What Is Cold Emailing?

A cold email is something sent to someone you do not know or have no previous real-life connection with. It was traditionally used in sales and business to sell a product or spark interest in a product or service, but today, job seekers can use it to find out about new job opportunities, connect with recruiters, managers, or potential employers, or find out more information about an open role.

The method can be a hit or miss, since sometimes, cold emails end up in spam or trash, especially when the recipient receives hundreds of emails a month and barely knows you. But in some instances, it can lead to big results, like the time this entrepreneur landed an initial $250,000 in startup funds simply by sending a cold email to a potential investor.

Combined with networking and finding ways to interact with a person that’s not necessarily one-on-one but relevant, cold-emailing could be your ticket to getting at least a toe in the door when you want to apply for a certain job at a particular company, or you want to break into a new industry.

Where To Start With Cold Emailing

1. Humble Yourself.

I actually got my gig at xoNecole via cold email. I had a lot of experience at the time working in mostly newsy journalism, and I saw that xoNecole was taking submissions. Interestingly enough, I'd become familiar with the founder—through a personal online blog she had at the time—years before she'd launched this site. While we both worked in media and entertainment, we did not know one another personally, nor had I ever met or networked with her. It was a bit serendipitous that I'd end up cold-emailing to write for xoNecole.

In that moment, I had to humble myself. Though I'd worked for major publishers and had done a bit of featured writing, I was most known for formal, business-toned Associated Press-style stories, and this site's style was more down-to-earth, conversational, and free-flowing. I sent the email, thinking, "What's the worst that can happen? A rejection? No response?"

Well, five years later, here I am, an associate editor, after starting out as a contributor. I simply shot my shot to the appropriate email address, following the appropriate process detailed on the website, and then once I got a few stories published, I asked if they had any need for editing services.

2. Do Your Research.

As I stated before, I read their website to find out how I could pitch myself and the correct email address to contact for that purpose. You'll have to do the same. Do a bit of online digging and find out, first, if there is a formal process to apply for what you need or to get the information you're looking for.

Sometimes, cold emails end up in the trash because they simply went to the wrong person or the sender did not follow simple directions that are part of an already-established process. For example, if the company's website clearly states that you should contact the HR department at a set email address, it might not be wise to first send a cold email to your potential direct manager. Or, if the company requires a certain format for requests or a word count limit for emails, you might want to know that before sending your 1,000-word synopsis of why you'd be great for a job.

Another big no-no is sending an email to someone who has nothing to do with your end result. This is a common and easy mistake to make.

If your inquiry is about an IT role but you're sending it to the marketing department, again, it's easy to simply disregard it. Professionals have limited time, and some can barely manage emails from people they know, so make it harder for them to ignore you by finding out exactly who you need to be contacting.

3. Be sure the subject line is concise, relevant, and punchy.

Put yourself in the shoes of the stranger you're emailing. Let's say you want the marketing director position that you saw listed on LinkedIn. Well, think about the first thing they'll see when they open their inbox. What would get their attention? What keywords can you use so that they can bookmark and come back to your email if needed? How can you clearly but quickly note why they should open the email in 7 words or less?

As an editor who manages hundreds of pieces of content, dozens of contributors, and gets countless pitches from people I don't know (and probably will never meet), the subject line can make or break whether I actually even read the email; great pitch or not.

Here are a few great subject lines to tweak and make your own. (And sis, please do not just copy and paste these. Customize with your own voice and savvy):

• Re: Job Title: - Your Name, Current Title (You don't have to list the company here)
• Re: Job Posting Number: Job Title, Your Name
• Re: Job Post Inquiry - Your Name
• Job Title Seeking New Opportunity

Here are a few creative subject lines that might be winners if you have a gift of gab. Be sure they're not too salesy, ingenuine, or cheesy, considering the type of job and the industry you're in:

• [Current Job Title + Current Company] – I'd Love To Work With You
• Job Applicant Referred By [name of referral] for Job Title at Company (Make sure this is true.)
• Here's Why [Your Name] Would Be The Best [Job Title] For Your Company (This is headline-style writing. Take a cue from news stories and commercials and get creative with this one. Again, make sure the tone is appropriate and you have an actual knack for this.)
• 10 Things You Didn't Know About [Your Name], [Job Title that references skill needed for the role that you can actually do] (This is another headline-style subject line. Again, only use this one if you're savvy and it's appropriate.)
• Make a great decision before your 2nd cup of coffee. Hire me (give reason)
• Award-winning [Current Job Title] looking for new opportunities
• [Your Name] – the best addition to your team

You can also use ChatGPT for this. Simply use an online platform or an app, type in a prompt or other context around what you want to communicate, and allow AI to do the work. Again, you'll still need to customize this for your own voice and tone, and be sure to proofread it as well.

Tech should complement human intelligence and skill, not replace it, and trust me; people will know when something has been pre-written or scripted and is not authentically you.

What To Include In A Cold Email

There are several key approaches, but they all have a few things in common. First, you want to be sure to get to the point early in your email (i.e., in the first or second sentence), introducing yourself, your skills, and what you need (i.e., applying for the job, requesting a 5-minute virtual meeting, more information about the role, etc).

Be direct and lean heavily into using specific keywords (those major terms about the job, company, or industry that were included in the job post or company's website). Master saying more with fewer words. Address the person by name, but if you don't know it, start with a general "Good morning," or "Good day."

Second, the email should be no more than two to three short paragraphs (maybe four to six sentences each). If they want more information, they will ask for it in a follow-up email. Give them just enough to intrigue or spark interest and make sure, again, that the information is super-relevant to your end goal and in consideration of their time. Here's a good starting point for your opening paragraph:

Good Day,

I am [name], an award-winning [title] who has a passion for [thing one, thing two, and thing three], which is why I'd be a great fit for the [job opening/position]. I have worked in [industry] doing [specific value add 1, value add 2, value add 3] for [time period], and I want to bring those skills to your company.

Reference something you read about the company or that person that inspired you to want to work there or mention a problem that you'd like to have a hand in solving. Try this:

I recently read this article where you spoke about [3-4 words describing what was intriguing] and thought this is a leader I'd love the chance to work with.

I've been following the news of your company's public offering and would like to be part of its new strategy to [fill in the blanks here].

I met you at the Leaders of Tomorrow gala, and you follow a cause that's dear to my heart as well: youth leadership and mentorship.

Long emails about your experience, why you're the best at the job, etc., might get it tossed. People often graze emails and skim because, again, time is limited.

Third, add in key, short bullet points elaborating on your relevant experience, interests, links to your work, or other applicable aspects of your talent and experience that make you competitive in your industry. If you've recently led a campaign, send a link to the actual visual outcome. If you have a professional website, include the link to that. If you've earned awards, mention them.

Again, keep the bullet points short and sweet. Stay away from vague words like "worked on" versus "led the team," or "helped advance," versus "oversaw a $1 million growth in sales." For example:

This year, I:

• • Led strategic teams for a 30% increase in sales year over year
  • Landed a spot on the "Top 30 Under 30 In Sales" To Watch" list for the National Association of Sales Professionals
  • Completed three [list certifications or other educational background insights that were recently upgraded or obtained.)

And don't forget to list your full name, email address, and the best way to contact you at the bottom of the page. You can attach your resume as well, but be sure this is part of their formal process. Sometimes, your LinkedIn information can suffice, and you won't be sending them large file attachments (which some people really don't like.)

Once you're done with the email, create a template so that you can simply plug the copy in when you're sending multiple emails to different people. (You can also simply save the copy as a Word or Google document and copy and paste when needed.) Avoid bcc'ing or blinding sending mass emails. It's not a good look, and you can easily embarrass yourself by referencing the wrong person, job, or company.

Be strategic by sitting down and listing companies, key people, and your "why" for each. This way, you can narrow things down so that you're not wildly overextending yourself in the process. Set a time/date for doing this, and pace yourself.

Cold-emailing should be part of a larger strategy that includes actual networking, volunteering, socializing, researching, enhancing your skills, and doing quality work in the meantime. Remember, this is simply something to add to your arsenal to put you that much closer to getting the gig.

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