Celebrate the courage to be open to a new opportunity

This Veterans Day, tell the LinkedIn community that you’re open to work and share a post with #VetsOpenToWork.

Each year, around 200,000 service members make the decision to step away from the military to embark on a new journey. It takes courage to sign up and serve, saying goodbye to friends and family and leaving behind tokens of your identity to embrace a lifestyle that includes structure, training and uniforms. It also takes courage to leave the military and pull off your combat boots, slip out of a once polished uniform and hang it up for the last time. Military culture that once felt foreign, becomes familiar, a safety net and identity. Just like that brave first step it took to sign the dotted line to join the military, finding the courage to step into the unknown and begin a new journey outside of the military is also an act of bravery. An action that opens doors to create a new path.  

Power of connections

When I made the decision to hang up my uniform and embrace a new adventure, I also faced similar uncertainties. How do I create an identity outside the military? One without early morning formations, inspections, and time spent in the motor pool. I reflected on how I ended up in the military in the first place. At the time, I didn’t fully comprehend or appreciate the value of connections, but my door to West Point was opened and largely influenced by someone in my network. My cross country coach, a kind and passionate leader, had worked with the coach at West Point, and offered a simple introduction. This introduction changed everything about my future and opened my eyes to the importance of building a community and networking. So nine years later, when I found myself preparing to leave the military, I was nervous and overwhelmed about how my skills would translate. But I looked to my community, a special network of those who had gone before me, transitioned out, and paved their own path. One connection at a time, I began reaching out to ask for support.  

Power of community

Last year, LinkedIn published the Veteran Opportunity Report, looking at the size and openness of veteran and nonveteran networks. Since then, we’ve seen an encouraging trend: veterans are opening up their networks to nonveterans at a faster rate than nonveterans are opening up their networks to veterans. Veterans are investing in building a community to ask for support and offer support. To prepare for their journey ahead, veterans are taking intentional steps to network and connect with nonveterans to explore what opportunities lie ahead.  

Power of asking for support

While many recognize it takes courage to leave the military, it also takes courage to develop new relationships and invest in a community. One to lean on that is on your side, willing to lift you up, and guide you in your journey. Asking for support can feel like weakness, but it is actually a powerful source of strength and opportunity. It takes courage to reach out to others, the same courage it took to sign the dotted line and commit to military service. That’s why this Veterans Day, we are inviting you to have the courage to ask for the support you need:

• Visit your profile page and click “Show recruiters you’re open to work.”
• If you’re comfortable sharing a post with the broader LinkedIn community, include #VetsOpenToWork.
• Reach out to someone you may have lost touch with, ask for an introduction, or form a new connection.

The power of giving 

To give back to a veteran this Veterans Day, go beyond words by sharing your time or making an introduction.  You can support those who are preparing to embark on a new adventure, by writing a post with #offeringvetshelp and searching #VetsOpenToWork.  Your gift can open a door.