Cold emailing might just be the tool you need to land your next job. In an age where recruiters are overwhelmed with tons of applications from different platforms, and applicant tracking systems threaten to filter applicants out, writing a cold email for job opportunities could help you stand out.
But that’s not to say that sending out a blank email with your resume attached will get you noticed. If you’re looking to use cold emailing for a job, it’s important to compose a thoughtful email tailored to the role.
As long as you follow these best practices for cold emailing, you can make sure your email lands in the right person’s inbox—and gets opened! 📩
But first:
Is it okay to cold email for a job?
You might be wondering: is it polite and acceptable to cold email for a job? The answer is yes, and our best practice tips will show you how.
Sending long-winded emails with strange-looking attachments to the wrong person over a weekend isn’t likely to get you an answer—or endear you to the company. But doing the opposite of all of these things might get you noticed (and even hired!).
How do I sell myself in a cold email?
Make sure you know exactly what the company is looking for. Is it a specific skill set, a particular qualification level, or a certain personality trait they’re after? Show where you align with what they’re looking for. And if you’re not an exact fit, demonstrate how adaptable you are instead.
How do you write a cold email for a job application?
Looking for tips? Read on! That’s what this piece is all about.
3 best practices for cold emailing for a job
If you’re ready to give cold emailing a shot for a new job opportunity, keep these three best practices in mind.
1. Make sure you’re sending it to the right person
Start by doing a bit of research and make sure your email is going to the right person. In most instances, this is the person doing the hiring. It could be a recruiter, a hiring manager, or even a team lead.
Checking out the company’s website and social media profiles (like their LinkedIn page) can help you identify the person to contact, along with their contact details. If the recruiter’s email isn’t listed, try using a free email finder like Hunter.
2. Send it at the right time
Sending your email at the right time increases the chances of getting it noticed. If you send it at an obscure time, like late at night or over the weekend, you run the risk of it getting lost in the early-morning flurry.
Try and send your cold email during the recruiter’s working day. If they’re in a different time zone to you, don’t forget to factor in the difference. According to Adobe’s research (shown below), people check their email regularly throughout the day, but it’s probably good to catch them earlier on—mid-morning or so—when they’re less likely to be caught up in meetings and deadlines.
3. Watch out for the spam filter
If you’re cold emailing for a job, your email risks landing in the dreaded spam folder. This is because your email is coming from an unrecognized address. Here are some points to keep in mind to avoid this:
- Don’t include unnecessary attachments/files. In fact, try not to include any attachments at all. You might be tempted to attach your resume, but—not yet. There’s time for all of that.
- Don’t include unnecessary links. Like file attachments, links can set off email spam filters. If you absolutely need to include a link—like one to your portfolio—avoid using link shorteners like bit.ly. And check your email signature, too. If it includes any links, consider removing them for now.
How do you write a cold email for a job application?
Now that you’ve worked out who to email, when to email them, and how to avoid landing in the spam folder, the next step is to compose your email. We’ll walk you through how to do exactly that.
1. Compose a good subject line
A “good” subject line—one that grabs your reader’s attention and makes sure your email gets opened—doesn’t necessarily have to be creative (though it’s a good idea if you’re coming in cold). The subject line really depends on the situation.
If you’re applying for a job the company is hiring for, use a precise subject line that makes it clear that you’re applying. So, if a company has listed a job opening on their careers page, include a subject line like:
“Application for {insert role here}”
If a company is already hiring for a role, they’ll be looking to review applications already—so you just need to communicate that you’re applying. You can save the creativity for the email itself.
If you’re cold pitching for a role the company isn’t actively hiring for, you might need to get smart and savvy. You’ll need to convince the recipient to give your email the time of day.
Think of something interesting and catchy, and be sure to keep your subject line under 60 characters. Most email providers won’t display subject lines that are longer.
Our blog post on the best cold email subject line should help you brainstorm a creative, relevant subject line. The subject lines we feature are mostly intended for sales and marketing purposes—but since you’re trying to pitch yourself, they should still be relevant!
2. Do your homework
The best way to cold email for a job is to demonstrate your interest in the role, which means you’ll need to thoroughly research the company, its values, and expectations. Doing this initial research will help you tailor your email to the role and showcase your experience.
For example, let’s say you’re applying for a marketing or sales job at a company whose market is different from your previous employer’s. Show that you’ve taken the time to learn about the new company’s market, and explain how your skills are transferable and how your experience overlaps.
3. Respect the recipient’s time
People are busy and the person you’re emailing likely has lots of emails that demand their attention, so make sure you respect their time by:
- Keeping your email short and concise. Under 200 words is generally best. If you feel there’s more to tell, you’ll have the opportunity to talk further if all goes well. The purpose of the cold email is to initiate an interaction—the first email doesn’t have to cover everything.
- Being humble and respectful. You’re asking a recruiter to take time out of their busy day to read your pitch and get back to you, so make sure your tone is humble. It doesn’t hurt to sign your email off by thanking them for their time.
4. Structure the email
Armed with research about who you’re emailing and what the company is all about, the next step is to compose the email. Here’s how to write a cold email for a job:
- Start by introducing yourself. Remember, you’re emailing the recipient for the first time, so make sure you introduce yourself and give them relevant information about your professional background. You might want to touch on a combination of your education, years of experience, previous companies you’ve worked at, positions you’ve held, and industries you’ve worked in.
- Explain your interest. Where did you hear about the role, and why are you interested in applying?
- Explain the value you can add. Take the time to learn what the company is looking for, and then explain how your skills and experience fulfill the role’s needs.
- Finish off with the next step—provide a call to action. At the end of your email, suggest the next steps to move things along. For example, let them know when you’re available for a call, or ask them if they’d like for you to send them more information.
- Thank them for their time. Gratitude goes a long way! 🙏
Templates to help you cold email for a job
Ready to compose your cold email? These templates should give you some inspiration. BTW we don’t recommend using them exactly as they are. Instead, they’re designed to be a starting point—tweak them to suit your needs.
(If you want to streamline this process, Magical can help! We’ll explain how at the end of this section.)
Template 1: Cold emailing to let them know you’ve applied
The email template below lets a recruiter know that you’ve applied for a job:
Template 2: Cold emailing to apply for a job opportunity
The email template below is for when you’re applying for a job opportunity via email.
Time-Saving tip: How to save your cold email templates with Magical
Magical lets you save templates with variables (like “First Name”, “Your Name”, etc.) to fill in later. As you brainstorm different cold email templates, storing them in Magical makes it easy to keep track of them, avoid typos, and reuse them later as you apply to more jobs.
All you need to do is:
- Add the Magical extension to Chrome (or any Chromium-based browser, like Microsoft Edge).
- Select the “Shortcuts” tab.
- Choose “variable shortcuts.”
- Enter a name for your shortcut, such “Email template 1.”
- Paste your email template, and use variables from the “Variables” tab.
- Save your cold email template.
The bottom line? Keep at it.
By this point, you should be feeling confident about sending a cold email for the next job that catches your eye. (And we really hope you land your dream job!)
But, even if you do your homework and take the time to prepare a great cold email, don’t be disheartened if things don’t work out how you imagined. There are plenty of reasons why companies choose to go in another direction—and many of these reasons have nothing to do with you.
Treat every cold pitch as a learning experience. Over time, you’ll learn how to research better, pitch better, and find companies that are the right fit for you. Rejection is a great teacher. Hang in there!
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