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Outreach Templates

Most people apply and wait. The ones who get interviews also reach out directly. Use these as starting points — always personalize before sending.

Recruiter outreach (cold)

Sending to a recruiter at a company you want to work at, no prior connection.

Hi [Name],

I came across [Company] while researching [specific thing — product, tech stack, recent news] and it immediately stood out to me.

I'm a software engineer with experience in [1-2 relevant skills]. I've been working on [brief description of relevant work or project] and I'm actively looking for [role type] roles.

I'd love to be considered for any open roles on your team. Happy to share my resume or chat for a few minutes if that's helpful.

Thanks,
[Your name]

Alumni outreach

Reaching out to someone from your school who works at a company you want to join.

Hi [Name],

I found you through [LinkedIn / our alumni network] — I noticed we both went to [School], and you're now at [Company], which is a place I've been really interested in.

I'm currently a [your role/status] and I'm exploring opportunities in [target role]. I'd love to hear about your experience at [Company] — even just 15 minutes on a call would be incredibly helpful.

No pressure at all if you're too busy. Thanks either way.

[Your name]

Referral request

Asking someone you know (even loosely) to refer you to an open role.

Hi [Name],

Hope you're doing well. I noticed [Company] has an opening for a [Role] and I'm really interested — [one sentence on why].

I know this might be a lot to ask, but if you're open to it, a referral would mean a lot. I've already applied directly, but referrals make a real difference in getting noticed.

I can send you my resume and a short summary of my background to make it easy on your end. No worries at all if it's not something you're comfortable with.

Thanks,
[Your name]

Follow-up after applying

Following up 1–2 weeks after submitting an application with no response.

Hi [Name],

I applied for the [Role] position at [Company] about [X] weeks ago and wanted to follow up to express my continued interest.

I'm especially excited about [specific thing about the role or company]. I believe my experience in [1-2 relevant skills] would be a strong fit.

Happy to share any additional materials. Thanks for your time.

[Your name]

Thank-you after interview

Sending within 24 hours of a phone screen or onsite interview.

Hi [Name],

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today about the [Role] position. I really enjoyed our conversation, especially the discussion about [specific topic from interview].

It reinforced my excitement about the opportunity. I'm particularly drawn to [something specific about the team or problem].

Looking forward to next steps. Please let me know if there's anything else I can provide.

Thanks again,
[Your name]

Outreach rules

›Personalize every message — 'I love your company' is not personalization.
›Keep it short. Recruiters get hundreds of messages. 4-5 sentences max.
›Lead with the most relevant thing you have in common or their specific interest.
›Don't ask for a job in the first message. Ask for a conversation or to be considered.
›Follow up once after 1–2 weeks. More than that is spam.
›LinkedIn is the right channel for most of these — not email unless you have it.