I have a friend with a stacked resume. She is successful in her industry and has a great job, and from the outside looking in, has a career that has perfectly fallen into place. So when she told me that she applied to hundreds of jobs in search of a new role and only landed one interview, my jaw literally dropped. I mean, I knew the job market was bad, and I had heard similar stories from other people, but I’d never imagined it would happen to her. Fed up with the system, she decided to take matters into her own hands: she cold-pitched two companies and heard back from both… on the same day.
With applicant tracking systems (ATS) auto-rejecting resumes before a human even sees them, cold pitching might be the most effective way to actually get your experience in front of a real person. But a successful cold pitch doesn’t start at the ask. It requires some initial legwork and strategy—including spiffing up your LinkedIn and a bit of relationship building. With this in mind, I asked a career coach how to cold pitch from start to finish, whether there’s an open role or not, so burnt-out job seekers can actually get their foot in the door. Ahead, I’m sharing step-by-step guides to cold-pitching, templates to use, and more.
Linda Ta Yonemoto
After coaching 100+ professionals and walking away from a successful 14-year career in tech and agency, Linda Ta Yonemoto retired from her corporate executive role at 36 to live life on her own terms. Now the founder of Good For You Money, she teaches women how to build confidence, navigate career growth, and achieve financial freedom by aligning their work, values, and wealth.
What you need to do before you send a cold pitch
Before you even begin reaching out to anyone, there are a few steps you need to take to ensure your cold pitch is effective. Since most cold-pitching takes place on LinkedIn, you’ll want your LinkedIn profile to shine. So, make sure all your experience is updated, add links or documents that showcase your best work, and rewrite your about section. According to Linda Ta Yonemoto, CFEI®, a career and financial coach, so many candidates skip this step, but it’s crucial for making a good first impression.
READ: 8 LinkedIn Profile Mistakes That Are Keeping You From Getting a Job, According to LinkedIn’s Career Expert
After that, it’s time to do some research on the company. Find out who works there, what projects they might be working on, and spend some time looking at their website. What characteristics or values do you and the company have in common? What initiatives do they have in place that you could potentially help with? What about the company are you passionate about, and where do your skills align? You’ll use this information to tailor your pitch so it’s engaging and actually makes them want to hear more from you.
Finally, you’ll want to update your resume—and tweak it according to the job or company you’re interested in. For open roles, review the job description and highlight the keywords that align with your experience throughout your resume, such as the software or skills they desire in a candidate. If there isn’t an open role, instead of including keywords from the job description, highlight your shared values, projects that would be of interest to them, or anything else you think would make you a valuable addition to their team. That way, you can confidently attach your resume to your cold pitch and show the company that you’re qualified and aligned.
How to cold pitch for an open role
Sending a cold pitch in addition to your application can position you ahead of other candidates. “Cold pitching gives you visibility and helps you differentiate yourself as someone ambitious, proactive, and resourceful,” says Yonomete. With that said, here is the exact method to follow when cold-pitching yourself for an open role:
1. Find the hiring manager
Yonemoto explains that you need to target the hiring manager if you’re cold-pitching for a role that’s already open. How can you find them? Well, “Most hiring managers will publish LinkedIn posts when their role goes live,” explains Yonemoto. But if you are still unable to find the hiring manager for the position, she recommends going to the company’s LinkedIn page and looking under the “People” tab. From there, search for who would likely be the hiring manager. You can do this by looking for who has a senior title in the department associated with the role. For example, you could reach out to the head of marketing for a social media editor role. While this isn’t foolproof, you’re likely to reach the right person—or reach someone close who can point you in the right direction.
2. Send your cold pitch
Now, it’s time to pitch yourself! Here’s a template that Yonemoto recommends using when reaching out to the hiring manager, whether that’s through a message on LinkedIn or via email, which you may be able to find on their profile or the company’s website.
“Hi [first name],
I saw the [job title] role on your team and applied. Your search for someone who has worked on [technology, expertise] and [another technology, expertise] is a match for the value I can add. Over the last [# of years of experience], I have:
[add 2-3 bullet points about specific and measurable wins describing the scale and scope of the impact, which are relevant to the role]
Would you be open to connecting on a 15-minute call to share about the role at [company name]?”
From here, you may not hear back right away—that’s OK! It never hurts to follow up with them a few days later to remind them of your qualifications and interest.
How to cold pitch when there isn’t an open role
Cold pitching isn’t just reserved for roles that are open. In fact, a more effective cold pitching method is to start before there is even a job available, according to Yonemoto. However, she explains that it can be a little harder and requires networking. Here are the steps she recommends following:
1. Connect with professionals in your desired industry
Start by identifying and following 15-20 professionals on LinkedIn who work in your target role, industry, or niche, and those who already work for your dream companies. If they are active on LinkedIn, Yonomete advises engaging with these professionals’ posts through likes and comments so your name becomes visible and familiar to them. If they aren’t active, check the “contact info” button on their profile to see if they have an email listed that you can reach out to instead.
“Cold pitching gives you visibility and helps you differentiate yourself as someone ambitious, proactive, and resourceful.”
2. Send a connection request with a short message
Yonemoto says, “No one likes getting pitch-slapped in the first DM by total strangers,” so you’ll want to start by sending a friendly message. Here’s an effective template:
“Hi [name],
I found your profile while researching roles about [target job title]. Your background in [insert brief statement showing you did the research] and your journey stood out. I’d love to connect and follow your work.”
3. Ask to meet
Once they accept your request, Yonomete recommends asking if they’d be interested in having a virtual coffee chat with you. In this meeting, your goal is just to get to know them and learn more about how they got into the role they are in. Here’s what that follow-up message can look like, according to Yonomete:
“Thanks for connecting. I’m exploring a [pivot/transition] into [target job title(s)] after [# years time period] in [current area/role]. Your path in [area/industry] is inspiring and the kind of move I’d like to make too. Would you be open to a 15-20 minute [virtual/in-person] coffee chat? I’d love to hear about what helped you land the role at [company] and your journey.“
If they say yes, make sure to respect their time, coming in with questions prepared and ready to tell them a bit more about yourself and your career goals. If they aren’t able to meet with you, that’s OK. Continue building up your relationship until you feel ready to pitch yourself to them.
4. Follow up with a pitch
Once you have built a bit of rapport, you can move into the final (and most important) step: the pitch. Since you’ve been building a relationship with them, this pitch does not need to be overly formal. It’s a personalized, thoughtful message that thanks them for their time while also communicating your interest in working with them or their company in the future.
“Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me! I really enjoyed our conversation and learning more about your journey at [company]. Talking with you affirmed the direction I’m moving toward in my career, and I left even more excited about the work your team is doing at [company].
If any opportunities open up, either now or down the line, I’d love to be considered. I’ve attached my resume for your reference. Please feel free to pass it along if anything comes to mind. Either way, I greatly appreciate your time and insight and would love to stay in touch!“
Since a job isn’t open, you may not see immediate results from this interaction, but over time, building these relationships can help you move forward in your career. Even if this contact may not be hiring now, they might know someone who is that they can point you toward.
What to avoid when cold pitching
The more intention you put behind your cold pitch, the better it will be received. Avoid these common cold-pitch mistakes, and you’ll be more likely to get a response.
- Sending a pitch to a generic company email.
- Pitching yourself to someone in your industry without first building a relationship with them.
- Not customizing your subject line with something eye-catching if you’re sending your pitch through email.
- Not sprucing up your LinkedIn and resume before reaching out.
- Sending a message that’s too long.
Lauren Barnhill, Contributing Writer
Lauren Barnhill is a freelance writer with a passion for all things fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle. Beyond The Everygirl, Lauren has written for top outlets including Real Simple, SUCCESS, and BuzzFeed. She is also the voice behind Leisurely, a Substack newsletter all about living an unhurried, intentional life.
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