The Cold Email Template With a 60-70% Response Rate

November 21, 2016 Liz Cohen

Liz Cohen is a former LinkedIn manager and the Founder & Head Coach of Next Step Careers. She regularly authors publications on job searching and is the creator of an award-winning online job search program, Land Your Dream Job. She has helped thousands of job seekers land more interviews and offers without the stress, heartache and radio silence that characterizes most job searches today.

The Cold Email Template With a 60-70% Response Rate

So you’re moving forward in your search, but you feel like you’ve tapped your existing network for support and introductions. With the knowledge that 85% of jobs are landed through networking, what else can you do to position yourself for success?

You got it: more networking (I know, queue agonizing scream...).

There are many reasons why people don’t like reaching out to someone they don’t know: It’s uncomfortable. It’s scary. It may result in silence or rejection.

But here’s why you should: There is nothing to lose, and a whole lot to gain -- an introduction, an interview, or a job offer -- if you do it right.

My clients who use this template see 60-70% of people they reach out to responding positively.

Pause and think about that for a second: From your desk, you could send 10 brief emails and make 6-7 new connections, and then wow them with your dynamite informational interview skills. That’s 6-7 new advocates to help you succeed in your search.

So how do you do it?

The goal is to show this person you don’t know that, in fact, you’re already connected.

You want to show that through some shared experience, passion, or aspect of your identities, you are not strangers, but allies. As a stranger, you are easy to ignore amidst the busy working day and inbox overflow. But as an ally, you are someone worth making time for -- especially when you show her that you will use her precious time wisely and create value for her in return.

Take a look at the below template and then follow the steps to craft your perfect cold email. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes to write once you master the technique.

The cold email template in action:

Ron,

I'm a fellow Rutgers Law alum ('12) and am moving back to the Newark area this winter to be closer to family. I’m hoping you may have a brief window to answer a few specific questions about your work and your experience at Legal Services of New Jersey?

After spending the past three years in litigation at a large law firm New York City, I'm looking to transition to a public interest legal position at an organization I admire. From what I’ve read about Legal Services, it sounds like an amazing team that’s genuinely dedicated to improving the lives of low-income communities. I’m eager to learn more.

Are you open to a 20-30 minute phone call next week? I would greatly appreciate your time and insight, and will be sure to pay it forward to future generations of Scarlet Knights!

Thanks so much,
Diane

And here it is broken down into four simple steps:

1. Pick the right person:

Choose someone who:

is, or is close to, a decision-maker hiring for your position, which increases the likelihood of getting your candidacy attention; and
shares with you a common experience, passion, or aspect of your personal or professional identities, which increases the likelihood of her responding and becoming your advocate.

Once you’ve created a list of the organizations you love, scour their websites or LinkedIn's list of company employees to identify the best person to contact at each one.

In this example, Diane reached out to a senior attorney who was a) likely to be involved in the hiring process for the associate level position, and b) attended her law school and shares her personal passion for supporting low-income New Jerseyans.

2. Clearly state your connection and your ask:

Share in 1-2 sentences (max!) a snapshot of how you’re connected and what you’re asking for — a brief conversation to ask questions about their employer.

Find the most inspiring connection point that will help you demonstrate that connective tissue you already share. Whether it’s your passion for her organization’s mission, an article she wrote about her management style, your alma mater, your interest in minority leadership, or even your love of the Philadelphia Eagles, tell her why you know she’ll be on your side.

3. Share your professional brand (the value you could bring to this organization) and why you’re interested in this organization in particular:

Clearly state where you’re coming from in your career, and where you’re looking to go. Show that you’ve done your research and share the specific reason you’re excited to learn more about this organization.

4. Convey explicitly and implicitly that you will not waste their time:

The email should state explicitly that you’re looking for only 20-30 minutes of their time, over the phone. I’ve said it before -- offering to buy someone coffee can take up 45-90 minutes of a person’s day, so if you want to make sure they feel good going into the conversation, keep it convenient. If they offer you an in-person meeting, they’ll feel better knowing it was their generosity that made it happen.

The email should also show implicitly that you will respect their time (and offer your own time to future job seekers like you); keep it short.

I would greatly appreciate your time and insight, and will be sure to pay it forward to future generations of Scarlet Knights!

Run your own cold email experiment

This is something I help all of my clients do because it generates not new leads, new momentum and confidence -- three things a successful job search requires to get through the inevitable struggles.

Send one email each day for two weeks, just 20 minutes per day, and I’m willing to bet you’ll get at least 5 positive replies and a host of new connections and opportunities to pursue. Get ready for your own inbox overload!