Why outreach beats volume
A popular engineering role can receive hundreds of applications in days. Most are filtered by software and skimmed in seconds. A short, relevant message to the recruiter or hiring manager puts you in front of a human — often before the pile is even reviewed.
Who to contact
- The recruiter named on the posting, or the technical recruiter for that team.
- The hiring manager — usually the engineering manager of the team.
- An engineer on the team, for a referral conversation rather than a request.
A message that gets replies
Keep it under 80 words. Make it about the role, show one relevant proof point and end with an easy yes.
- Line 1: the role and why this team specifically.
- Line 2: one concrete, relevant achievement with a number.
- Line 3: a small ask — “Would you be open to a quick look at my resume for this role?”
Example: “Hi Sam — I saw the Senior Back-end role on the Payments team. I led the migration of our checkout service to event-driven processing, cutting failed payments by 18%. Would you be open to a quick look at my resume for this role?”
Timing and follow-ups
- Reach out within the first few days a role is posted.
- Weekday mornings in the recipient’s time zone tend to work best.
- Follow up once after 4–5 business days, then let it go.
What never to write
- “I’m open to anything” — it signals no focus.
- Long life stories or attached resumes in the first message.
- Claims you can’t back up in an interview.
- Pushy follow-ups or messages to personal accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Is it OK to message hiring managers directly?
Yes, on professional channels like LinkedIn, if the message is short, relevant and respectful of their time.
Should I still apply through the website?
Usually yes. Outreach works best alongside a formal application, not instead of it.
