If you’ve ever worked with me, you know that I love cold emailing. When job hunting, I don’t consider your application complete until you’ve sent a cold email.

What Is a Cold Email?

By definition, cold emailing is when you reach out to someone via email that you have no prior connection with. Here at The Prepary, we focus on using cold emails to express interest in a certain company or job opportunity. Keep in mind that I would classify a second-degree connection—or somebody you have gotten an introduction to—as more of a “warm email.”

When Is It Most Effective To Send One?

In my opinion, people who cold-email only to network or get information about a company are wasting their time.

Since the recipient of your email is a stranger and owes you nothing, I recommend using cold emails to express interest in a job that both suits your passions and for which you are qualified.

What, then, separates a good cold email from a bad one? I came to three primary conclusions.

1. You’re Offering Something to the Recipient Versus Asking for Something

The following is the most crucial point for me. When was the last time you went out of your way to help a person you don’t know get a job? It’s unlikely that emailing will get you an interview without any follow-up because people are generally more willing to help others when they stand to benefit.

Why would they be interested, you might ask? Imagine that you’re cold-emailing about a public relations assistant job. You could either be reaching out to a recruiter at the company or someone on the public relations team. The fact that an assistant public relations role is posted online means they are trying to fill it. In other words, sourcing and finding qualified candidates who would also excel in the work environment and with the team culture takes effort.

By applying for the public relations assistant job you’re qualified for, knowing a great deal about the company, and being eager to work there, you’d be aiding them in solving the problem of needing to fill that specific job opening.

So what’s the catch? An outstanding candidate is willing to work for them! However, you can always offer more than just your great attitude. Your feedback or expertise in a certain area can be valuable to others, so consider volunteering your time to help out on a project.

You’re well on your way to making your cold email effective if you can offer something of value in return.

2. It’s Personalized and Thoughtful

Using the same cover letter for every company and expecting a different outcome is foolish. The same goes for cold emails – they need to be personal and thought out if you want any chance at success.

You can make your cold email stand out by personalizing it to the recipient. With today’s technology, you can find information about almost anyone online. researching their work history on LinkedIn, reading a blog post they wrote, or finding some other way to connect with them will help your chances of achieving success

Your readers will appreciate your work more if it seems like you put some effort into writing it, as opposed to coming across as though you’re mass-emailing them.

3. It’s Respectful and Not Entitled

If you’re interested, this related post goes over the proper etiquette to follow when reaching out to someone you don’t know. The key is not making the person feel like they owe you anything; act as though their time and assistance are valuable gifts that aren’t guaranteed.

Being someone who is overbearing or not respectful of my time is one of the quickest ways to get me to push the ‘delete’ button. I don’t even know you yet, so remember that first impressions are key.

In Closing…

Sending a resume through a cold email is not only efficient but can also be successful, as this story proves. While you may not get lucky every time, it’s worth a shot instead of letting your resume disappear into the depths of the internet.

Do you have success stories about job hunting through cold emailing? Let’s hear them in the comments section below!

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