You saw an opening for your dream job and want to apply for it. Or you could be job hunting and hope to build a connection with a company representative for employment opportunities. Then, sending an email could be the optimal solution.
But, the professionals have more than 200 emails in their inboxes. On top of that, they receive 120 new emails every day and respond to only 25% of them.
That is why it is crucial to stand out from the crowd and make recruiters remember you by sending a perfect cold email.
In this post, we will tell you how to write perfect cold emails to get a job. But… is email the right way to reach the recruiters? Do people read emails?
Here are a few stats proving that email works whether it’s official communication or marketing:
- 68% of millennials prefer email for official communication.
- 44% of email recipients make at least one purchase each year as a result of a promotional newsletter.
- People who buy products via email spend 138% more than those who didn’t receive email offers.
So, without any further ado, let’s know the steps to write perfect cold emails.
How to Write a Cold Email for a Job?
In the last decade, people wrote cold emails just to pitch the offer. Usually, one message is sent to a large group of people. But with today’s competition, it would not make you stand out.
You need to write a cold call email for the job with the goal of making a strong impression so that the recruiter will remember you. Now, here are the steps on how to cold email a recruiter –
- Identify the right person to email,
- Craft an intriguing subject line,
- Decide on proper salutation,
- Write a clever introduction,
- Write an impressive email body,
- Ending your email,
- Conclude the email.
Along with the following simple tips to help you perfect it.
- Send an email at the proper time
- Thoroughly proofread your email
- Personalize your message
- Keep it short and simple
- Include your availability
- Follow up if necessary
Steps to Write a Cold Email for a Job
Step 1 – Identify the right person to email
It is the most important step in sending a cold email for a job. For any internship or job, you must identify the right recipient and send an email. You are just wasting your time if you contact the wrong person.
Look for employers with job titles like an HR manager, talent acquisition consultant, hiring manager, etc.
You can find out their details by checking –
- Company’s website,
- Blog posts,
- LinkedIn profile, and
- Social Media.
There are email finder tools like Aerolead, using which you can find the right person to contact.
Step 2 – Craft an intriguing subject line
35% of recipients will only open your message if the subject line resonates with them.
The subject line is the first thing your recipient will see. You should pique their interest and make them click on your email. Without a compelling subject line, the recipient might just ignore your email.
To avoid this, follow these tips.
- Keep it concise – Inc says that as per Gulati cities research, the subject line with 6 to 10 words has a 21% open rate. So, keep it brief.
- Personalize the subject line – 33% of email recipients open emails because of catchy subject lines. It should appeal to them and ensure that you are not a spammer who sends mass emails to people.
- Avoid click-bait subject lines – As per studies, 69% of email recipients report emails as ‘Spam’ based solely on the subject line. It is often used by untrustworthy people and there is a chance that your email might end up in a spam folder.
- Include important information – Mention information like the position you are applying for, so they know what the email is about.
Step 3 – Decide on proper salutation
The next part of the cold call email for a job is choosing the right greeting or salutation. It is vital as it sets the tone of your message in the email.
While deciding on a salutation, keep in mind, the following things.
- Don’t be too formal, but just official enough for job-related messages.
- It should relay that you specifically wrote the email for them.
- Skip the traditional greetings like “Dear Sir/ Madam” or words like “to whom it may concern”.
You can use –
Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. X,
Hi Y Hiring Team,
Hello Organisation Z Recruiter.
Step 4 – Write a clever introduction
Here, you should catch their attention and make the recipient read your entire email. One way to do this is to refer to the recipient’s achievements, expertise, work, and organization’s accomplishments.
It is also crucial to tell them about yourself and state your purpose at the start of your email. You have to be specific, so include the following details:
- Who you are,
- Where you work,
- How you got their information,
- Why you are interested in their company, and
- Your purpose for writing an email.
Actually, the introduction is an opportunity to show them that you are professional when it comes to your job. Relay to them that you did your research and did not just write an email on a whim.
Step 5 – Write an impressive email body
In the answer to how to cold email recruiters, you came to the main step where you talk about your qualification, skills, and experience. But it does not mean that you should type in everything like in a resume or CV.
You should write a standard pitch that makes the employer feel like your skills could be useful in their field of work.
You should write about –
- Your unique accomplishments,
- In what way you can help them,
- What the company gains by employing you,
- What are your career goals, and
- Relevant achievements.
Instead of just writing your achievements like a list, use storytelling to relay to them how you can resolve an issue. And prove to them that you are a learner.
Your pitch should be seamless and smoothly connected to the previous part of the email. It should not feel forced or salesy.
Step 6 – Ending your email
At the ending of an email, add a request for a clear and simple call to action (CTA) like –
- Scheduling a Skype conversation,
- Phone call,
- Asking for feedback, or
- Just a reply to your email,
- Requesting a job interview.
The call to action should be a single sentence so that it makes your intention clear.
Next, at the end of your email leave a thank you note for their time and consideration. It should be a brief message that relays how you are grateful to your recipient for reading your cold email.
Step 7 – Conclude the email
The conclusion is about your signature. Add your name and contact information. You could simply use a straight-forward closing statement and insert any of the sign-offs.
- Best Wishes,
- Best Regards,
- Sincerely,
- Yours Truly,
- Kind Regards,
- Warmest Regards, and so on.
Simple Tips on How to Cold Email a Recruiter
Actually, automated emails are a great tactic that you should consider. According to Epsilon, emails that are automated have 119% more click rates than blast emails. And, triggered emails –
- Have 152% higher click-through rate and 70.5% higher open rate than generic emails.
- Open rates were 76.7% higher than Business As Usual (BAU) in Q3 2014, an increase over the Q3 mark of 68.3%.
- Click rates were 151.9% more than BAU which is lower than 156.1% in Q3 2013
Now, here comes the tips to write an acceptable cold email to HR.
1) Send an email at the proper time
Do not send emails at late night or early in the morning. The recipient might not feel comfortable with unknown candidates sending emails at strange hours. The best time for cold emailing for a job is on weekdays and during business hours. If possible, email the message at mid-day.
2) Thoroughly proofread your email
The cold email relays the first impression of you to your potential employer so it should be as perfect as possible. Proofread it before sending the email to ensure that there are no mistakes and the tone is just as you intended.
3) Personalize your message
You can include the name of the recipient, and what they are looking for. Also, refer to the organization’s notable projects to show your genuine interest and that you are not mass emailing recruiters.
4) Keep it short and simple
Most of the recruiters are busy. So, if you send a lengthy email, they might open it but they won’t read it and just close it. Or they could just get bored and stop reading the rest of the email.
Therefore, keep your message short and to the point so the recruiter reads the email and understands your request.
5) Include your availability
It is best to let the recipient know when you are available but let them choose the date and time for a meeting or interview.
In case you are applying for an immediate opening, inform them when you are available to start work.
6) Follow up if necessary
If you do not receive any response even after a week of sending a cold email, then email a short follow-up message. It is very likely that the recipient is busy and missed your email or forgot to send a reply.
Finally!
If done right, cold emailing for a job will help you to stand out from the crowd and land your dream job. So, follow the steps on how to write a cold email for a job and refer to the tips to craft a perfect cold email.
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