Guide to Writing Outreach Emails
When reaching out to a new connection or someone you’d like to reconnect with, it’s important for your communication to be clear, concise, and professional. As a guide, Steve Dalton’s book, The 2-Hour Job Search, refers to a 6-point email approach to create outreach to potential employers or people who you’d like to add to your network. Consider these guidelines when crafting your own outreach message.
Message Structure
Keeping an email concise helps keep the reader’s attention and makes it simple to respond. The 2-Hour Job Search suggests fewer than 75 words.
It’s much easier for a contact to respond to a request for their personal insight rather than a job request.
A commonality gives the connection a reason to care and continue reading right away. Commonalities could include: attending Colorado State University, a shared contact, a mutual LinkedIn group, a common CSU professor, etc.
A question is a call to action, making it easier for the contact to know exactly what to respond to. It could include: “Could we find a time for a short call?”
Giving specific interests (“I want to work at <company>.”) as well as broad interests (“I have an interest in <general field>.”) allows for flexibility in conversation topics.
This is not a cover letter. There are no qualifications you need to meet in order to ask for a conversation. Keeping the focus on the recipient takes the pressure off. They are not providing you a job, simply sharing information and insight.
How to Reach Out
Email ✉️
Take business cards from people you meet at career events. Use Hunter.io/email-finder to identify a likely email address if you don’t have one for your contact.
LinkedIn 🔗
Send a customized message that includes your request for a conversation to a connection or new contact.
Rams Connect 🐏
Reach out to people through the College of Business’s mentoring platform to request mentoring and career conversations.
Example Outreach Messages
Your finance experience at Goldman Sachs
Hi Victor,
I’m a fellow CSU Ram (Finance ’24). May I chat with you for a few minutes about your investment banking experience at Goldman
Sachs?
I’m trying to learn more about investment banking on Wall Street, so your insights would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Brooke
Your accounting career path
Hi Nia,
I am a fellow CSU Ram currently exploring career options within accounting. May I chat with you for a few minutes about your
career path?
Since you have worked in both audit and tax, your insights would be greatly appreciated as I look into my future career.
Best regards,
Jayden
Your HR experience at JBS
Hi Angela,
I greatly enjoyed meeting you at the COB Career Fair last fall. Would you mind discussing your HR career path with me in a brief phone chat?
I’m trying to learn more about working in HR and JBS, so your insights would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
Raven
Your procurement experience at Janus Henderson
Hi Sebastian,
I’m a fellow member of the Supply Chain Today LinkedIn Group. Would you have a few minutes to chat about your procurement
experience at Janus Henderson Investments?
Your insights would be greatly appreciated as I’m in the process of deciding whether to apply for your Procurement Analyst role.
Best regards,
Jordan
Source: Dalton, Steve. 2-Hour Job Search: Using Technology to Get the Right Job Faster. Ten Speed, 2020.