How to Write an Email Asking for a Job Opportunity (With Example)

Finding a job is no easy business, but it’s easier when you know how to approach recruiters. In this guide, let’s take a look at how to write an email asking for a job opportunity. We’ll also walk you through the first few things you should do before sending out job inquiry emails.

4 Things to Do Before Writing a Job Inquiry Email

1. Update Your Resume

The first thing an interested recruiter is going to ask you is your resume, so it’s best to update it before you send out any job inquiry emails. You can add all the skills you learned, achievements you earned, and training you received since your last revision.

This is also a good time to revamp your resume entirely if the old one doesn’t accurately represent your progress. Remember to quantify your skills and achievements, as numbers are easier to trust than vague, unquantifiable claims.

2. Refine Your Career Objectives

Your career objectives may have changed over the years, and you might be looking for a different role than the one you perform at your current job. In that case, you should consider writing down your new career objectives to get more clarity.

It’s very likely this will be one of the questions your job interviewer will ask you if they liked your email and want to assess your goals and competence. Listing your career objectives helps you better understand why you want the new job.

3. List Down Your Non-Negotiables

Before sending out those emails, you need to decide how far you’re willing to settle to get the job. Just like your career objectives, list your non-negotiables to better analyze whether a potential employer’s offer is acceptable to you.

Choose your non-negotiables based on your household budget, your lifestyle, medical needs, the people dependent on you, and more. Alongside the base salary, remember to account for the benefits offered by each employer.

4. Research the Company

Instead of sending the same cookie-cutter email to every company, you can try making a better first impression by personalizing your emails by including something specific about the companies you apply to.

For instance, you can take a quick look at the company’s blog, mission and vision statement, or About Us page. You can use the info you find from these sources to personalize your email and write about, say, how well the company’s vision aligns with yours. Little things like this help ensure that you’ll stand out from other job applicants.

Checklist for Writing Job Inquiry Emails

Now that you know what to do before sending out job inquiry emails, it’s time to actually start writing those drafts. Refer to this 6-point checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything out.

1. Write a Simple and Informative Subject Line

The subject line should be such that the intent of your email is immediately obvious; it shouldn’t leave anything up for open interpretation. Something as simple as “Job Inquiry for Senior Designer | John Doe” works.

However, some experts say that this method is too old-fashioned and boring, and HRs can disregard your email simply because it doesn’t spark any interest. In that case, you can take inspiration from one of these more captivating subject lines:

• “LinkedIn thinks I’m the best fit for your company.”
• “Loved your Green Marketing campaign. Want to take it to the next level?”
• “If your website could talk, it would ask me to redesign it.”

Be careful not to go overboard here. Your subject line should stay on topic without feeling too clickbait-y or immature. Also, if you’re applying for a management position or similar, it’s best not to risk it and just go with the safer, old-fashioned approach.

2. State Your Intention and How You Found the Company

Don’t introduce yourself just yet. Instead, start by expressing why you’re writing the email and mention how you found out about the company. This gives the reader more context and gives a better first impression. It also lets the reader know which recruitment channels are working for them.

3. Introduce Yourself and Ask for an Interview

Keep the introduction short and descriptive. The reader doesn’t want to know everything about you, but only the bits necessary for them to know, such as your experience, where you graduated, and any notable achievements.

If the reader finds your profile interesting, they may call you up for an interview, where you can talk more about your career and relevant interests in greater depth. While you’re at it, don’t forget to request an interview with the reader to let them know when you’re available to meet.

4. Inform About a Follow-Up and Share Your Contact Info

If you’re planning to send a follow-up email to the reader later on, make sure you inform them of it now. Nobody likes receiving unsolicited emails, and if the reader knows you’ll be sending another one soon if they don’t reply, they may be more tempted to reply to you right away.

Make sure to include your contact details and LinkedIn handle, so the reader can easily get in touch with you in case they were persuaded by your email and want to talk more.

5. End the Email with Gratitude and a Formal Sign-Off

Thank the reader for their time and end the email with a formal sign-off.

6. Proofread and Edit Your Email

It’s better to proofread your email and spot any errors now than to spot it later after already having sent it. You can unsend accidental emails in Gmail, but why take the chance when you can avoid yourself the trouble?

Job Inquiry Email Example

Dear Sir/Madam,

I’m writing this email to inquire about a job opening at ABC Pvt. Ltd. for the position of Senior Designer. I got to know about your company via one of my LinkedIn connections Samantha Miller who recommended I talk to you. Please allow me to introduce myself.

I’m John Doe, and I’ve been working as a Graphic Designer and Digital Artist for more than five years. I’ve done my arts major from XYZ University, and I’m confident that my design expertise will be an asset to your company and contribute to its success.

I’d love to schedule a meeting with you in the following week and discuss this further. In case you didn’t get this email, I’ll send a follow-up email next Wednesday. Feel free to give me a call on [your phone number] or email me at this address. You can also find my LinkedIn profile here: [add a link to your LinkedIn profile].

Thank you for taking the time to read this email. I look forward to speaking with you.

Best,

John Doe

Find Your Dream Job With the Right Email

No one likes to read long emails, so try to make them as short as you can without taking up too much of the reader’s time. Also, some people refrain from attaching their resume on the first cold email, while others recommend it. You can choose for yourself what you prefer to do.