Supporting our Veterans on Independence Day

Editor's Note: This is a guest post from Ryan Daly, one of our summer interns from the Wharton MBA program who has had over 5 years of Active Duty Service as an Infantry Officer. Read more about LinkedIn's Veteran initiatives here.

Independence Day is a day to reflect, celebrate and remember those who serve our country. I personally feel lucky to be in a position to shape the lives of the men and women who've sacrificed so much for our freedoms.

Our mission at LinkedIn is simple yet profound: to connect talent with opportunity at massive scale. LinkedIn is an incredible resource with over 160 million members. While the size of our professional network is remarkable, it is the impact we have on individuals that blows me away. This is why I was so humbled to receive this note from a former soldier who recently joined LinkedIn:

"I recently got a completely unsolicited invitation to an interview based on my profile - blew me away. He was holding a print out of my profile as a resume. So, now I'm sold on LinkedIn - I'll put a lot more effort into my profile in the coming months."

While this may seem simple, it is extremely important and is just one indicator of the value LinkedIn is bringing to veterans. The road to helping our country solve the problem of veteran unemployment is not easy and we cannot do it alone. Since my last blog post, we've shared best practices on assisting veterans with other companies, coordinated with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and solidified our relationships with 5 nonprofit organizations focused on helping veterans and their families during their transition from service. And we need your help.

Veterans: If you are a LinkedIn member, join the Veteran Mentor Network to learn more about how to connect with opportunity. And invite fellow veterans who aren't yet LinkedIn members to join so we can all work together.

Professionals: Join the Veteran Mentor Network to share your experience and expertise with veterans.  And if you know a veteran who is not yet on LinkedIn, invite them to join.

Your efforts will help us drive lasting change. As a veteran, I thank you and am excited for the work that lies ahead as we continue to connect talent with opportunity.