Write personalized cold outreach emails to hiring managers and founders — specific, human, not a pitch deck

Cold Email Writer When to Use This Skill Use this skill when the user wants to: Write a cold outreach email to a hiring manager, founder, or recruiter Reach out about a job opening they weren't referred to Introduce themselves to a company they want to work at Mentions: "cold email", "reach out", "intro email", "outreach", "contact hiring manager" Core Principle Cold emails fail because they sound like cover letters. The goal is to sound like a smart person who genuinely noticed something specific about the company — not a candidate broadcasting their credentials. The email should feel like: A colleague mentioning something interesting they read, not a sales pitch. The Template Structure Subject Simple. No clickbait. No role title. Just a name. Opening — The Hook (2 3 sentences) Start with what genuinely pulled the candidate in. Must be specific to this company — not a generic compliment. What makes a good hook: A specific number or stat from the company's materials ("only 5% of the market is online") A product decision that shows you understand the domain ("you're building from scratch alongside underwriters, not just distribution") A technical insight from the JD ("improving the data infrastructure for LLM usage, not just the model layer") What makes a bad hook: Generic: "I love what you're building" Vague: "Your mission resonates with me" Flattering: "You're one of the most exciting companies in the space" Location Disclosure (if international) If the candidate is in a different country from the company, disclose it early and casually: Experience Gap (if applicable) If the role lists more years than the candidate has, acknowledge it briefly and redirect: The Body — Who They Are (3 5 sentences) Current role → relevant past → one or two projects. Keep it contextual, not a list. Rules: Mention work as context, not as proof of greatness No achievement listings ("I increased X by Y%") — let the project speak If current company is remote with a European/international team, say so explicitly Keep project mentions to one or two max — the most relevant ones only The Connection (1 2 sentences) Bridge between their background and the specific role. Should feel like an observation, not a claim. Or more specific: Portfolio Link One line. No elaboration. Closing End with low pressure, confident energy. Not desperate, not corporate. Avoid: "I look forward to hearing from you" "Please find attached my resume" "I would love the opportunity to..." "I am excited to potentially join..." Research Before Writing Before writing the email, gather: 1. Company angle — read their website, JD, or About page. Find one specific thing worth mentioning. 2. Recipient name — LinkedIn, team page, or AngelList. "Hi [Name]" beats "Hi Hiring Manager" every time. 3. Relevant projects — match the candidate's most relevant work to the role domain. 4. Stack overlap — mention it only if there's a genuine match. If the user provides a JD but no company website, ask for it or fetch it before writing. Length Guidelines Ideal: 200–300 words Maximum: 400 words Minimum: 150 words (don't strip out substance for brevity) Longer is fine if every sentence earns its place. Cut anything that could apply to any company. Output Format Always wrap the final email in a plain code block for clean copy paste: Common Mistakes to Avoid Too confident: ❌ "I would be an exceptional addition to your team" ❌ "My background uniquely positions me for this role" ✅ "I feel like I'd be a strong fit" — states a belief, doesn't claim certainty Too humble: ❌ "I know I may not have all the experience you're looking for, but..." ❌ "I'm just reaching out on the off chance..." ✅ Acknowledge gaps directly and move on — don't apologize Too long: ❌ Three paragraphs listing every achievement ✅ One paragraph on background, one on the connection Too generic: ❌ Opening with "I am writing to express my interest in..." ✅ Opening with what specifically pulled them to this company No research: ❌ "I love your product and mission" ✅ "The 5% stat — only 5% of a $25B market online — doesn't feel like a feature gap, it feels like an entire industry that hasn't digitised" Example Email

cold-email-writer