Cold Email for Jobs: Writing Tips + Examples

Spoiler: Your dream job may not be advertised! 

Looking to land your dream job? If there is a company you’d love to work for, sending a cold email for jobs may be the answer. Many roles are never advertised to the general public. So, just because a business doesn't have vacancies listed, it doesn't mean they don’t exist. If you want to boost your chances of getting a job, here’s how to craft a killer cold email.

What are cold emails?

A cold email is a message you send that is unsolicited. The receiver has not previously engaged with you. Equally, you are not responding to a job advert. Instead, you have tracked down the decision maker's email address and sent them a speculative message. 

Cold emails are used heavily in the sales field. Often referred to as email marketing, this technique allows you to start conversations with your ideal clients – or, in this scenario, your ideal employer. As an applicant, you are not trying to sell any products. However, you are selling your professional skills. You should, therefore, use the same approach as a marketer.

Benefits of sending cold emails

Before we look at how to write cold emails for jobs, let’s talk about why you should do it. There’s a real stigma when it comes to this job-seeking approach, but there needn’t be. When done correctly, you can open many doors and learn about new opportunities. With that in mind, let’s take a moment to look at some of the benefits of sending cold emails. 

Speak to decision-makers

When sending cold emails for jobs, you will be messaging the decision-makers. As we will cover in this guide, it’s vital that you find the right contact to email. This person should be a hiring manager or manager who can make a decision on your future. By using cold email as a strategy, you can speak directly to the person who holds your future in their hands. 

Find hidden opportunities 

Searching for jobs can be laborious, especially if the opportunities you desire simply aren’t cropping up. If that is the case, you may want to make your own luck. By sending cold emails for jobs, you may find out about vacancies that have not been listed anywhere online. That means that you will get the chance to apply for roles that you would have otherwise missed entirely. 

Get ahead of the competition 

Most applicants don’t use a cold emailing strategy. That may be because they are simply scared to put themselves out there, or they don’t know how to get started. Either way, when you decide to write cold emails for jobs, you are placing yourself ahead of the competition. You will have an advantage over the candidates who are not using this strategy as part of their job search. 

Make valuable connections 

Cold emailing is not merely about landing a job. There are other benefits to this job-seeking approach. By connecting with decision-makers in your favorite companies, you instantly put yourself on their radar. If there is no vacancy available now, ask them to keep you in mind for future opportunities. That way, you can make sure that you are first in the queue. 

​​What are the risks of cold emails?

Now that we’ve covered the benefits of sending cold emails for jobs, let’s talk about the drawbacks. Sending these messages is not without its risks. Ahead of writing yours, you need to make sure that you know about them. Here are some that you may not have considered: 

You could damage relationships 

Sending an email or two to the right person will unlikely put you in a bad light. However, if you are spamming a potential employer with multiple emails a day, you will damage the professional relationship. It’s important to be strategic about how you send cold emails for jobs. Ensure that every email you send has a point and that you don’t end up sending too many. 

You might not hear back

Let’s deal with the elephant in the room. You might not hear back from the person you emailed. That is true, and it is something that you need to accept before you start writing any cold emails about jobs. The person you message is not expecting you to contact them. That is a given. For that reason, they might not have the time to respond to you. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get a reply. Just keep in mind that you took a chance, and this time, nothing happened. 

It is time-consuming 

Applying for jobs is time-consuming. Sending cold emails is even more time-consuming. One of the biggest drawbacks to this approach is the time that it takes. As we will cover here, it’s not simply about sending out a random email. No, you need to do your homework first. 

If you want to increase your chances of getting a response, you will need to find out who the right person to email is and gain their contact information. You then need to craft the perfect email and send a follow up. However, should you take the time to do that, it could work out.

How do you send a professional cold email?

Ready to get started and write your cold email for jobs? Luckily, there’s a simple process that you can follow to help you along the way. If you are completely new to this approach, we have you covered. We’ve broken down the tutorial into steps that you can follow here:

Step 1: Figure out who to email 

First things first, you need to make sure that you know who you are emailing. You have a company in mind already, but who would be the best person to contact? As we have said earlier in this guide, you need to email the decision-makers. That may be a senior employee, hiring manager, or even the head of the department you want to join. 

Often enough, you can find this person on the company’s main website. Most businesses have a staff or team page that lists its main players. If you are lucky, you will find that the company also lists the staff members’ email addresses. However, that is not always the case. Should you find it hard to find the professionals’ email, LinkedIn is your friend. Find them on the network. 

Step 2: Research the business 

When you’re writing a cold email for jobs, you have a lot to prove. You are messaging this company out of the blue, and so it’s important to know your stuff. Take the time to research the business. Read the company website, look at its LinkedIn page, and Google the business. The more details you can find out now, the more likely you will be to hook the reader’s attention.

Step 3: Write a long subject line 

For the most part, you want to keep your email short and sweet. However, when it comes to the subject line, you’re playing a different game. Research shows that emails with a longer subject line receive a 24.6% higher average response rate. So, rather than just using a few words, make sure that this part of your correspondence gives the reader a reason to care. 

Avoid simply putting your job title – e.g., ‘Marketer’ – and take things to the next level. Let’s take a look at some cold email subject line examples you could use: 

• Quick question about marketing vacancies 

• We met at X, and I wanted to say hello 

• Hi Joe, quick question for you 

• X suggested I reach out to you 

• Are you looking for marketing support 

When you’re writing your subject line, you need to think like the reader. What is going to pique their interest? What are you offering them? What line is going to make them read your email?

Step 4: Make your pitch 

Now that you have written a compelling subject line, it’s time to get straight to the point. You cannot afford to waste space here. If the reader has opened the email, you have a matter of seconds to grab their attention. Don’t beat around the bush. 

Figure out what you want here. Are you emailing to find out about vacancies? Are you emailing to send over your portfolio? Are you hoping to land an interview? What is your endgame? When you know that, you can tailor your pitch around your goals and get the best out of the email. 

Step 5: Customize your message

Nobody likes to feel as though they are receiving a copy-and-pasted message. When you are writing a cold email for jobs, make sure that you customize the body of the message. This is easier than you might imagine. If you have done your research (see step two), you should have all of the information that you need. Now is the time to put it to work. 

Include flourishes from your research. For example, if you can see that the business recently started working with a new client, you might want to reference that. Should your views align with the company vision, you should state that. Or if the business recently received an award, you could mention that and congratulate the reader. It’s the small things that count here. 

Step 6: Briefly cover your credentials

This is not a typical job application; the reader has not asked to see your resume. For that reason, you should not attach it. Instead, you can briefly cover your credentials and why you would be an asset to the business. Remember this is an introductory email, so it doesn’t need to be in-depth. The general idea is to leave the reader wanting to learn more about you. 

Step 7: Add a call to action

Once you have made your case, the last thing you need to do is add a call to action and then sign off. You want to encourage the reader to reply to you. If your email lacks a call to action, they won’t know what the next step is. You have to take the lead here. 

Consider asking the reader to answer your initial question, arrange a quick phone call, or get in touch if they want to see your resume. All of these statements are clear and straight to the point. The last line of your cold email needs to tell the reader what to do next. 

Job email examples

Looking for a cold email template? By this point, you should feel ready to tackle this task. However, it can be helpful to take a look at a couple of examples to help you along the way. Here are two job email examples that you can use when writing yours. 

Example #1

Subject: Quick question about your marketing needs

Body: Dear Mr. Sims, 

Are you currently looking to expand your marketing department?

As a marketing executive specializing in digital, I could help you develop winning strategies that offer a serious ROI. I have previously worked for Mitchell & Smith Marketing on major social media and digital campaigns, including Levis, Walmart, and McDonald’s. 

Having followed Gen Marketing’s work for years, I have been continuously impressed by the results your department is capable of. If you are currently open to applications, I would love to explore them. Do you have the time for a quick call?

Kind regards,

Samuel Pearson 

Example #2

Subject: Mr. Smith, Can we connect?

Body: Dear Mr Smith, 

First of all, congratulations on your recent Marketing Excellence award. I am writing to ask whether you currently have any vacancies within your department.

As a certified marketer with 10+ years of experience, I have the talent and drive to take a supervisory role at Gen Marketing. I have previously worked on a freelance basis with major brand names, including Pepsi, Yankee Candles, and Burger King. However, I would now like to hone my skills as part of a dedicated and skilled team. 

Do you think I could be a good fit? I’d love to send over my professional resume and portfolio, if you have the time to review them. Let me know and I’ll shoot them across. 

Kind regards,

Sarah Best

Tips for sending cold emails 

Sending cold emails for jobs is an art form. There are many things that you need to consider. Before you get started, there are some final tips that you should keep in mind. 

• Choose the right time. Research suggests that Wednesday is the best time to send a cold email, while Saturday is the worst time. Schedule the emails if you need to.

• Reach out to multiple contacts. Don’t just email one person. Make sure that you cast your net far and wide by reaching out to multiple different people. 

• Proofread your email. There’s nothing worse than sending out an email littered with typos. To increase your chances of success, you always need to proofread. 

Final words 

Cold emails can be an integral part of your job-search strategy. However, there’s a right way and a wrong way to reach out to decision-makers. Ensure you take a targeted approach here and avoid unnecessarily spamming people. You should also customize your emails to show the reader that you’re not simply copying and pasting messages. Follow the advice that we have shared here and give cold emailing a whirl for yourself.  

Looking to land a new role? Let ZipJob’s professional resume writers help you out. Our team can help you create a winning resume in no time. 

Recommended reading: 

• How To Say 'Thank You for Considering My Application'

• 9 Reasons for Automated Rejection Email After Application

• Email Subject Lines for a Job Application (Examples + Tips)