making an impact than the average LinkedIn
member.
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The number of Military Candidates impacted by LinkedIn prior to starting a new position is
increasing
Indexed Share of Military Candidate Hires Impacted by LinkedIn
(100 index = % of military candidate hires impacted in January 2013)
100
124 125134
118 124134
110
132 137147
160140
170
199213
200217 222
198
232246
255 257267
294
242
The percentage of military candidate hires
impacted by LinkedIn products has nearly tripled in the
past two years
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Veterans on LinkedIn 47©2015 LinkedIn Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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The following slides are guidelines showing similar roles and responsibility between the
corporate world and the military
Business roles and similar Officer rank
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Corporate Officer Rank Typical Role Typical Years Experience
CEO General (Navy Admiral), O-7 thru O-10
Responsible for thousands of people, $$ billions in equipment, strategic decisions
22+ years
Vice President Colonel, (Navy Captain), O-6
Commands thousands of people with significant impact on strategy and mission
20+ years
Senior Manager Lt Col (Navy Commander), O-5
Commands hundreds of troops and holds senior policy job
16-22 years (avg age: 40s)
Middle Manager Majors and Captains, O-3 and O-4
May command hundreds in combat, or run staff operations
4-16 years(avg age: 30s)
Junior employees
1st Lieutenant (Navy, LT Junior Grade) O-2
Knowledge of operations, may command platoons
2-5 years(avg age: 20s)
Entry level 2nd Lieutenant (Navy Ensign), O-1
First years of service, may lead teams of enlisted members
0-2 years(avg age: 20s)
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Business roles and similar Enlisted rank
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Corporate Enlisted Rank Typical Role Typical Years Experience
Senior Manager E-7 through E-9 (Senior NCO)
Commands hundreds of troops with significant impact on policy and mission. Plans, directs, coordinates work activities.
16-30 years (avg age: 40s)
Middle Manager E-6 (Junior NCO) Significant operational experience, lead enlisted troops
10-16 years(avg age: 30s)
Junior / Middle Management
E-4/ E-5 (Junior NCO)
First line supervisor for junior enlisted members
4-10 years (avg age 20s to early 30s)
Junior Employees
E-2 to E-4 Knowledgeable on how things operate but still gaining work experience.
2-4 years(late teens to early 20s)
Common Military Job Titles
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Commanding Officer: Significant responsibilities as the Officer-in-charge of a unit, with ultimate decision-making authority and responsibility.
Command Master Chief: A senior Non-commissioned officer in charge of a specific function, supporting those in a command position.
Platoon Leader: A young (in rank) commanding officer, responsibility for managing a large group of subordinates (up to 50 people) towards a common mission and with millions of dollars of equipment.
Staff Officer: Director of managing a functional area for a supervisor
Executive Officer: Senior role, supporting the commander in the Navy or Marine Corps. Second in command at the squadron or battalion level, or of a ship. In the Army, this is a staff level position, and in the Air Force, this is a junior staff administrative assistant position.
Executive Assistant / Aide-de-Camp: Staff, administrative duties and confidential assistant who often travels with and supports the commander.
Glossary
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Branches of Service:
-Army: Largest of the services, responsible for ground operations “soldiers”-Navy: Responsible for naval security and transportation. “sailors”-Marine Corps: Responsible for rapid deployment. “Marines”-Air Force: Responsible for air, space, and cyber operations. “airmen”-Coast Guard: Protects the coastline, managed under Homeland Security “coastguardsmen” or “coasties”
Service Status:
-Active: Service members who serve in the military full time-Reserve members: Service members who serve in a part-time capacity (“one weekend per month, two weeks per year”)-National Guard: Service members who also serve part-time capacity, but under State control, unless federally mobilized
Both Reserve and Guard have been deployed repeatedly over the course of the last 14 years in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
Glossary
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Rank/Grade:-Officer (O-1 and above): Managers and leaders of the force, commissioned through Service Academies, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) or Officer Candidate School (OCS).-Warrant Officer (W-1 and above): Technical experts in the Army or Navy such as some US Army helicopter pilots. A small percentage of the overall Armed Forces.-Enlisted (E-1 and above): Enlisted ranks are specialists and supervisors: Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) are leaders within the enlisted ranks (E-7 and above are Senior NCOs) and Junior NCOS (E-4 to E-7) are are technical experts and front-line supervisors. Junior enlisted (E-1 to E-4) are new recruits and often in a training status.
Typical terms for transitioning service members:-DDForm 214 – Transcript of service member experiences, training, honors and awards and dates of service.-MOS/AFSC/NEC – Military Occupational Specialties are job codes describing a military members role in the service-JMO/NCO – Junior Military Officer (O-1 to O-3) / Non-Commissioned Officer (typically E-4 and above)-ETS/DOS – Expiration Terms of Service / Date of Separation