Veterans Day is when we unite to honor and thank a veteran and express our gratitude to the brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It is a day to reflect on veterans’ sacrifices and their invaluable contributions to our country’s freedom and security.
One of the best platforms to thank a veteran and show appreciation and pay tribute to veterans is LinkedIn, to connect with, support, and acknowledge veterans in various ways. You can use LinkedIn to honor veterans on Veterans Day and throughout the year.
Don’t miss my favorite quote at the end of this article!
When you see this article posted on my LinkedIn profile, please repost and/or share your comments as a goodwill gesture to thank a veteran!
Share Veterans’ Stories
One of the most meaningful ways to pay tribute to veterans on LinkedIn is by sharing their stories. If you know a veteran in your professional network, ask them if they are willing to share their military journey, achievements, or experiences.
Share their stories as a LinkedIn article or post, and include a heartfelt message about their service and their impact on your life or career. This gesture recognizes their sacrifice and humanizes them in the eyes of your connections. If you see a story by a veteran, you don’t know, engage and comment on their post.
Connect with Veterans
LinkedIn is a valuable tool for expanding your professional network. Take the opportunity to connect with veterans in your industry or area. Use the search function to find veterans in your field and send them personalized connection requests, expressing your interest in their work and thanking them for their service.
Building connections with veterans can be mutually beneficial, as you can learn from their experiences and share your expertise in return.
A directory of local organizations that support veteran organizations is on the Delaware Valley Veterans Consortium website.
Endorse Veterans’ Skills
A simple way to show your support for veterans on LinkedIn is to endorse their skills. If you are connected with a veteran who has listed their military-related skills on their profile, take a moment to endorse those skills. It acknowledges their proficiency and increases their visibility to potential employers.
Offer Mentorship or Advice
If you have knowledge or insights that could be helpful to veterans transitioning into civilian careers, offer to mentor or provide advice. Veterans often face unique challenges when transitioning into the civilian workforce, and your guidance and support can be immensely valuable. Let them know you are available to answer questions, review resumes, or provide career advice.
Share Veterans’ Resources
LinkedIn is an excellent platform for sharing resources and information. Share articles, organizations, and events about veterans’ support and opportunities. By doing so, you can help veterans access valuable resources and networks, aiding them in their post-military lives.
Follow the Delaware Valley Veterans Consortium social media as I post events of member organizations as my service to the veteran community: Facebook, LinkedIn Company Page, and LinkedIn Group.
Attend or Promote Veterans-Related Events
Promote and attend events related to veterans, both online and in your local community. Many organizations and groups host events on or around Veterans Day to honor and support veterans. Share these events on LinkedIn to encourage your network to get involved and show their support as well.
Financial Support and Donations
While LinkedIn is primarily a professional networking site, you can also use it to raise awareness about charitable organizations that support veterans. Share information about reputable veterans’ charities and encourage your connections to contribute financially or volunteer their time.
If you want to sponsor a transitioning veteran with career support for a year, donate through the 501(c)3 nonprofit I run, and you will get an immediate tax-deductible receipt. If you are a veteran and need a scholarship, please reach out!
Volunteer for Special Projects
As a Board Member of the nonprofit Paoli Business and Professional Association, we seek volunteers who want to help with the landscaping and upkeep of the Veterans War Memorial in Paoli. Contact me if you have a green thumb!
Conclusion
LinkedIn provides a unique platform for paying tribute to veterans on Veterans Day and throughout the year. By sharing veterans’ stories, connecting with them, endorsing their skills, offering mentorship, sharing resources, attending or promoting veterans-related events, supporting veterans’ charities, and volunteering for special projects, you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who have served our country.
Let’s use the power of professional networking to thank a veteran and show our gratitude and support for the veterans who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and security. Let’s commit to honoring our veterans on LinkedIn and in our professional lives this Veterans Day and beyond.
Every year, I like to reshare this quote on what is a veteran.
“A veteran – whether active duty, discharged, retired or reserve – is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to the United States of America, for an amount of up to, and including, his/her life.”
Thank you to John O’Brien, who shared this quote in a Concord Monitor article.
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AUTHOR BIO
Lynne M. Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career development and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans, and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.
Aside from writing keyword-focused content for ATS resumes and LinkedIn™ profiles, Lynne is currently writing her doctoral dissertation on LinkedIn™ for Job Seekers. She is a contributing author on “Applying to Positions” in Find Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing the Job You Love, along with the late Dick Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?, and is also a speaker on career topics.
This article is also published on: vista.today, montco.today, delco.today, bucksco.today, philadelphia.today and in the author’s LinkedIn newsletter. A list of articles can also be found in a Google doc.
