Are you looking for work? Though LinkedIn is first and foremost a professional networking site, it’s also a helpful way to search and apply for job openings. Many companies advertise open positions on LinkedIn and accept applications directly through the site.You can search for jobs without having a LinkedIn account by using the site’s job search page. However, if you want to apply for a job, you’ll need at least a free basic account.LinkedIn also offers a premium Career account specifically for job hunters, which offers more options. The Career account starts at $29.99 a month, though you can try it out for free for the first 30 days.
The good news is that the free account should be enough for those trying to find their first full-time job. There are numerous features to take advantage here, so we’ll look at the options for the free account.
Sign into LinkedIn. At your News Feed page or any LinkedIn page, click on the icon for Jobs on the top toolbar.
Career Interests
LinkedIn’s Jobs page displays job openings that may interest you based on the occupations and titles you listed in your profile. To narrow or expand the list of job suggestions, click on the Update career interests link.
At the Career interests page, you can toggle the switch to “Let recruiters know you’re open,” to new opportunities. Activating this feature allows recruiters to contact you directly.
LinkedIn says it tries not to show your current company that you’re seeking a new job but can’t guarantee your privacy. So, if you don’t want to tip off your current employer, you may want to leave this option turned off.
What’s Your Preference?
Next, you can type a note to recruiters to tell them what type of job you’re seeking. Then click on the Add title link to add job titles you would consider. As you type the title, LinkedIn serves up a list that matches the first few characters; you can select titles from that or add your own.
Next, you can add a location where you wish to work. Again, start typing the name of a city or other location, and LinkedIn shows a list of matches. Click on the location you want to add. Then click on the check boxes for the types of jobs you’re open to, such as full-time, part-time, and freelance. Next, click on the link to “Show company preferences.”
Click Add industry if you want to limit your search to specific industries. Type the name of an industry, and click on any appropriate match that LinkedIn offers. You can then select the size of the company you’d like to work for based on the minimum and maximum number of employees. Your choices are automatically saved.
When you’re done, click on your browser’s back button to return to the Jobs page. Now you can scroll down the list to see if any positions interest you.
You can also run your own job search. Scroll to the top of the Jobs page. Type a job title, company name, or other keyword in the first field, and LinkedIn conjures up a list of items that match your keyword. Click on the item that best matches yours. If you wish, you can type a city, state, ZIP code, or country in the second field, or leave that field blank to conduct a worldwide search. Then click on the Search button.
Search Alert
LinkedIn responds with a list of job openings that match your search. You can narrow the list by using any of the filters available at the top of the screen. These criteria can help you filter by location, company, date posted, experience level, industry, and job function, and selecting a specific option. As you select an option, the list of job openings refreshes itself to match your criteria.
If you’re satisfied with your search parameters, you can save this search and be notified of any jobs that match your interests. Scroll to the top of the page and toggle the Job alert switch.
A Create search alert window pops up asking how frequently you wish to receive notifications (daily or weekly) and whether you want to receive them via email, via mobile and desktop notification, or both. Make your choices and then click on Save.
Easy Apply
Now, let’s say there’s a job that interests you. Click on its title. The job opening appears in full so you can read the description. Click on Save to save the job to a list of saved jobs that LinkedIn creates for you. The job will either let you apply for it through LinkedIn or through the employer’s website. If it offers the LinkedIn route, click on the Easy Apply button to apply for the job.
Submit
You then can then submit a form on LinkedIn with your name and phone number and an option include your resume. Click on the Submit application button.
If instead, the job requires that you apply through the company, click on the button to “Apply on company website” and follow the process from there.
Saved Jobs
To view your saved jobs, click on the Jobs icon at the top toolbar to return to the Jobs page. Then click on the link that says Track my jobs. Your saved jobs list appears. You can then apply to any of your saved jobs.
LinkedIn Salary
LinkedIn offers a couple more tricks for job hunters. At the Jobs page, click on the link for LinkedIn Salary. Here you can discover your earnings potential by searching for particular job titles and locations and seeing what types of salaries that job warrants. At the LinkedIn Salary page, type and select a specific title and then type and select a location. Click on the Search button.
Share Your Salary (Privately)
In response, LinkedIn shows you the median salary for that job and that location. Click on the Submit your salary button if you wish to add your own salary to LinkedIn’s data. Follow the prompts and fill in the requested data. This data will not be posted on your profile or shared with recruiters, according to LinkedIn, and you can delete it from your account at any time.
LinkedIn App
You can also search for jobs on the go. LinkedIn previously offered a separate mobile app called LinkedIn Job Search, but recently rolled its functionality into the main LinkedIn app (iOS, Android).
It’s been said again and again: Networking is important to get ahead in your professional career.
If you’re like a lot of people though, the concept of networking can seem intimidating or time-consuming. But it doesn’t have to be. Think about the last person you leaned on for advice or the person you celebrated your latest career milestone with. You already have people in your life who are the foundation of a healthy and vibrant network. Start there.
Recently, we invited Julie Miller, a Field Recruiter for the J.Crew Group, to share some thoughts on the value of building and maintaining a network of professionals who support your goals.
Start with people you know
With over 645+ million members in over 200 countries on LinkedIn, there’s plenty of opportunities to meet more people who share your interests. The best way to tap into that extended network is to begin with people you know. Who does that include?
Julie reiterates the importance of connecting with friends and family. They know you best and are most likely to provide ongoing support in your professional career.
“Absolutely I think you should start with family and friends, they know you as a person, your character, and they might have a great network that you can tap into.” Julie Miller, Recruiter J.Crew Group
Don’t forget to also connect with both your current and former classmates and colleagues. They can attest to your work and be a helpful source for introductions, referrals, and endorsements.
Focus on quality vs. quantity
And keep in mind, building your professional network on LinkedIn isn’t about quantity, it’s about the quality. A good initial goal is 30 connections and there are many ways to easily find and connect with the people you know. Once you do, you’ll really start to see the power of LinkedIn pay off. Not only will you see more relevant conversations in your feed, but you’ll also be able to send your connections messages to ask for guidance, share interesting articles, or simply stay in touch.
A relevant and healthy network will also result in more helpful recommendations of other thought leaders, companies, and schools to follow. By following these people and organizations, you can instantly stay in the loop on the insights and conversations you care about right in your LinkedIn feed.
Deepen relationships with the people you’ve met along the way
Now you might be wondering “If I already know these people, why would I need to connect with them online?”
By connecting on LinkedIn, you can keep in touch over the years and continue to play a role in each other’s career development. You’ll see what they’re sharing and be able to join into the conversation. You’ll also be reminded about important milestones, like a work anniversary or their next career move, so that you can easily say “Congrats!” or send them a kudos on a job well done.
Invest in your network today to set yourself up for success tomorrow. That way the next time you are working towards a new career goal, you’ll have a supportive and trusted community of professionals to lean on.
According to a recent survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), veterans are almost twice as likely to have debt carried over from month to month (58%) than civilians (just 34%). Nearly the same percentage of veterans (55%) believe they are ill-prepared for a financial emergency. Is this because veterans are poor and/or uneducated? No.
When comparing civilian pay to military pay, there isn’t a clear winner in all comparisons. And veterans are actually more likely to have completed high school and are more likely to have completed some college or obtained an associate’s degree than civilians.
So what is missing? Why are veterans feeling more financial pain than civilians? It’s because of a lack of financial literacy, which should be considered “need to know” for anyone returning home from service. The following article will help you get things on the right track.
Adjusting to Civilian Life
If you’re a veteran adjusting to civilian life, it can be difficult. In relation to finances, the government has made most financial decisions for you. This makes sense because you have needed to concentrate on protecting our freedom. But now is the time to manage your own finances.New veterans must get new health insurance coverage, increase their credit score (in many cases), learn about new taxes, apply for civilian jobs and, if they so choose, create a post-military budget. There are many more expenses in civilian life. But don’t let any of this get you down. After all, less educated and less disciplined civilians do this stuff every day.
Securing Health Insurance
Protecting your health is essential. If you’re leaving service after 20 or more years, you’ll qualify for a decent level of government healthcare. But most tenured veterans still get supplemental insurance.
If you’re retiring with less than 20 years under your belt, you’ll need to make getting healthcare coverage a priority. Aim to get a job that will cover you, or get coverage through a spouse’s plan. If you don’t get a job right away, consider signing up for the Continued Health Care Benefit Program. This will give you 18 months of coverage while in-between jobs.
It’s especially important for veterans to be covered with health insurance. Injuries could act up, or you may have an injury you aren’t even aware of yet. It’s best to get insured as a civilian ASAP.
Increasing Your Credit Score
You may not have worried about a credit score while in the military, and who could blame you? But now that you’re a veteran, a credit score will be extremely useful. After all, you’ll probably want to buy a home soon, or you may need a loan for some other purpose, and a higher credit score will help you secure better terms.
There’s a rumor that you must carry a balance on a credit card in order to improve your score. That’s false. Instead, consider getting one or two credit cards and paying your balance in full each month. Your score will get a boost from this, all else equal. For starters, aim for a credit score in the mid-700’s. That should get you the lowest interest rate on a mortgage, though you can (and should) keep improving your score.
A credit score is the closest thing we have to a financial report card. If your credit score is high, chances are you’re doing the right things with money. It’s also motivating to watch a score climb.
Respecting Taxes
Civilian salaries usually look phenomenal – until you realize much of that money goes to pay taxes. This is a wake up call since you’ve been receiving a tax-free housing allowance and you may have not been paying any state income tax while you were on active duty. Use this military-to-civilian pay calculator to see how your pay will differ now.
Applying for New Jobs
Military.com has a list of the top 35 employers looking to hire military veterns. These are companies like Amazon, General Electric and USAA. Keep in mind many military veterans become government contractors. A lot of money can be made by going that route.
Creating a Post-Military Budget
Most people think budgets are boring. That’s fine. You don’t necessarily have to create a physical budget. But you do need to keep a few spending categories in mind as a veteran:
Health Care: primary care, dental care, specialty care, medications, medical devices, etc.Housing: mortgage, rent, property taxes, HOA dues, repairs, utilitiesFood: gummy bears, sour patch kids, steak – anything but MRE’sEntertainment: games, eating out, spontaneous giving, vacations, Netflix, etc.Vehicles: (you’ll likely do a lot more driving)Emergency FundCivilian ClothingInsurance: renter’s insurance, homeowner’s insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, etc.Education: anything not covered by the military
Also, consider one of the many online budgeting tools available to help you stay organized. We love this one.
Defending Yourself
The stats about financial literacy among veterans are out there. and they’re bleak. Many have made poor decisions due to both a lack of literacy and an abundance of predatory lenders. But for you, those stats can be motivating. You can use them as motivation to rise above all the companies that are out to get you. Be on alert for predatory lenders; they are everywhere. It’s important to stay away from them at all costs. Those companies rope you into a cycle of debt which is nearly impossible to escape.
Taking Action
We’ve covered a lot of the basics you’ll need to know as you pursue a stable financial situation stateside. The most important thing is to be proactive and to seek expert advice and help if you don’t know the answer to a question or the potential consequences of a financial decision. we can help, through our Reconnect program, or we encourage you to take advantage of the resources mentioned in this article. Good luck as you adjust to life as a civilian. If you made it through the military, you can make it through just about anything.
Will Lipovsky is a webmaster and personal finance freelance writer. His most embarrassing moment was telling a Microsoft Executive, “I’ll just Google it.” You can read more about Will at FirstQuarterFinance.com.
This post was first published by Clearpoint. To speak with a Clearpoint Credit Counselor, call 888.808.7285 or learn more about their Military Reconnect Program.
One lucky fan is headed to Super Bowl LIV, courtesy of head coach Ron Rivera.
Teaming up with USAA and the American Veterans, Rivera is sending military veteran LeCheton “Omar” Settles to Miami. The Redskins head coach tweeted about it on Wednesday.
Thanks @usaa and @amvetshq for allowing me to show my & our nation’s gratitude to @usmc SGT Omar Settles. 2 tix to #SBLIV seems like a great way to say “thanks” for his sacrifices. #SaluteToService
Settles joined the United States Marines at age 17 and dedicated eight years of his life to service. During his military tenure, Settles spent time as a Field Artillery Cannoneer, Marine Corps Security Force Guard, Martial Arts Instructor-Trainer, and Small Arms Weapons Instructor.
Rivera comes from a military background himself and is using this as a way to reward one military member for his service.
“Inspired by my father’s military service, we always had a strong military appreciation in our team’s culture during my time in Carolina and I plan on continuing that now with the Redskins in Washington, D.C.,” Rivera said in the release. “To kick that off, I am privileged to partner with USAA and AMVETS to award a trip to the Super Bowl to Sergeant Omar Settles in recognition of and for his service to our country.”
He will meet with Settles on both Friday and Saturday of Super Bowl week at the USAA Salute to Service Lounge in Miami.
Even though most jobs don’t require smooth talking skills, getting through the interview often does. You don’t have to answer every interview question perfectly, but you can improve your interview skills. Here are 10 interview skills that will help you land the job.
1. Do your background research.
This may not seem like an actual interview skill, but it is. If you walk into an interview saying, “Now, what do you do again?” and “Do you guys have funding yet?” you’re doomed before you begin. No matter how sparkly your personality is, you have to do the background research.
2. Be polite to everyone.
You may have heard stories of people who were rude to the receptionist, cut someone off in the parking lot, or yelled at the barista at the coffee shop around the corner and then didn’t get the job. These things happen, and they can ruin your chances. I will never, ever, not in a million years hire the person who is rude to the receptionist or barista. Many recruiters and hiring managers feel the same.
Lean in or sit up straight to show you’re interested.
Keep eye contact so you look honest, but don’t just lock in a stare, because then you look aggressive.
Don’t nod too much. Yes, you want to show agreement, but too many nods and you start to look like you don’t truly care.
4. Watch your real language.
If you have a potty mouth, save it for your friends, and not for the interview. If the interviewer is letting the f-bombs fly, you can feel more comfortable doing the same, but otherwise, use words that express your actual feelings and ideas.
5. Review your own resume.
You know what you did, right? Are you sure? I once got caught off guard in an interview when the hiring manager asked me a specific question about an accomplishment on my resume. I had to stumble for a minute before my brain latched on to what she was talking about. Don’t make that mistake. Refresh your memory, especially old jobs.
6. Prepare for standard questions.
Lots of interviewers are going to ask you to “tell me about a time when …” followed by something appropriate for your field and this particular job. You should have great answers prepared for this. Brainstorm a list of possible questions and work on your answers. Another Inc. colleague, Jeff Haden, just listed the 27 Most Common Job Interview Questions and Answers. Definitely, review these questions before arriving at a job interview.
7. Prepare your wardrobe.
Yes, people judge you by what you’re wearing. Most interviewers aren’t going to care the brand of your jacket, or if the heel of your shoe is scuffed, but you should be dressed appropriately. Generally, for most professional jobs that means a suit, or one step lower. If you’re concerned, go to their parking lot before the interview and watch people come out. If their style is business casual, you should wear a suit. If they are wearing jean and flip flops, you’re probably fine in business casual, but better to be overdressed than underdressed, in most industries.
8. Prepare your questions.
Don’t ask questions that could be answered by looking at the company website. Do ask questions about the challenges of the position, what success looks like, and how this position fits in with the organization’s goals. Remember, you want to look like you’re really interested in succeeding in this position, and you need this information to do so.
9. Don’t badmouth your former employer.
You’re most likely going to be asked why you’re looking to leave your current job (or why you left your last job if you’re unemployed). Don’t lie, but don’t be super negative either. “My boss is a huge jerk. She is nit-picky, plays favorites, and smells like tuna fish.” These things may all be true, but you don’t come out looking good. Figure out how to explain why you’re leaving, why you got fired, what you learned from it, and how this all means this new job is a great fit.
10. Don’t forget the thank you card.
It doesn’t have to be a card anymore; an email will do just fine. You can get hired without one, but it’s a nice gesture to send a quick follow up email to the hiring manager and recruiter. It keeps you in their minds and shows your politeness, which brings this full circle. You begin by being nice to everyone, and you end the interview by being nice to everyone, and you increase your chances.
Don’t panic at the thought of your next interview. Prepare and in advance, and you’ll do a great job.
The data show that every industry values the same 6 leadership competencies. Of these top competencies, bosses rated their leaders highest at “taking initiative,” but all cited a lack of preparedness when it came to leading employees, building collaborative relationships, and change management. In short, the data showed that “leaders are leaders,” regardless of the industry they work in.
But as veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces look for employment after their military careers, many industries don’t immediately recognize the great potential that leaders from the U.S. Armed Forces can bring to their organizations. In a recent report, the Center for a New American Security noted that one of the main barriers to hiring veterans is that businesses struggle to understand how military skills translate to increasing their bottom line.
Though the business case is clear to many, we know others may need more evidence. That’s why we decided to use our Benchmarks database to see how a sample of U.S. Army leaders would stack up against industry leaders.
After analyzing the data, we found that the bosses of both U.S. Army and industry leaders share similar beliefs about what competencies are most important to the success of their organizations. Out of 16 competencies on our Benchmarks 360-degree assessment, the same 6 rose to the top in both the U.S. Army and major industry sectors:
Building collaborative relationships
Leading employees
Strategic perspective
Taking initiative
Participative management
Change management
These results make sense. While industry leaders need to build collaborative relationships with their peers to fulfill key business objectives such as launching a product, Army leaders must do the same when executing key mission objectives such as coalition-based peacekeeping. Though the work contexts may differ, both types of leaders must deal with competing priorities, conflicting vested interests, and rival centers of influence and power.
And leaders from both contexts take these competencies with them when they go on to their next challenge. Research has also shown that veterans are particularly effective at applying their skills in new contexts.
U.S. Army leaders also had significantly higher proficiency ratings on these competencies compared to average U.S. industry leader ratings.
Just being proficient is often acceptable, but most organizations — including the U.S. Armed Forces — demand the very best. Leadership development programs that focus on helping leaders comprehend and apply the competencies they need most to bring about results will have the greatest impact on both the mission and the bottom line.
Though leaders from the U.S. Army (and the entire U.S. Armed Forces in general, for that matter) have a clear head start when it comes to the skills it takes to lead, even these leaders have significant room to develop across their careers, according to our data.
So What?
What can you do with the data we’re sharing?
Our research has consistently found that leader competencies can be developed using 3 strategies:
Challenging assignments that offer opportunities to practice new skills in the workplace.
Relationships with other people who can provide feedback and support, including bosses and trusted colleagues.
Coursework and training focused on leadership competencies needed by your organization.
Once you understand the competencies needed for success in your specific industry and where the gaps are greatest, you can begin to design leadership development initiatives that deliver effective results for your organization to make the most impact on your leaders.
There are a number of reasons why organizations “harvest” their future leaders by assuming that the best candidates will naturally achieve success with some development (such as challenging assignments or coaching) and can then be picked up and placed into leadership roles, according to a recent McKinsey article.
Though harvesting is critical to growing a strong leadership pipeline, organizations should also “hunt,” “fish,” and “trawl” for future leaders who remain hidden. A more proactive approach to looking for leaders who don’t make the regular list (hunt), encouraging leaders to identify themselves (fish), and finding new approaches to tap into the contexts where people live and work (trawl) would help organizations find veterans — and other great candidates — who too often remain hidden from the reaches of conventional processes.
Contributing Author
Kristin Saboe is a contributing editor with expertise in military psychology, leadership, motivation, talent management, and occupational health. She is passionate about enacting evidence-based organizational change, policies, and programs that enable employees to be their best everyday. As an Army officer and the co-director of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology’s nationwide volunteer effort aimed at facilitating HR and senior leader understand how to best leverage our veterans’ talent, Kristin is excited to team up with CCL to highlight the unique abilities veterans bring to the civilian workforce. Kristin is a graduate of Austin College and completed both her Masters and Doctorate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of South Florida.
