the new way to get interviews in 2026

Business-focused summary: “The new way to get interviews in 2026” (LinkedIn / problem-solving positioning)

Core strategy (positioning + distribution)

Sharmin Akil argues that in a “hiring market” (few openings, many candidates), resumes alone won’t differentiate you. Instead, candidates should position themselves as expert problem-solvers in the place where hiring managers and recruiters already look:

• LinkedIn

This requires shifting from:

• From: cold outreach / one-page resume → “hoping to be screened”
• To: content that demonstrates solved problems with proof and impact

Mechanism: content acts as a signal of competence, driving inbound recruiter calls and referrals (e.g., “do you know anyone else…”).

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Key playbook (content as a lead-gen funnel)

Use content to create inbound opportunities—less “branding,” more lead generation.

1. Start with 1 post, not a newsletter

   • Pick one problem you solved
   • Use the structure: Problem → Steps → Result/Impact

2. Measure performance early

   • Publish ~5 posts
   • Identify which topics perform best
   • Double down on winning themes

3. Upgrade format when warranted

   • If a problem is complex or interesting, convert the winning post into a LinkedIn article/newsletter
   • Example workflow: short post → expand into a deeper article once you see audience interest

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Target audience (when this works)

This approach is especially effective for:

• Recent graduates: proof of project competence matters most
• Mid-level professionals: turn experience into content that shows real daily problem-solving

A repeated emphasis:

Have proof you can do the job (not just theoretical readiness)

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Tactical content guidance (what to publish)

Content should be job-relevant problem demonstrations, not generic thought leadership. Examples include:

• For engineers: explain how you solved a concrete technical/product problem
• For product/design: show cross-functional execution or implementing AI into a system
• For career narratives: clarify misconceptions (e.g., “interview with founder ≠ interview with hiring manager”)

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Concrete case studies / examples

• Case: Solutions architect

  • Laid off; sent cold applications → no responses
  • Wrote one LinkedIn article describing a problem solved in “a few steps”
  • Same day: 3 recruiter calls
  • Notably: the article generated calls even with zero comments

• Content frequency vs. output

  • Claim: some people gain major visibility from a single well-written piece
  • A strong post/article can outperform posting volume alone

• “Rule of 100” framing (execution approach)

  • Mentioned concept: contact 100 people daily to guarantee invites (context adapted)
  • Sharmin’s adaptation:
    • Spend ~100 minutes/day creating content about solved problems
    • After publishing, analyze what works and iterate for ~3 months

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KPIs / measurable outcomes mentioned

• Same-day recruiter response: 3 calls after 1 article (case study)
• Program testimonials (job outcomes):
  • Andrew: $255,000 salary in <22 days
  • Om: interview at Google (timing not specified)
  • Another person: 2 offers totaling $160,000 (timing not specified)
• Testing timeline goal (program):
  • Help 7 software engineers get jobs in <90 days
• Compensation improvement mentioned (personal example):
  • One offer had 30% higher compensation

Note: no CAC/LTV/churn/revenue metrics were discussed—this is about job-market execution, not company growth.

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Organizational / behavioral management lessons (getting out of “discouragement”)

Sharmin reframes job searching as a performance system, not “effort theater.”

Common issue:

• People say “I applied to 100 jobs,” but often only applied to 50–80, relying on passive/low-effort activity.

Advice:

• Audit your week: applications, networking actions, conferences, LinkedIn posts, etc.
• Stop “lying to yourself” about activity levels vs. outcomes
• Treat job search like competition: you must be ahead
  • Focus on what works and increase it

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Actionable recommendations (immediate next steps)

• Don’t rely only on cold applications:
  • Build problem-solver proof on LinkedIn
• Publish:
  • 1 short post first (Problem → Steps → Impact)
  • Then iterate based on results (publish ~5, find what wins)
• If you feel “awkward” posting:
  • Positioning improves over time—from salesy to credible problem solving
• If you’re stuck on interview prep (technical/behavioral):
  • Use a structured approach (see the program below)

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Mentioned program / offer (execution system)

Raymond (host/educator) promotes a structured coaching program:

• Steps: fix resume → fix programming skills → prepare behavioral interviews
• Positioning: you don’t need to be “coding gods”; you need a roadmap and structure
• Target: 7 software engineers, <90 days
• Test results cited from participant outcomes (as listed above)

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Presenters / sources

• Sharmin Akil: guest; product design management background; job-search strategy using LinkedIn/problem-solving content
• Raymond: host/educator; promotes a <90-day job program
• Alex Hormozi: “Rule of 100” mentioned as an idea