The Email Execs Send When Theyre Job Searching

The Email Execs Send When Theyre Job Searching The Email Execs Send When Theyre Job Searching Every week a few emails land in my inbox from people I don’t know. Most of the time, they’re members of my LinkedIn network asking me for “help” with their job search. Usually their resume is attached â€" I don’t click on it. Do you know why? Because the person has, literally, lost me at “hello.” Here’s the latest: “I am currently job searching and I was hoping you could help. I am qualified engineer with solid experience in developing new products. I think logically and I work methodically. I can work well in a team environment, working together to achieve the same end goal. I am able to solve problems properly and have excellent communication skills. If you have any advice you can offer, I would really appreciate all the help possible.” The 1 solid thing I took away from that note was the person’s in product development. Other than that, he wants, “any advice,” and “all the help possible.” There’s a fine art to approaching people, especially those in your virtual network, and asking them for something. Rambling on bores the reader. Peppering the word “help” throughout, without saying anything more specific, is ineffectual. And leaving it up to me to figure out what you want is the fastest way to get absolutely nothing at all. I understand it can feel strange to reach out and ask people for help. No one is naturally good at it. So, let’s go over an email formula I use for the executive candidates I support in their job search. Here’s the breakdown: Step 1: Be Cordial & Quick Hi Joe! I hope you’re having a great day! I am reaching out to my network because after 5 years as Director, Information Systems with Vision Health, I’ve decided to leverage my successes into a new Director or VP role with a larger health care organization. I’d like to seek your help. We may only “know” each other in the LinkedIn world, and not the real world on earth, but I’d still like to see you take ¼ of a second to throw a nicety my way. Then, do you see how quickly this email gets to the specifics of what you do, where you’ve been, and what you have in mind next? Paint that picture immediately, so the person on the other end doesn’t just think to themselves, “OK, they want a new job, and I don’t know anybody. Delete.” Instead, be clear, so the reader can be clear as well, and immediately begin to go through their mental Rolodex. Step 2: Spell Out More Specifics One of the 1st questions I ask the executives I support is, “When you sit down to the computer and start to search for job openings, what are the job titles you’re typing in?” (By the way, my question assumes that you’ve already given this some thought and real effort. Convey that to the reader of your email as well. No one wants to help you do anything if you haven’t made a single move on your own first. That wouldn’t be help. That would be a stranger doing it for you.) List those job titles into your email by saying, “Here are a few jobs titles I’m seeing that mostly describe what I’m aiming for: Executive Director, IT VP, Informatics Global Technology Program Manager And some of the health care organizations that look interesting to me are: CVS Health McKesson UnitedHealth Group Step 3: Request What’s Real & Reasonable “Help” and “advice” are theoretical â€" I don’t know what that means you want. But the following is clear, real, and reasonable: “Do you have a lead in any of those organizations at their Philadelphia, PA offices? I’d appreciate if you could share those or make an introduction.” Step 4: Have An Attitude of Gratitude Remember: you’re asking someone for something â€" and you actually hope they will deliver it. Do yourself a favor and thank the person in advance. Say, “Thank you for giving this some thought for me. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me should I be able to help you also.” That’s a networking email that works. You can find out more, very specific strategies to reach the right decision makers in our upcoming online program, “3 Simple Steps To Cut Your Job Search Time In Half!” See the testimonials of executives who used these strategies â€" and guess what? They’re working now!