Cold Email for a Job: Template + Generator That Gets Replies
How to cold email for a job: who to write to, a short template with one easy ask, examples for calls, referrals and advice, and a free generator with subject lines.
By Onward ScoutPublished 2 min read
Free tool · runs in your browser
Cold email for a job: generator
Write to a real person at a company you want to work for. Fill in why them, who you are and one proof. Get three short cold emails with subject lines and one clear, easy ask.
Nothing you type here is uploaded or stored by Onward Scout; the tool runs entirely in your browser.
A cold email for a job is a short message to someone you do not know at a company you want to join. It says why them, who you are, one proof and asks for one small thing, such as a 15-minute call or a referral. The generator above writes three versions with subject lines.
Who should you cold email for a job?
In short
The person who would manage you or someone on the team you want to join. Peers and managers know what the team needs and can refer you; executives rarely answer, and careers inboxes route to the same pile as your application.
Referrals are why this works. In a study of nine large employers published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, referred applicants were more likely to be hired and more likely to accept offers than non-referred applicants[Burks et al., QJE 2015]. A good cold email is often the start of a referral.
What should a cold email for a job say?
In short
Four lines: a specific reason you are writing to them, who you are in one phrase, one result with a number, and one easy ask with a time limit. Keep it under 120 words and end with a question they can answer quickly.
The specific reason is what separates a cold email from spam. "I read your post about rebuilding the analytics stack in-house" proves you chose them. The proof gives them a reason to care, and the small ask ("15 minutes in the next couple of weeks") gives them an easy way to say yes.
What is the best ask in a cold email?
In short
The smallest one that moves you forward: a 15-minute call, a referral to a specific open role, the name of the right person, or one piece of advice. Never ask a stranger for "a job"; ask for a conversation that could lead to one.
Close politely; small courtesies affect replies. In Boomerang's analysis of about 350,000 email threads, messages ending with "thanks in advance" received a response 65.7% of the time, the highest of the sign-offs measured[Boomerang, 2017]. It is correlation, not a guarantee, but gratitude costs nothing.
Does cold emailing work if the company isn't hiring?
In short
Often better than when it is. You reach the team before a posting attracts hundreds of applicants, and smaller companies may not post every role widely. Ask to learn about the team; if a role opens, you are already known.
Small firms are a large part of the market: US small businesses employ 45.9% of private-sector workers[SBA Office of Advocacy], and many hire through people they meet rather than job boards. If you also want to be on file for future roles, a letter of interest is the longer, formal companion to this note. If a referral is what you need, our elevator pitch builder helps you say who you are in 30 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Who should I send a cold email for a job to?
The person who would manage you or a peer on that team, not the CEO and not a generic careers inbox. A referral from a peer often carries more weight than a note to a busy executive.
How long should a cold email for a job be?
Under 120 words: one line on why them, one on who you are, one proof, one ask. If it needs scrolling on a phone, it is too long.
Should I attach my résumé to a cold email?
Only when you ask them to forward it. For a call or advice, offer to send it instead; attachments from strangers often go unopened.
How many times should I follow up on a cold email?
Once, about a week later, in the same thread. After that, move on and try someone else at the company.
Is it okay to cold email for a job at a company with no openings?
Yes. That is often when it works best, because you reach the team before a posting attracts hundreds of applicants. Ask for a conversation, not a job.
A specific email, sent from your Gmail with your approval
Onward Scout drafts a short, personal email from your real experience for each opportunity that takes email, and sends it from your own Gmail only when you tap approve.
Nothing is submitted without your tap. Logins, CAPTCHAs, payments and interviews stay with you.