Templates for Cold Outreach To Hiring Managers

1. Best for People who share content on LinkedIn or write industry articles.

"Hi [First Name], I really enjoyed your recent post on [Topic]. Your point about [Specific Detail] was spot on—it’s a perspective I don't see enough of. I’m curious, how do you think that approach holds up when dealing with [Related Industry Challenge]? I’m digging into that right now and would love to hear your take."

2. Best for: LinkedIn Groups, conferences, or shared communities.

"Hi [First Name], I saw your comment in the [LinkedIn Group Name] thread about [Topic]—couldn't agree more with your stance on [Specific Detail]. It’s rare to find people in this space looking at it through that lens. Would love to connect and follow your work."

3. Best for: When you have an authentic mutual contact.

"Hi [First Name], I saw you’re connected to [Mutual Connection]—I’ve known them since [Context, e.g., our time at X Company]. I’ve been following your work at [Company Name] for a while, and it’s a space I’m really interested in. Would love to connect and hear how you’re finding things over there."

Three Rules for All Outreach:

• Avoid "I'd love to connect": It’s a bit overused. If you want to sound more human, try: "I’d love to keep up with what you’re working on," or simply, "Would love to have you in my network."

• The "So What?" Rule: Before you hit send, look at your message and ask, "If I were the hiring manager, would I feel like this person wants to learn from me, or wants something from me?" If it’s the latter, cut it down further.

• Keep the "Ask" narrow: If you do want to move to a chat, make the call-to-action (CTA) very small. Instead of "Can we talk?", try: "If you ever have 10 minutes, I’d love to grab a coffee/virtual coffee and hear your thoughts on [Topic]. No pressure at all, just always looking to learn from people doing interesting work.