Cold emailing—contacting someone you don’t know via email—sounds kind of scary.
After all, it requires you to put yourself out there without knowing what kind of reaction you will get. Or perhaps even more daunting, not knowing whether you will get a reaction at all.
To make this kind of outreach less scary, prepare to send a compelling cold email by following some basic best practices and using a template to get started.
The basics of cold emailing a recruiter: what to do before, during, and after you reach out
Handle some ‘housekeeping’ tasks first
Best case scenario? The recruiter receives your email and responds about a great new job opening.
Worst case scenario? The recruiter receives your email but doesn't respond.
Worst case scenario ever? The recruiter receives your email and is interested in recruiting you until they see your resume or LinkedIn profile.
Before you cold email a recruiter, revise your resume, update your LinkedIn profile, and check to make sure your website or portfolio is engaging, professional, and functional. Assume that the recruiter will check out any professional branding items you have, and then make any changes needed to enhance your online presence.
Find an appropriate contact
It’s pretty rare to find a recruiter’s contact information on a job posting these days. However, if the job is featured on LinkedIn, the recruiter’s profile may be included in the job posting. If this is the case, you can start by contacting this person. LinkedIn has taken steps to remove fake accounts, but you should still access the profile to make sure it’s legit. Once you verify that the profile belongs to a real person, see if you and the recruiter belong to the same networking group, know a mutual contact, or have other commonalities that you can address in your email.
If the recruiter’s information is not tied to the job posting, search on LinkedIn to find another viable contact. For example, if you can find a team member or hiring manager in the same department (or a similar one), try reaching out to them to see if they can point you in the right direction.
Read more: 8 Effective & Memorable Ways to Introduce Yourself Professionally (with Examples)
Know what your ask is
“Hi, Ethan. I’m interested in the medical assistant role and was wondering if you could help me out?”
Most recruiters would not respond to a vague request like this and chances are, you wouldn't either. From your very first email to a recruiter, you should be crystal clear about what you’re asking. A stronger approach to this same email would look like this:
The ‘ask’ is clear in this example: You want to know if the recruiter is willing to speak with you about the medical assistant position. Review your message at least twice before sending it to make sure it is easy to understand.
Manage your expectations
Realistically, you will reach out to recruiters way more frequently than you actually get a response from them. Don’t let that discourage you.
Although you can’t control whether the recruiter responds or whether this outreach will turn into a job lead, you can manage your own expectations from the start. Understand that sending a cold email is a risk, avoid making assumptions about what the outcome might be, and try not to internalize a non-response. Maintain reasonable expectations before and after you send your cold email.
Follow up as appropriate
If you have not received a response from the recruiter, follow up within one to two weeks of sending your email. In some cases, your follow-up email will remind the recruiter to reach out to you. In other cases, your follow-up still will not yield a response.
If you do not hear anything even after following up, give yourself credit for an earnest effort: You did your best to express interest in a new opportunity and get on the recruiter’s radar. Now, you can note anything you might want to do differently (such as sending your email at the top of the week instead of on Friday or choosing a more specific subject line), then try to connect with another recruiter.
Read more: How to Follow Up with a Recruiter at Any Point in the Hiring Process
10 cold email examples that recruiters respond to
Even after you review tips and best practices, you still might find yourself wondering what to say to a recruiter. Use these templates for guidance on how to craft a cold email that recruiters will have a tough time ignoring.
Example 1: You just applied for a job
Subject line: Virtual assistant role - just applied!
Hello Alicia,
I just applied for the Virtual Assistant role on the FutureHire website. After carefully reviewing the requirements of this role—managing high-volume calls, scheduling meetings, and performing market research—I am confident that I am the best candidate for this position. My 5+ years of customer service experience and proven ability to achieve greater impact in less time ensures that I can fulfill the duties of this role.
Would you be open to discussing this opportunity with me sometime this week or next week? I am flexible and happy to work around your schedule.
Enjoy your day,
Amelia
Example 2: You have a referral
Subject line: Project Manager II - Referred by Jennifer Ellis
Good morning, Jane Ellwood,
Your colleague Jennifer Ellis suggested I contact you about the Project Manager II position. I am currently seeking a new opportunity to oversee the full project lifecycle for an innovative health and wellness company like Health Hub. Jennifer mentioned that you are searching urgently for the role and I would be available to begin right away.
Are you available any day next week between 8am - 5pm ET for a phone or Zoom call? I'd love to discuss my qualifications for this role further and can meet at your convenience.
Thank you for your consideration!
Sincerely,
Kia
Example 3: You’re referencing a specific job opening
Subject line: Requesting a Meeting - AP Manager Role
Greetings Calvin Evans,
I recently discovered your opening for an AP Manager and believe I am the perfect candidate for this role. My experience in generating reports, overseeing approvals and transactions, and reconciling accounts aligns with what you are looking for in a candidate.
In addition, I recently saw an interview you did about the future of AI in finance and was pleasantly surprised to find that our views are very similar. Can we please schedule a time to speak more about the job opening as well as some solutions I’ve considered for using technology to automate financial tasks?
Sincerely,
Lenora
Example 4: You don’t have a specific job opening in mind
Subject Line: Interested in a Role at Helping Hands
Hi Liz,
Since I first discovered how Helping Hands is supporting my hometown through service projects, I’ve been eager to join the organization. With five years of experience in campaign management, SEO content development, and budget management, I am certain that I would be a great addition to your team in a wide variety of roles.
As I look for opportunities to leverage my skill set in support of a conscious company that values the people they serve, I would greatly appreciate a brief call to discuss future openings at Helping Hands. I am available Monday through Thursday 8am-12pm PT for the next two weeks - do any of these days/times work for you?
Thank you,
Lillie
Example 5: You’re emailing a recruiter at your dream company
Subject Line: Your Next Senior Software Developer
Hi Barbara,
Since I found out about RST Software at a networking event last year, I’ve observed how your company values its people, gives employees room to be creative, and embraces new technology. Given this, I want to join your team in the Senior Software Developer role.
After proving my ability to design and implement new software, communicate project requirements, and streamline development to save time and money, I am now prepared to do that for RST Software.
I have attached my resume for your convenience and hope to schedule a call to discuss how I can contribute to the company. Are you available for a brief 15-minute chat within the next two weeks to talk about this further?
Thank you for your time,
Jamie
Example 6: You’re making a career change
Subject Line: Change is Good - and I Can Help!
Hi Beth,
With the recent merger your company completed, I know your team has undergone a great deal of change recently. Luckily, I specialize in change management and team building. In my former career as an educational administrator, I was the go-to person for change initiatives, so I know I could support your team as you all work to improve operations and increase revenue.
That is why I was excited to apply for the Organizational Consultant role this week. Even if you decide to go in a different direction, I wish you and your team much success as you expand and grow into the super company that I’m sure you will become.
(P.S. If you ever need some fresh new ideas around managing change after a merger, please see my blog ‘Managing Up’ where I share these strategies. You can also contact me at (212) 000-0000 so that I can share what I've seen work for organizations just like yours).
Thank you for your time,
Ayana
Example 7: You don’t know them well but met them recently
Subject Line: Follow-up to Our Recent Meeting
Hello Camille,
We met briefly at the virtual leadership summit last week and I truly enjoyed speaking with you about your plans for the Creative Collective Initiative. As we discussed, I served as marketing lead on the Generation STEM campaign, which yielded 2.5M impressions and boosted customer retention by 10%. I believe I can drive similar results for your initiative. Are you open to meeting with me in person or virtually so that we can talk more about how I can contribute to the Creative Collective?
Hope to speak with you soon,
Tyler
Example 8: You couldn't find the right contact
Subject line: Scheduling a Call - Creative Program Manager
Hi Sandra,
I hope you enjoyed your weekend! I just applied for the Program Manager position on your website. As someone who flourishes in creative environments, this job is an ideal next step for me.
I hope to speak to the person in charge of hiring for this role as I am well-versed in your company’s needs and could bring a lot to this program. If you are the recruiter for this position—as it appears from your LinkedIn profile—would you be willing to meet with me about this opportunity?
If you are not the recruiter for this role, can you please advise on the most appropriate person for me to contact?
Thank you!
Raven
Example 9: You applied but didn't get an interview
Subject Line: Future Opportunities at YRN, Inc.
Hi Adrian,
Like so many recruiters, you are probably really busy these days, so I’ll be brief: I recently applied for the Senior Analyst position at YRN, Inc. but was unable to get an interview for the role. While I hope you were able to find the best fit for the position, I am still very interested in working at YRN. Can you please advise on any upcoming openings on the Research & Development team?
Thank you, I appreciate your time!
Ari
Example 10: You want to network
Subject line: Let’s connect!
Dear Keri,
As I’ve continued my job search, I have noticed that you are listed as the recruiter for several amazing roles in health tech. Since I am seeking a senior-level role as a health information technician, I would love to learn more about the roles you’re looking to fill in the coming months. Can we join each others’ LinkedIn networks so that we can quickly connect when these opportunities come up?
Looking forward to learning more about you and your recruitment goals,
Carey
