Applying for a vacancy and getting hired is the most generic thing you can do to get a job. While this is the most common way, it’s not the only way. There are other ways to go about the job hunting process, and one of the most common is sending an email asking for a job vacancy.
This is a cold email asking for a job. While this is an unconventional route to securing a job, if done properly, it can get you a job faster than going the normal route. This article will explain how to send an email asking for a job.
Why Should You Send an Email Asking for a Job?
There are several reasons to do this, but the most common is if you’ve been applying and haven’t had any luck or if there’s a particular company you’d love to work for, they don’t have any openings. So, if you’d like to come to the job market with another approach, you should take your chance by sending cold emails.
Before proceeding with this article, please remember that this strategy’s success rate isn’t very high, but unlike regular job applications, it’s often preferable. Why is that? When you email a manager asking them for a vacancy, and there’s none, there’s a high chance of the manager creating a vacancy for you or saving your application for when a spot opens up. But this is only true if your application is well done and leaves an impression.
How do you make sure your job inquiry email stands out?
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Tips for Success in Your Email Asking for a Job Opportunity
Generalizing is one of the biggest mistakes people make when sending these kinds of emails. They create a template and send hundreds of non-targeted emails monthly. While this is a faster option, it doesn’t have the same result as more targeted emails.
Your email must be personalized, concise, and professional.
How do you send targeted emails asking for a job vacancy?
1. Know Your Recipient
One of the most important parts of sending these emails is knowing the best person to send them to. If you’re sending this email to a CEO with over 1000 employees, there’s a high chance you won’t get a response. In this case, sending the email to a more suitable person is advisable.
If you’re a software engineer, the ideal person would be the Chief Technology Officer, a senior dev in the company, or anyone in a position to help you directly. In doing this, you drastically increase your chances of success. The ideal way is to look for the head of the department you’re aiming for and send them the job inquiry email.
If the company you’re aiming for isn’t very big and doesn’t have major departmental leads, you can email the company, HR, or the hiring manager.
2. Personalize Your email
Another way to increase your success rate is by interacting with the people you intend to send emails. If the person the recipient is active on social media, reply to their posts with thoughtful comments that show your expertise. This way, when you send them a message, you will likely receive a better reception than a stranger.
Sending job inquiry emails tailored to particular recipients guarantees better results. There’re lots of approaches you can take to personalize your email.
The most common is doing your due diligence and highlighting what you learned from them in your email. If they spoke at an event, mention something they said that resonated with you. If they posted something on social media, incorporate this in your email.
This shows that you took time in the application you’re sending.
3. Research the Company
Before sending the email asking for a job opportunity, ensure you’ve done your due diligence on the company. Are they solving a major problem? Does it resonate with you in any way? Make sure you state this in the email you send.
Also, you’re guaranteed more success with a company if they don’t have anyone in the role you’re applying to. If you’re a graphics designer and you notice a company doesn’t have good graphics, you have a higher success rate applying sending an email for this role than to a company with outstanding creatives.
4. State How You Can Help Them
When sending emails asking for job vacancies, make the email about your recipient and how you can help solve their problem. Do not be tempted to make the email solely about you. Instead, highlight how you can provide results for them and help them solve their problems. If you have a portfolio of results you’ve acquired in the same or similar position, also include them.
Also, remember to include your credentials. This could be your previous work samples if you’re applying for a freelance position.
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How to Write an Email Asking for a Job Opportunity
We’ve discussed everything you need to know to increase your success rate; now, let’s take a step-by-step guide to help you write better emails looking for job vacancies.
1. Use an Appropriate Subject
The subject is one of the most important parts of your email. Whether or not your email will be read depends entirely on your subject line. So, when writing this part of your email, ensure it conveys the necessary information.
2. Address the email to the right recipient
A personalized email is guaranteed to produce more results. So, ensure you find the recipient’s name and send them the email instead of addressing it generically.
3. Introduce Yourself
It Doesn’t matter if you’ve interacted with the recipient; you must introduce yourself in your email, and the best way to do it is by stating your name and what you do. An example is, “My name is Jim Blessed and I am a Content Marketing Specialist.”
After introducing yourself, state your interest in the company, how you got to know about them, and why you’re interested in working with them.
4. Highlight Your Qualifications and Experience
In this section of your email, you can go more in-depth about your qualification, results and proof of work. If you’ve achieved great success in your field, include this in your email. Briefly describe your skills and how they can be beneficial to the recipient.
If you’ve attached a link to your portfolio or a copy of your resume, make sure to state this in your email.
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5. Request for a Meeting or an Interview
Before concluding the email, state what you want the recipient to do, in this case, the best course of action would be to request a meeting to discuss the possibility of you working with them. Also, state that there isn’t any open position you would like to be considered for if any open up.
6. Close the email
When closing your email, express gratitude to the recipient for their time, and include a formal closing signature and your name.
Email Asking for Job Vacancy Sample One
Dear John, My name is Jim Blessed, and I am a Paid Media Specialist. I recently discovered your company on LinkedIn and was beyond impressed by your incredible work. I have over six years of marketing experience, and I would love to be a member of your team. I've followed your company for a while, and I've studied your company every time a new case study was released. The last case study blew me out of the water as your average CPC was nothing like I'd seen before. I have managed over $200k in ad spending with a turnover rate of over 50%. I recently won the youngest marketer award at the Institute of marketing. I have experience running SEM campaigns, email marketing campaigns, search campaigns, etc. I have attached a link to my website and a copy of my CV to this email. Please get back to me if there’s any open position. If there isn’t, I’d be honored if you considered me in the future. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Jim Blessed
Email Asking for Job Vacancy Sample One
Dear Jane, My name is Jason Todd, and I am a Graphics Designer with over five years of experience. I’ve been following your company for a while and love your work in the Digital Marketing field. I would love to join your company as a Graphics Designer. I watched the keynote address you gave at the Institute of Illustration and especially loved it when you said, “Great design goes beyond aesthetics, great design solves problems.” This is the approach I have taken my entire career, and I would like to bring it to your agency. If a position isn’t available now, I’d be glad to be considered if one opens up in the future. A link to my portfolio and my resume have been attached to this email. Kindly get back to me if you’d like to discuss this further. Thank you for your consideration Sincerely, Jason Todd
Conclusion
Sending an email looking for a job vacancy isn’t a guarantee that you’ll get hired, but it is a great step.
We’ve included samples in this article to make that search easier and to help you write the best inquiry emails.