Stop Overthinking on LinkedIn: How to Create 25 Posts That Get You Hired
By now, you know you should be posting on LinkedIn, but every time you open the app, your mind goes blank. What are you supposed to say? How do you avoid sounding like a corporate robot? And honestly, who has time to become a "content creator" when you're just trying to land your next job?
Here's how I like to think about it: You don't need to create content. You need to answer interview questions.
Let me explain.
Your LinkedIn Feed Is Your Interview
When you go on a job interview, you're constantly creating content. Every answer you give to a question is a piece of content that showcases your skills, experience, and expertise. Your LinkedIn feed should work the same way.
When you post interview-style answers on LinkedIn, the algorithm picks up on those keywords and topics. It understands what you do, and more importantly, it starts serving your profile up to recruiters who are searching for someone exactly like you. That's when the magic happens, and recruiters start sliding into your DMs with job opportunities.
So stop overthinking this. Your goal isn't to go viral or become an influencer. Your goal is to post things that prove you can do the job.
Step 1: Identify Your Five Key Interview Questions
First things first, what are the five questions you'd get asked in every job interview for your role? These are the questions that validate you can actually do the work.
These might be about specific technologies you use, methodologies you follow, or skills that are non-negotiable in your industry. They're going to be job-specific, so take a minute right now and write them down.
Got them? Great. Now let me introduce you to the secret sauce.
The Five Content Formats That Actually Work
I've been on LinkedIn for over 13 years. I'm a Top Voice with 2.5 million followers, and I've tested every type of content imaginable. I know what gets results because I've helped thousands of people optimize their profiles and land jobs through LinkedIn.
These five content formats are game-changers, and they're incredibly simple:
1. Story Time
Tell a story about a time at work that demonstrates your skills. This could be about a challenge you overcame, a project you led, or a mistake you learned from.
2. Listicle
Use numbers to create frameworks. "Three ways to do X," "Four steps to achieve Y"—you get the idea. People love digestible, actionable advice.
3. Then vs. Now
Show the evolution of your knowledge. How has your industry changed in the last 10 years? What did you do pre-COVID vs. post-COVID? This proves you've grown and adapted.
4. Contrarian Point of View
Share a hot take. What do you do differently than everyone else? Where do you disagree with conventional wisdom? This gets people talking.
5. Industry Observation
Comment on something newsworthy or trending in your field. This is the kind of thing you'd discuss with colleagues, a.k.a the nerdy insider stuff that shows you're plugged into your industry.
How to Generate 25 Posts in One Sitting
Here's where it gets really good. Take one of your five interview questions and apply all five content formats to it. Boom—you've just created five pieces of content from one answer.
Let's say you need to be an Excel wizard for your job, and one of your interview questions is about how you use Excel. Here's how you'd break it down:
Story Time: Share how you used Excel to save your company $100,000.
Listicle: "Four ways I use Excel to speed up reporting processes."
Then vs. Now: "How my Excel skills have evolved over the past five years."
Contrarian POV: "Most people use Excel this way—here's why I do it differently."
Industry Observation: "This new Excel feature is changing the game for data analysts."
That's five posts from one question. Do that for all five of your interview questions, and you've got 25 pieces of content ready to go.
If you post Monday through Friday (weekends off, because balance matters), that's five weeks of consistent posting. And here's the kicker: my clients consistently report that around the two-and-a-half-week mark, something clicks. The algorithm finally understands what they do, and recruiters start reaching out.
Ready to Speed Up Your Results?
If this strategy makes sense but you want to fast-track your success, I've got two options for you:
Free Group Coaching Calls: I can't work with everyone one-on-one, but I do offer live group coaching sessions. Sign up HERE so you'll get notified 60 minutes before I go live. Come join the class—it's completely free.
LinkedIn Fast Fix ($19): If you're ready to get serious right now, my one-hour LinkedIn Fast Fix will walk you through updating your profile and understanding exactly what you should be posting in your feed. For less than the cost of lunch, you'll have lifetime access to a resource that can transform your job search. Get the Fast Fix HERE.
The bottom line? Stop trying to figure this out on your own. Learn it in under an hour, implement it, and get hired.
Go get ‘em!
J.T. O’Donnell
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