Did you know that LinkedIn Premium is free for veterans?

It's an incredibly difficult job market out there — especially if you're a veteran looking to cross over into the civilian job sphere. That's why using LinkedIn to your advantage is important; Linkedin is one of the best resources for boosting your professional image, as well as job hunting. 

But is creating a regular LinkedIn profile all you need? What about Linkedin Premium? What is it — and if you're a veteran can you get it for free?

Linkedin Premium opens up a world of new opportunities, and now our nation's veterans can get a one-year subscription for free to help them land the job of their dreams.

What are the benefits of Linkedin Premium?

A standard Linkedin Premium Career membership costs $29.99 per month, or $239.88 if you choose to pay for a whole year at a time. So what does that get you? Quite a lot actually. Here are the benefits you get with Linkedin Premium Career:

1. Five InMail messages per month

InMail messages allow you to reach out to anyone on Linkedin, regardless of whether or not you are connected with them. This can be a great way to introduce yourself to a new connection at that company you have your eye on or to reach out to professionals in the industry you're interested in for informational interviews — it's more personal than sending just a connection request.

2. More Details on who's viewed your profile

Do you get notifications that people have viewed your profile in the past week/month and then can't see who it was? Frustrating, right? 

With Linkedin Premium, you get to see who has been poking their noses into your profile. It can be a real eye-opener into who you're attracting with your profile — and if there are any potential connections to be made.  

3. Applicant insights

Once you see a job that piques your interest, applicant insights can give you a better understanding of the job, the company, and your chances of landing an interview. It provides in-depth information on the company and what they are looking for in job candidates. 

Even better, it will let you know where you'd rank among applicants based on the professional skills listed on your Linkedin profile. You'll also see what percentage of applicants have a bachelor's, master's, or associate degree.  

4. Additional salary information

The job listing on Linkedin Premium will also give you an estimated salary and range for the job upfront. According to Linkedin, this number is based on similar jobs at other companies, regional and industry trends, salary info provided by LinkedIn members, and the employer themselves.

That can come in handy when you're asked about your “desired salary” on the application or later down the road during salary negotiations.

5. Access to on-demand learning videos

This is a big one. Linkedin Learning is a resource of online classes to help you add to your skillset. You'll find anything from business courses to classes to help build your tech or creative skills. 

You can also set a goal of completing X minutes per week of the course, with Linkedin setting reminders to keep you on track. Once you've completed a course, you can add these learning certificates of completion and skills to your LinkedIn profile. This is a great way to keep improving your skills and enhancing your resume.

Linkedin Learning also features courses specifically for veterans, like Linkedin for Veterans and Finding Your Purpose After Active Duty.

Who qualifies for free LinkedIn Premium?

To qualify for the free LinkedIn Premium for Veterans offer, you must:

  • Be a current or former U.S. military service member.

  • Not have a current LinkedIn Premium subscription.

  • Not have used the LinkedIn veteran promotion previously. 

That's it. 

How to sign up for free Linkedin Premium

To sign up for the offer, it just takes a few easy steps:

1. Go to the Linkedin Veterans Premium Request Page.

2. Hit the blue “Login with Troop ID” button in the middle of the page.

3. Enter in your ID.me credentials or create a new ID.me account. This is a third-party company that Linkedin uses to verify military service for people requesting the offer. 

Once ID.me verifies your military service, you should be good to go and use your Linkedin Premium Career account and all of the benefits that come with it. It's too easy and too useful not to take advantage of this offer if you meet the qualifications.

Once you have your LinkedIn profile set up, make sure your resume is also ready for your job search. Submit for a free resume critique today! 

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