Linkedin & Networking

Yes, Social media presence is frowned upon when you are in the military, understandably. But when you aim to get started on the corporate street, it would be prudent to have a professional Linkedin profile created, updated and hyperlinked to the resume.

The jury is still out on how and what Linkedin concretely helps with, but this is a bus you would rather be on, than miss, if you ask us honestly. You may also hear different varying opinions on “build your network” and “amass followers asap” etc - here is our two cents!
More followers may look fancy if you are a newbie (you can find several out there bragging about the 1000s of followers, as if it was some asset! Our suggestion is to look at a metric we love, called “network conversions”, or ratio of number of number of followers to the number of actions (likes/ comments/ shares on any content posted)

A simple mantra we recommend is to have on your network people who you regularly follow and like to engage with (for their content updates on Linkedin) and who do the same back. We also recommend adding those you know/ have met, and would comfortably refer for a role to your best friend, without impacting your own leadership brand adversely.

1. Display Name:

Use Title case for your name, ideally limiting it to first name and surname.

2. Profile Photo:

Use a professional headshot, preferably in formal attire. Avoid photos in military uniform, selfies, or images cropped from group photos.

3. Clear Role Descriptions:

Outline your work experience in simple terms that non-military professionals can understand. Quantify your impact and results instead of just listing responsibilities.