How to Write a Cold Email to a Hiring Manager

Are you looking for a job and planning to cold email the hiring manager? Email can be an effective way to establish a connection – if you do it right. Here are some tips to craft the right message to the right person who can help you advance your career.

There aren’t many people who relish the opportunity to job hunt. Some describe it as stressful and others liken it to moving. But as you’re going to see, it’s not so bad. 

Maybe you’ve already identified a great place to work and you just need a foot in the door. But you’ve had zero online interactions with the hiring manager, and you certainly haven’t met. It’s a bit intimidating, but how could someone offer you a job if they don’t know who you are? 

The answer is to cold email the hiring manager. Can you do that? You can. 

We’ll show you how to do it – and have the best shot of success.

Why should you send a cold email to a hiring manager?

It’s daunting to pick up the phone, and chances are most hiring managers do not want your phone call unless they’ve already reached out to you. Getting them on the telephone might work,  but they’ll probably give you the classic “we’ll call you.” 

There are many advantages to sending cold emails to these decision-makers. Here are just a few:

Cold email the hiring manager and get noticed

Emailing a recruiter or hiring manager helps attach a name and possibly face to your resume or application. In a sea of anonymity, the person who could hire you begins to see you as a person and perhaps a solution to their staffing uncertainty.

Remember that the person who can give you a job may get hundreds of applications in a week. Although you should always try to fine-tune and customize your resume based on the position, it’s still a gamble whether someone will pluck yours from the pile.

Looking for that email address? Try Email Finder

You can develop camaraderie

Try to be as human as you can. It’s not always easy to do over email, but it is possible. A little patter goes a long way, and there’s nothing wrong with looking for commonality to begin the conversation.

Here are some examples of how to make your cold email to the hiring manager more personal:

• If you know the hiring manager works in-office in an area infamous for traffic, you could find a way to open with a great icebreaker. 
• Or maybe you noticed the hiring manager’s LinkedIn profile reveals that you both attended the same university. 
• You may find out through social media what TV shows they watch or the sports team they root for. It could be a great way to begin the conversation.

How to cold email the hiring manager(s)

I hate to use the cliche that you’ve only got one chance to make a first impression, but it’s precisely what you should remember. Starting on the wrong foot could fill you with regret. 

What to do? 

We’ve got you covered.

Are you sure you have the right person?

You’d be surprised how many fire off an email in their quest for a job only to reach the wrong inbox. You see, they had the wrong guy or girl. 

Sometimes, the person who ends up with it will forward it to the right contact, but you’d be surprised how often they won’t. Most people get more than ten dozen emails a day. That’s why it’s so important to make every email count.

It’s also bad for your sender reputation when you send emails to mailboxes that no longer exist. When you send messages to deactivated mailboxes, you get bounces. Before you send an email to any new person, you should run it through an email verifier. 

It’s easy to use, it takes seconds to let you know if the email address is correct – and it’s free. 

Try the ZeroBounce email verifier now

Plan what you’re going to say, then wait

Sometimes, time is of the essence, especially if you think the key hiring personnel will decide rapidly. Sometimes, the job posting will tell you the company is looking for someone to fill the position quickly. You may even hear speculation to that effect. 

If you have time, wait a few hours or even overnight before you email a hiring manager. Reread it carefully to make sure you’re communicating the right things.

Bonus tip: One tip I like to follow when reaching out to hiring personnel, but also anytime I write a critical email is to leave the email address off until you’re ready to hit. That way you don’t accidentally send the email without it being just right.

Grab (and keep) the hiring manager’s attention

Like all good writing, you must get your reader’s attention. Write with the hiring manager’s needs in mind. 

Here are some pointers when sending a cold email to a hiring manager:

• Use a subject line that conveys something the manager cares about, but also don’t choose something that seems like spam. Remember this is the first thing the recipient sees.
• Send an email that is short and sweet. If it’s too long, you run the risk of the hiring manager tuning out and forgetting you, or worse yet simply deleting your email.
• Have a clear call to action. What do you want the manager to do? Don’t assume this person automatically knows. Do you want them to write you back? Say so.
• Make sure the email you send doesn’t seem like a copy-and-paste job. Nothing will cause attention to fade out like an email that feels like it went out to dozens of people. Nobody wants to respond to an email like that, so you will have to personalize it.

Focus on the value you bring

The biggest problem with so many emails to recruiters or key people in the hiring process is not showing the value you bring. The reason you will get hired is because of what you can do for an organization. So, what you need to do with your email is do a great job showing the value you bring.

You have to clearly state your accomplishments and how crucial you were in your previous experience. This is a time to be specific. If you’re vague, it will create less of an emotional reaction.

A common mistake is that someone will tell a hiring manager what your current or past responsibilities are. It’s better to explain things you did and how well you did those things. It can be especially powerful when you can show how you found a better way to do something, showed leadership, or took the initiative to find new strategies.

Typically, a hiring manager doesn’t want to pick someone generic. Ideally, they’re optimistically looking for someone dynamic. Ask yourself how you can communicate that, and then include that in your email — points for creativity.

Prevent your cold email from bouncing back

No matter who you’re emailing, if you haven’t sent someone a message before, it’s best to verify the contact. Use a reputable email verifier to check if the address still works or if there is any issue. 

If you don’t check every email address, you’ll inevitably have some that bounce. Getting bounces not only means that you’ve wasted your time but also sends a message to the internet service providers (ISPs) that you’re a potential spammer. 

Related: Learn the difference between hard bounces and soft bounces

Remember,  you can’t explain yourself to an ISP. All you can do is behave as a valid email user and not someone who sends carelessly. 

If you appear like a careless emailer, you’ll be treated exactly like someone who can’t be trusted. So, find a good email validation service and get comfortable using it. Everyone who uses email for business needs to use an email verifier regularly.

Don’t be shy to follow up with the hiring manager

One thing is sure: following up can make all the difference. If you’ve sent that solid cold email to the hiring manager or recruiter, a second email could be a chance to communicate another idea or serve as a reminder. 

Many times, I’ve struck gold because of that one extra attempt to make something happen. Just remember that you’re contacting them because you are ultimately trying to provide value. 

Fortune favors the bold is definitely the attitude that will get you that position you want.  Being demure may seem safer, but you can send with confidence when you’ve followed these guidelines and you know that your email is in good shape and is likely to reach your target.