In recent years, tools such as networking sites and trends in remote work have given candidates the ability to broaden their job searches and apply to multiple roles simultaneously. These advancements have also increased the number of candidates considered for a single role, which makes the overall process more competitive. If you’re currently searching for a new role, reaching out to a hiring manager directly may help you stand out.

In this blog, we outline the reasons for emailing a hiring manager directly and how to do so, and we provide email templates and examples to guide you.

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Reasons for writing an email to a hiring manager directly

Contacting a hiring manager directly can be beneficial and help you streamline your job search process. But first, make sure you have followed the employer’s application process and have checked to make sure there are no stipulations against direct contact. Contacting a hiring manager should never serve as a substitution for submitting your application through the company’s normal hiring process.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider writing an email to contact a hiring manager directly:

• Showing proactivity: Once you have applied for a role, contacting a hiring manager directly can help demonstrate your proactivity as a candidate and enthusiasm for the role. This may help hiring managers form a positive view of you as a candidate and make a lasting impression. Hiring managers may be impressed by your initiative in making an effort to introduce yourself personally, as proactivity is a powerful quality to have in an employee.

• Making personal connections: When emailing a hiring manager, you can forge personal and professional relationships that may outlast the application cycle. Even if you aren’t selected for an interview, networking with other professionals in your field is always a good idea. These valuable connections can be helpful in the future if a new role becomes available later on or if the hiring manager knows of open positions outside of their organization.

• Bypassing resume screening: Resume screening software has become increasingly popular in recent years. Organizations use these applications to save time while sifting through submitted resumes and identifying those candidates with specific skills. While this type of system can be helpful, it’s also sometimes inefficient—because the software singles out candidates with specific keywords in their resumes, it can reject qualified candidates who don’t include those keywords. So, while your application materials may still go up against these applications, sending a personalized email to the hiring manager can help bypass a potentially disadvantageous screening process.

• Finding hidden jobs: In some cases, organizations have job openings that aren’t currently posted, whether due to a recent vacancy or a hiring manager following alternate search processes, such as referrals or recruiting procedures. If you email a hiring manager directly after applying for a certain role, it’s possible that you can uncover an additional hidden role if your qualifications match. While this isn’t the norm, in such situations, they may consider you for a role with a smaller applicant pool, which can increase your chances of securing an interview with the organization.

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How to write an email to a hiring manager

Depending on the role you are applying for, the organization, your background and other situational factors, there are various approaches you may take when directly communicating with a hiring manager. With this, though, there are a few essential steps you can take in writing an effective email to help make a great impression during the job application process. Here are five steps to follow as you craft your personalized message:

1. Find the hiring manager’s contact information

In order to get in touch with a hiring manager, you will need to first locate their contact information. If you don’t know the hiring manager’s name, this may be challenging, but you can sometimes find such information by seeing who posted a job listing or looking at the organization’s staff page.

Once you have their name, you may be able to find their contact information via networking channels, social media pages, an organization’s website or through general online research. After you perform your search, you can identify the best way to contact them directly—while email is always a good choice for professional communications, if you see that a hiring manager is particularly active on a networking platform, you may consider sending them a message on the platform instead. These platforms typically provide somewhat casual and low-stakes forms of contact, which may increase your chances of getting a response.

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2. Write a brief and direct message

Once you have the hiring manager’s contact information, you can begin to draft your message. Start the email by greeting the hiring manager by name and continue by crafting a brief, direct and courteous message. You should include only basic information, such as details about your candidacy or applicable skills—remember, your goal in contacting a hiring manager directly shouldn’t be to start a lengthy conversation, but rather to introduce yourself professionally and express your interest in the role. Make sure you write concisely when demonstrating your enthusiasm for the role and remain friendly in your tone.

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3. Include your name and the job’s title

When drafting the body of your email, you should include your name and the title of the job you’re applying for. Using your email as a guide, a hiring manager should be able to easily and immediately refer to your application and materials. Not only do most hiring managers juggle various job openings and candidate contacts simultaneously, but introducing yourself is a large part of why you’re emailing them to begin with. Therefore, to avoid confusion and help the hiring manager learn your name, you should be as transparent as possible with this information.

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4. Ask to keep in touch

When emailing a hiring manager after submitting your application, it’s important to be respectful of their timeline and the application process. Therefore, at this early stage in the application process, try to avoid asking for an interview or an update. Instead, you can ask to keep in touch with them and forge a professional connection.

You may do this by asking to add them as a contact on a networking platform or requesting to schedule a quick informational interview at a time that works for them. This can lead you to maintain a personal connection with the hiring manager, which may help you stand out from other candidates and give you an advantage when it comes time for interviews.

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5. Reread and revise

As is the case with every professional document you draft, you need to make sure you reread your email and revise it accordingly. This can help you communicate effectively and demonstrate your detail-oriented nature. First, you should read the email over and examine the text for any potential discrepancies, such as spelling, grammatical or syntax errors.

You may even consider asking a trusted friend or colleague to look over the email and offer feedback on your wording and organization. This can help give you an outside perspective on your writing and the tone you are using to communicate with the hiring manager. After correcting any errors, be thorough in your revisions and make sure to reread the email at least one more time prior to sending it.

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Email templates for contacting a hiring manager

Writing an email to a hiring manager can seem challenging at first. While you draft your message, it’s important to remember to remain concise, direct and enthusiastic in your wording. Here are two basic email templates to serve as a guide when contacting a hiring manager:

Template 1

Dear [hiring manager’s name],

I hope this message finds you well. My name is [your name] and I recently applied for the [position name] role with [organization name]. I’m excited about the opportunity to be considered for this role as I believe my [skill 1] and [skill 2] would make me a great fit. Please reach out to me if you need any additional information.

I look forward to finding out more about the opportunity. In the meantime, I’d love to keep in touch—would you be able to add me to your network on [social media website]?

Best wishes,
[Your name]

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