When I was a recruiter, I used to dread the moment when I’d receive an email from a job seeker. Why? Because 95% of them were terrible! If you’ve ever sent an email to a hiring manager or recruiter and gotten nothing but radio silence in return, this post is for you.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Cold emailing can be a valuable tool for job hunters. |
| 2. Former recruiters have unique insights into effective cold emailing strategies. |
| 3. Personalization is crucial in cold emails to capture the recipient’s attention. |
| 4. Crafting a compelling subject line increases the chances of your email being opened. |
| 5. Providing value and showcasing relevant skills are key to standing out. |
| 6. Follow-up emails can help maintain engagement and show persistence. |
| 7. Ending with a clear call to action (CTA) prompts recipients to take the desired next step. |
| 8. Learning from real-life examples and success stories can guide your own cold emailing approach. |
| 9. Building a targeted email list and segmenting recipients can enhance effectiveness. |
| 10. Continuously refining your cold email strategy based on results is essential for improvement. |
1) Make It Personal
Address the hiring manager by name, use their title and company name, and mention something you have in common (e.g., “I read your article on Forbes”).
Look Up The Company’s Website And Research Them Before You Apply:
Researching the company will help you understand why they are hiring, how competitive this role is compared to others at the organization, who might be competing for it.
And what skills are required for this role. If you can find a way to weave in any of these points into your application then even better!
Seeking your dream job through cold emailing? Learn how to effectively use this strategy to land your desired position. Discover valuable insights in our guide on how to get your dream job with cold email.
2) Make It Short, Sweet And Direct
Keep it short, sweet and to the point. Don’t ramble. Just like you want to avoid lengthy explanations about your resume, you don’t want to write anything that doesn’t directly relate to what you are trying to accomplish.
Your email should be as few words as possible. You don’t want them thinking your email is short because it has less substance or information than other emails they receive; just keep it brief!
Just one paragraph will do; no need for more than that! Again if there is any additional information needed from them then send them another email.
But don’t clutter up their inbox with unnecessary information when all they want is just a simple answer from you before proceeding with an interview request or notifying HR about your application status (e.g., “I’m available anytime between 9am – 6pm on Monday through Friday). Thanks again!”
3) Make It About Them
The third step in the process is to make it about them, not you.
The job description is what’s most important to the employer. It’s a summary of what they’re looking for and why they need someone with that skill set.
If you can show that you understand this and know how your skills match up, then you’ll have a much better chance of closing the deal on an interview.
You want to give them a reason to care about who YOU are as opposed to just being another resume number in their inbox or pile on their desk.
So instead of saying “I’m interested in this opportunity because…” or “My goal is…” (as we talked about above), show that knowledge by talking about THEM!
New to cold emailing? Get started with the basics! Our Cold Emailing 101 beginner’s guide offers step-by-step instructions and tips to help you navigate this powerful communication tool.
4) Proofread
In a job search, there are many things you can do to make your emails stand out from the crowd and get noticed:
Proofread. There is nothing more off-putting than a poorly written or formatted email it screams “I don’t care about being professional!” The same goes for sloppy formatting when writing an email (or any formal correspondence).
Your resume should be well laid out, with perfectly aligned text in Word before copying it over into the body of the message itself. Remember that even if you have a lot of other good stuff going on in your message, even just one mistake will make you look unprofessional.
5) Click Send
You should not be afraid to send the email. If you are not sure whether to send it, then go ahead and hit “send.” You may feel like you need more information before asking for a job, but in most cases, I have found that recruiters will give you a chance if they think you are worth their time.
If you are still unsure about your first email and want some guidance on what to say, check out these tips from Amanda Augustine on how to send an effective cold email (and get hiring managers interested in meeting with you).
6) Follow-Up, Follow-Up, Follow-Up
You’ve sent an email to the person you want to speak with. Now what? Well, you should follow up at least once.
Follow-up is how you’ll prove your drive and determination. It shows that you’re not afraid of rejection, and it demonstrates a willingness to go above and beyond as far as job hunting goes.
But there’s a fine line between showing too much interest and too little interest. If there’s ever been a time when less could be more, this is it!
Here are some tips for following up:
Don’t ignore your emails altogether; even if they don’t get back to you right away (or at all), keep trying every few days until they respond or until their job listing expires online.
Don’t follow up too frequently; don’t bombard them with calls/emails on their personal cell phone numbers or leave voicemails asking them why they haven’t gotten in touch with you yet because it can come off as desperate or rude.
Which will only make them less likely to return your calls later on down the road when something does come up.
Don’t follow up too infrequently either–if someone takes longer than two weeks before responding then give yourself permission not only send another email but also call/text them just so long as those calls aren’t excessive either (in other words: no more than one per week).
Planning your next cold email campaign? Boost your success rates with these practical tips! Check out our article featuring 14 tips for your next cold email campaign to optimize your outreach strategy.
7) Send Multiple Notifications
You should send multiple notifications.
Some people will respond to your initial email, and some won’t. If you don’t hear back from the hiring manager, it’s worth following up by emailing within a few days, weeks, months or even years (depending on how long it’s been since you sent your first message).
I recommend sending a follow-up email every 3-5 business days while they’re still in the job posting phase of their search.
After that point, send another notification just before they start making offers to candidates this way if there are last minute changes that need to be made before finalizing their decision-making process they’ll know who was interested but not selected by this company!
8) Keep It Simple
Keep it simple. Your email should be short and to the point, highlighting any key points you want to make. Bullet points are also a good way to keep your message concise and organized.
This can be especially helpful if you have more than one job offer or opportunity to share with someone, since they may not have time to read through an entire email.
Use a simple font and clear language. Make sure your font is easy-to-read, such as Arial or Calibri.
And that the information you’re conveying is easy for them to understand without needing further explanation from you (for example: “This position is well-suited for someone who wants hands-on experience” is better than “I really want this job”).
Also avoid using jargon or industry jargon unless necessary it’s best if candidates can understand what you’re saying without having any specialized knowledge about the field or company beforehand!
Try using bullet points instead of full paragraphs whenever possible so each point stands out clearly in their mind once they’ve finished reading;
This allows them time later down line when considering candidates’ qualifications before making their final decision on whether or not they will hire one person over another.”
9) Write A New Email Every Time
You’ve written your cold email and have sent it off to the company of your choice. You wait patiently for a response but nothing comes.
You’re probably wondering: “Did they get my email? Did they read it? What’s happening?”
The answer is yes, they got it and probably read it, but unfortunately not for the reasons you want them to!
It turns out that most recruiters are inundated with hundreds of similar emails daily. They don’t want another one coming in from you especially if you haven’t changed anything from last time.
In order to avoid getting lost in the crowd, make sure your message is unique by avoiding these three things:
Don’t send the same message over again! If someone doesn’t respond after receiving one email from you (or even two), chances are slim that sending another will change their mind about hiring or contracting with your services/product/idea/etcetera…
Looking for cold email templates that convert? We’ve got you covered. Explore our selection of cold email templates that convert to create compelling and engaging messages that resonate with your recipients.
10) Don’t Leave Anything To Chance
Double-check your contact information. Make sure you have the correct phone number, email address and company name of the person you’re contacting.
Don’t send a long email. Keep it short, sweet and to the point by clearly stating why you are writing and what type of role or position you are seeking.
Don’t include attachments unless requested by someone in the company that you are sending it to directly (and even then, make sure it is relevant).
The last thing an employer wants is someone sending them irrelevant files or making their inbox overflow with spam emails from unqualified job seekers who don’t know how important this task really is!
11) Don’t Gimmick Yourself Out Of The Game
Here’s the thing about gimmicks: people can smell them from a mile away. If you try to use one to get noticed and someone sees right through it, they’re going to consider you untrustworthy and unprofessional (not exactly qualities that will help you get hired).
And if they do believe your gimmick, why would they want to hire someone who thinks they have to resort to tricks? Gimmicks are tacky leave them at the door!
12) Don’t Be Sketchy
- Don’t be sketchy. This can be a slippery slope, so you need to be careful and make sure that you’re not crossing any lines.
- You want to avoid being creepy or weird because this type of behavior can get your email deleted before it even hits the hiring manager’s inbox (or they’ll just think you’re a creep).
- You don’t want to come across as overly eager either, but there is such thing as being too casual in an email.
13) Don’t Admit Your Weaknesses
- Don’t admit to things you don’t know.
- Don’t admit to being bad at something.
- Don’t admit to being disinterested in a certain area of work or study (unless it’s the reason why you’re applying).
It’s fine if someone asks you directly, “What are your weaknesses?” But if they don’t ask, never bring up these topics yourself!
As an employer, I could get annoyed when a candidate admitted that they were really bad at Excel or project management software like Jira even if those were skills my company needed them for.
If you aren’t going to be successful at something anyway, it makes sense not even mentioning it on paper.
Ready to take your cold email outreach to the next level? Dive into the details of successful cold email strategies with our comprehensive resource, The Ultimate Guide to Cold E-mail Outreach. Learn how to make a lasting impact with your communication efforts.
14) Don’t Wait For An Invitation To Contact Them Again
You should not wait for an invitation to contact them again. You should not wait for them to contact you. You should not wait for them to respond to your email, or even just “read it” and get back to you later.
You shouldn’t wait for them to invite you in for an interview, or offer a job. They might do so eventually, but only if they think that hiring someone else would be more trouble than it’s worth which likely means that they’ve already decided not hire anyone from the pool of applicants!
15) Don’t Be Too Persistent!
One email is enough, no more than two. Three if you must. Four? Maybe a very special circumstance would call for that, but even then I’d still try to avoid it. Five emails can be a good rule of thumb.
You should have received an answer by this point if you’ve followed our advice thus far and not sent too many emails in the first place. Six is pushing it (and we don’t recommend it). Seven?
You might as well just leave a message on their voicemail or send them a postcard saying “Please take me! I need this job!”
You get the idea: Stop after five cold email attempts and move onto other things until they reach out again or call you back with an offer (which won’t happen unless you’ve done everything else right!).
16) Don’t Send An Attachment Or A Resume (Yet!)
It’s tempting to attach your resume or a short bio to the email you send. It can be awkward to have an unspoken expectation of what should happen next, so sending attachments can seem like a way for you to say “hey, this is me,” and put everyone at ease.
But it’s generally not a good idea, because it makes the recruiter’s job more difficult than necessary.
Recruiters receive hundreds of applications per week, and they don’t have time to sift through documents that aren’t relevant yet and may never be relevant (if there’s no open position).
Conclusion
Remember, the goal of your cold email is NOT to get a reply. The goal is to get yourself noticed, and then follow up so you can start the conversation that leads to an interview.
If you don’t get an initial response from your target, that doesn’t mean they don’t care about your message or aren’t interested in what you have to say. It just means they didn’t have time for it right now – which means there will be another opportunity later on!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further improving your cold email strategies for job hunting:
Cold Emailing for Job Seekers Learn the dos and don’ts of cold emailing when searching for a job. This article provides valuable insights into effective cold email techniques.
Breaking Down an Effective Cold Email Template Explore a detailed analysis of a successful cold email template. Understand the elements that make it effective and how you can craft your own compelling emails.
Cold Email Tips to Land Your Dream Job Discover practical tips and real-world examples of cold emails that have helped individuals secure their dream jobs. Gain insights into crafting persuasive and impactful messages.
FAQs
How do I write an effective cold email for job hunting?
Crafting an effective cold email involves researching the recipient, personalizing the message, showcasing your value, and making a clear ask. Focus on addressing the recipient’s needs and explaining how you can contribute to the company.
What should I include in the subject line of my cold email?
The subject line should be concise, attention-grabbing, and relevant to the recipient. Avoid generic subjects; instead, consider mentioning a specific skill, accomplishment, or mutual connection that piques the recipient’s interest.
How do I personalize a cold email?
Research the recipient’s background, company, and industry. Mention specific details that show you’ve done your homework. Personalization demonstrates your genuine interest and increases the chances of a positive response.
How many follow-up emails should I send after the initial cold email?
Sending two to three follow-up emails is generally considered appropriate. Space them out over a reasonable time frame, and use each follow-up to reiterate your value proposition or address any concerns the recipient might have.
What’s the best way to end a cold email?
End your cold email with a clear call to action (CTA). Whether it’s a request for a meeting, a call, or simply a response, make it easy for the recipient to take the next step. Also, express gratitude for their time and consideration.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.