LinkedIn, the social media network for professionals, is bringing Coast Guard spouses, families of the fallen and caregivers for veterans into the pool of those eligible for free access to its Premium program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That adds more than 25,000 additional people eligible for this benefit. LinkedIn began offering the benefit to Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps spouses last July<\/a>, in partnership with the Department of Defense, free for one year in connection with a permanent change of station<\/a>, or PCS, move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Normally, LinkedIn Premium costs $30 a month or $360 a year, said Sarah Roberts, head of military and veteran programs at LinkedIn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, Roberts said, the benefit \u201cit\u2019s not just for one transition. It\u2019s for multiple transitions –every time a spouse gets orders to PCS, every time there\u2019s a job loss or a career change, or when they\u2019re going through a major transition that will impact their career,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn opening this up, we\u2019re able to offer a much broader impact to the military spouse community. We hope we can address some of the unemployment and underemployment that spouses face in supporting their significant other,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coast Guard spouses are eligible if they are making a PCS move, experiencing a job loss, making a career change, or within six months of their service member\u2019s date of separation from the Coast Guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spouses and children of those killed in the line of duty during post-9\/11 conflicts — who are Fry Scholarship recipients — are also eligible. Family members of wounded veterans who are enrolled in the VA\u2019s caregiver program are also eligible \u2013 parents, spouses and children who often interrupt their career paths to take care of their veteran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n LinkedIn Premium includes free access to their online library of more than 13,000 LinkedIn Learning courses, including their learning path specifically designed to help military spouses succeed in flexible, freelance or remote work opportunities. Premium also provides advanced information on how members compare to other applicants, including analysis of your education, experience and skills. It opens up more opportunities to message more people and employers you may not already be connected to, and build a professional network, Roberts said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Robert said about 2,000 military spouses have signed up for the Premium service since the program was launched nearly a year ago. She\u2019s seen spouses using the LinkedIn Premium to widen their opportunities, she said. It also gives military spouses more visibility to employers and recruiters, including those who are specifically seeking military spouses as potential job candidates, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Fry scholars and veteran caregivers are eligible based on the VA\u2019s criteria. Caregivers often disrupt their own careers in their dedication to taking care of their service members. LinkedIn Premium can help them build out their professional network and relationships that could lead to job opportunities now or when they\u2019re ready. It could also help them connect to flexible careers that can meet their needs, such as teleworking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Navy spouse Rosette Obedoza said she has personally seen the benefits of LinkedIn Premium, having used it last year when she and her husband moved to the Washington, D.C. area. She was contacted through Premium last year by the CEO of a defense contracting company who hired her for some consulting work, reviewing a career and education career track for military spouses. Obedoza, who\u2019s moving for the seventh time, has provided career and education counseling for the Navy in the past, and is an entrepreneur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m very truly grateful for the LinkedIn Premium service we have for the military community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t