Stop the application spray-and-pray. Instead:

1. Use: this 2-step method that turns your network into your personal headhunting team

2. Plus: a bonus step on effective cold outreach based on how founders get the attention of investors

3. Double plus: layoff/career navigation office hours (free to sign up, you’ll find the link at the end)

Most job seekers fail before they start. You blast resumes into the void or pester their network with vague requests.

I've seen this countless times, especially in the past year. It's a common theme in the layoff and career navigation office hours I host.

People are struggling, but they're often making the same mistakes.

All of it wastes time and burns you out in the process. And I get it, the market is tricky and you’re stressed. Just remember that your network does want to help. Let’s make it easier for them to do so.

Effective job hunting is precise. It targets specific people at chosen companies. It gives your network clear, actionable tasks. It treats each application as a pitch for your skills.

This guide outlines a method that works. It borrows from how founders approach VCs. Because ultimately, you’re selling to potential employers.

Let’s compare the two scenarios:

1. You usually ask people in your network the following.
   You: “Do you know anyone in your network who’s hiring?”

   Me: “Pretty sure I do but I probably have 50k people in my network, do you expect me to comb through them somehow and find someone and then reach out on your behalf? How is that humanly possible? I want to help but there’s no way this is sustainable.”
   OR

2. You follow the process outlined here. My job is simple, just two steps, that’s it.
   Step 1: Review the spreadsheet you sent me and mark Y next to anyone I’m comfortable forwarding you to.

   Step 2: Forward the forwardable email you have sent me for each person. Total time, probably 10 mins. Willingness to help — 1000x. Your chances — 10000x

Here’s how to do it right.

Step 1: Create your target list

Context: This step is crucial for focusing your job search efforts and making your networking more effective.

• Create a spreadsheet with columns for Company, Potential Hiring Manager, and Can Introduce? (Y/N), Your Contacts Name, Their Email

• Research companies that align with your career goals and values

• Use LinkedIn to find potential hiring managers or team leads in your target roles

• Aim for at least 20–30 companies to start with

• Update this list regularly as you learn more about each opportunity

Pro tip: Include notes on recent company news or projects to use in your outreach later.

Step 2: Leverage your network

Context: This step transforms your network from a passive resource to an active one, making it easier for your contacts to help you.

• Share your spreadsheet with trusted contacts who might have connections

• When someone marks ‘Y’, promptly follow up with a personalised, forwardable email

• Make it easy for your contact by writing both parts of the email: the intro to them and the message to the hiring manager

Key elements of an effective forwardable email:

1. Clear subject line mentioning the role and company

2. Brief, friendly note to your contact

3. Concise introduction of yourself to the hiring manager

4. Highlight of relevant experience and achievements

5. Specific reason for interest in the company

6. Clear call to action (e.g., request for a call)

The goal is to make it as easy as possible for your contact to forward your message, increasing the chances of a warm introduction.

Real example

Copy this and make it your own

Hi [Your Contact’s Name],

I hope you’re doing great. I was wondering if you could please introduce me to Audrey Liu, EVP of Design at Lyft?

I came across an opening at Lyft for a Product Designer role on the Ride Behavior team. After reading the role description and matching it with my skills and experience, I’m confident I’m a candidate worthy of consideration.

— — —

Hi Audrey, My name is [First Name], and I’m reaching out to express my genuine interest in the Product Designer position at Lyft’s Ride Behavior team.

With over [X] years of experience designing high-quality products, I’ve had the pleasure of leading the end-to-end design process of over [Y] projects in collaboration with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, including [brief mention of a significant achievement].

What excites me the most about Lyft is [specific detail about Lyft’s work]. I thrive in collaborative environments and believe my skills in [relevant skills] align seamlessly with the team dynamic at Lyft.

I’ve attached my resume for your convenience and invite you to explore my portfolio on my website: [website URL] I’d love to discuss how my growth mindset and high-quality craft would bring immense value to the team.

Could we schedule a call at your earliest convenience? Thank you for reading me; I’m excited about the prospect of contributing to Lyft’s success.

Warm regards,

[Your Name]

Once you’ve made this yours and personalised it to the company, forward it to your contact who marked Yes next to a hiring manager they know and are comfortable sending this to.

Bonus — Effective cold outreach

When founders pitch VCs, they need to quickly capture attention, demonstrate value, and show they’ve done their research. These same principles apply to job hunting.

Why this approach works:

1. It respects the reader’s time with concise, relevant information

2. It immediately demonstrates your value and achievements

3. It shows genuine interest in the company

4. It makes the next step clear and easy

Here’s a template inspired by a successful VC pitch that secured over $1M in funding:

Original

Colm Tuite’s cold email to Frontline Ventures is a masterclass in effective outreach. This email resulted in Frontline leading a $1m+ pre-seed round into Modulz. What makes it so effective?

1. Clear introduction: Colm immediately states who he is and what his company does.

2. Concise bullet points: He highlights key achievements and market positioning quickly.

3. Specific ask: Colm clearly states what he’s looking for — a lead on a $500k round.

4. Company research: He demonstrates knowledge of Frontline’s investment focus.

5. Social proof: Mentions of previous success, grants, and community buzz add credibility.

Source: https://frontline.vc/blog/how-to-cold-email-pitch-vcs/

Now, let’s adapt this winning formula for job hunting:

Subject: [Your Role] with [Key Achievement] interested in [Company’s Recent Project]

Hey [Hiring Manager’s Name],

I’m [Your Name], a [Your Role] based in [Your Location]. [Company Name]’s recent work on [specific project/product] caught my attention, and I’m excited about the possibility of contributing to your team. Here’s a bit about me:

• My current role at [Company] involves [brief description of main responsibility].

• I have [X] years of experience in [specific areas of expertise].

• In my recent project, we achieved [specific measurable result, e.g., “40% increase in user engagement”].

• I recently [relevant personal achievement, e.g., “spoke at UX Conference on emerging design trends”].

• I’m particularly impressed by [Company Name]’s approach to [specific company strategy/value], and I have ideas on how to further enhance this.

I’m looking for an opportunity to bring my skills in [key skills] to a team that’s pushing boundaries in [industry/field].

Would you be open to a brief call next week to discuss how I could contribute to [Company Name]’s mission?

Thanks for your time,
[Your Name]

[Your Website]
[LinkedIn Profile]
[Any other relevant links]

This template mirrors Colm’s successful approach by being concise, highlighting key achievements, showing company knowledge, and including a clear ask.

Hi, I’m Mindaugas. I’m the founder of Coho. Coho is the career support you’ve always wanted. We connect you with 5 peers for 12 weeks for mutual support and growth. And we’ve done this for over 2500 professionals from Google, Netflix, Amazon and many more companies.

For the last 10 years I’ve been helping professionals grow. First as a recruiter, then community builder at companies like InVision and On Deck and now as someone who creates deeply curated masterminds/peer groups.

I’m based in the Portuguese countryside with my two rescue dogs, Rina and Mya.

I sometimes host layoff/career navigation support office hours, the format is small groups, max 5 people at a time. This is to create a safe space for folks to help each other out and I share some learnings and tips from talking to a lot of professionals dealing with layoffs and extended job search periods.

Book a spot here, they are free. As an added bonus, you might meet Rina and Mya.

I hope this is helpful and good luck out there, DM me on Linkedin and let me know if you’ve had any success.