"Are You Your Company's LinkedIn Poser?"
10/14/25 Edition Stephen Says Column
Dear Stephen,
I work for one of the major companies that is soon to be acquired by another large manufacturer. I’m happy about it because I feel like my job is going well and will continue. If anything, I see us being acquired as a win.
Suddenly, everyone I work with, including my boss, has started re-posting articles they have read and pumping out a continuous flow of updates about our company products or events on LinkedIn! I’ve never seen this before. I feel like they’re all doing this to stay visible or relevant to the eventual new owners of our company.
It’s the craziest thing. Like I said, whether it’s about an event, a client visit, or even congratulating a new hire in Arkansas, they’re posting about it. My boss, who lives an hour from the city where our offices and showroom are located - who rarely comes into the office - is suddenly acting like a full-time LinkedIn influencer. If you judged it just by his on-line activity, you would think this guy does nothing but work. The person we work with is very different than the person we read about online.
Am I mistaken, or is everyone just trying to look super busy and thoroughly engaged for the benefit of the new owners? Or is this a new thing?
Here’s my question – does this tactic work? Should I be doing this too? It seems so phony and obvious, but maybe I’m missing the boat here. What are your thoughts?
Signed,
Social Media Skeptic
Dear Skeptical,
You are observant, that is for sure. When Herman Miller bought Knoll and created MillerKnoll, or now, with HNI buying Steelcase at the end of this year, I see a lot of the “paper tiger” regional VPs and various office no shows, suddenly posting up a storm.
The motive is clear to me - whether it’s obvious to the incoming leadership from the acquiring company remains to be seen. I do think there is some truth to the cliché "out of sight, out of mind,” and maybe that is what your boss and co-workers are thinking.
This over-posting phenomenon isn’t limited to newly acquired companies. It’s also common among people who lose their jobs, or just aren’t doing them. People feel they need to stay relevant and get noticed and create the illusion of being busy, in the office, and in general build the perception that they are working hard (even when they are out of work!)
I always say if you’re truly busy making sales calls, giving presentations, and engaging with customers in person, how much time will you really have left to post on LinkedIn?
Everyone these days fanaticizes about being a social media influencer, but in many cases, they just want to show their world that they’re working. Here is what these excessively posting people have not figured out yet – while social media may be a great tool to stay visible to customers, it does not replace being in front of customers face-to-face! Smart bosses and HR leaders know this.
Think about it this way: you see their picture every time they post, and so, it’s realistic for them to become a memorable “worker” when people are thinking about who works at your company.
On the other hand, as a cynical headhunter, or just someone with common sense, I believe over-posting non-original content is always a bit of an eyebrow raise. Do I really need you to curate and post a self-help or leadership article you read for me? (And the answer to that is “no” I do not)! Showing off a project you won or a new product, however -- yes, maybe that is post worthy. See the difference?
There’s no right or wrong answer to this question because I believe the key is to find a clever balance between social media posting and actual work, actual numbers, and actual revenue you create.
As far as a company being acquired, and the managers from the soon to be taken over company posting just to show off to the new owners who they are, well that is very transparent. Hard working salespeople and managers who bring in revenue do not have to play these social media games. For instance, the person who is the lead on the Gensler account, who the client loves and who does excellent work, doesn’t need to remind everyone that they work at your company! They’re naturally in the thick of the business, and that’s the place to be, always.
To those of you who are unemployed or just prefer to posting to cold calling, I appreciate your desire to stay in front of people and potential employers, but do that by asking your friends using social media for introductions to potential employers. Be humble, and don’t be telling us cute anecdotes, or trying to share life lessons. You should be uploading your resume to employment sites, not over-posting on LinkedIn.
In answer to your question: maintaining a balanced approach to personal branding on social media is essential in today’s work environment. Think of it like ‘networking.’ Smart people, however, will always sniff out someone who is posting more than they are doing. If you’re working hard and delivering results, you have nothing to worry about.
Signed,
Stephen
Stephen Viscusi is the founder of Viscusi Group, an executive search firm specializing in the interior furnishings industry. Every hire made through The Viscusi Group comes with a one-year free replacement guarantee.
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