The reason most networking emails get ignored: they sound like networking emails.
"I am writing to inquire about potential opportunities" is the email equivalent of a robocall. The person on the other end has read 200 of those. They delete them on autopilot. The emails that do get answered have one thing in common: they sound like a human being noticed something specific about the recipient and wrote about it.
The voice prescription for every email on this page
Three rules across all five templates: (1) The first sentence references something specific about them or their work: not "I read your bio." (2) The middle is short: usually one paragraph, never more than two. (3) The ask at the end is specific and small:"could we get on a 20-minute call sometime in the next two weeks?":not "I'd love any guidance you could offer." Specificity earns replies. Vagueness gets archived.
Why this isn't a Module 6 lesson
Module 6's flagship integrity rule (the Dinner Table Test) is: would you tell the recipient AI helped you write this? For networking emails, the answer is almost always "they don't care, as long as the email represents what I actually want to say." This page is therefore a prompt-bank reference, not a flagship lesson: but the M6 voice and edit-don't-write workflow still apply. AI generates the scaffold, you fill in the specifics, you send the version that's still in your voice.
1. Cold outreach to a connection you don't have yet.
The hardest one to write because there's no relationship to lean on. You're a stranger. The work is making the email not feel like a stranger sent it.
Cold outreach · "I noticed something specific about you"
I want to send a cold outreach email to [name + role + company]. Help me draft it. DON'T write the final version: give me an outline I can fill in.
Here's what I know about them:
- [paste 1–3 specific things: a recent project, a talk they gave, an article they wrote, a role transition they made, a school they attended]
Here's what I want from them:
- [be specific: a 20-min informational call? An intro to someone on their team? Feedback on something I'm building? A referral to an open role?]
Here's relevant context about me:
- [your year + school, the specific thing about your background that connects to them, the 1-line "what you're working on right now"]
Outline structure I want:
1. Subject line:5–8 words, specific, NOT "Quick question" or "Networking opportunity."
2. Opening sentence: references the SPECIFIC thing about them (not "I read your bio").
3. Connection sentence: one line on why I'm writing them in particular, not just any person in their field.
4. The ask: concrete, time-bounded, low-effort for them.
5. Close: short. One sentence. No "Thanks in advance for your consideration."
Total length: under 150 words. If your outline runs long, cut.
Voice: write as if I'm a smart 20-year-old who's done their homework: not a corporate cover letter. Don't use "I am writing to" or "I would like to" or "I hope this email finds you well." Write like a person.
2. Alum intro: "I'd love to learn from you."
Easier than cold outreach because the school connection gives you a real reason to write. Don't squander it by sounding like you're just collecting alums.
Alum intro · the lower-stakes ask
I want to email an alum from [school] who's now at [company / role]. Help me draft it.
What I know about them:
- [year they graduated, major, the path they took, anything else specific]
Why I'm writing them in particular (not just any alum):
- [be specific: they did the major you're considering? They worked at the company you're targeting? They lived in your dorm? They wrote something you liked?]
What I want:
- A 20-minute call to ask about [specific thing: their path into [industry], how they decided between [two options], what they wish they'd done differently]
Outline structure I want:
1. Subject line: references the alum connection, e.g., "[School] '21 → looking for a quick chat about [specific thing]."
2. Opening: one sentence on the specific reason I'm writing them, not just any alum.
3. Why I'm reaching out: one sentence on what I'm working on or considering.
4. The ask:20 minutes, two specific time windows in the next 2 weeks.
5. Close: short. "No worries at all if the timing isn't right."
Under 130 words.
Voice: friendly, slightly informal. They went to [school]; you can lean on that. Don't oversell yourself. Don't apologize for reaching out. The connection is the warmth: let it carry the email.
3. Follow-up after a meeting.
Most students never send this email and it's one of the biggest misses of any networking interaction. The person you talked to spent real time on you: a 4-line follow-up sent within 24 hours increases the chance you'll be remembered when something opens up.
Follow-up · 24 hours later
I just had a [coffee chat / call / informational interview] with [name + role]. I want to send a thank-you / follow-up email. Help me draft it.
The 2–3 things they said that stuck with me:
- [paste from your notes]
A specific thing they recommended I do:
- [a book? A person to reach out to? A skill to build? A class to take? A company to look at?]
What I want this email to do:
- Thank them, briefly.
- Show I actually listened (referencing one specific thing from above).
- Confirm I'll follow up on the recommendation (or that I already did).
- Keep the door open for future contact without being pushy.
Outline structure I want:
1. Subject line: short, e.g., "Thank you" or "Following up:[specific recommendation they made]."
2. Opening: direct thank-you.
3. Reference one specific thing from the conversation.
4. Confirm next action (e.g., "I emailed [person they recommended] this morning").
5. Close: leave the door open without being needy.
Under 100 words. Send within 24 hours.
Voice: warm, specific, not gushy. Don't say "It was an honor" or "I was so inspired." Say what they said that mattered.
4. Thank-you after an info session, panel, or guest lecture.
Lower-stakes than a 1:1 follow-up. A short note keeps the door open for a follow-up question or a future connection.
Thank-you · group event follow-up
I just attended [event: info session / panel / guest lecture] where [name + role] spoke. I want to email them a thank-you and ask one specific follow-up question.
The specific thing they said that I want to ask about:
- [paste: a moment, a story, a piece of advice, a claim that surprised you]
The follow-up question I want to ask:
- [be specific:"you said X. I'm thinking about Y. Does Z apply here?"]
Outline structure I want:
1. Subject: references the event, e.g., "Question after your [event] talk."
2. Opening: name the event + one specific thing from their talk that stuck.
3. The follow-up question: one paragraph, max 4 sentences.
4. Close: make clear you don't expect a long response. "If it's faster, even a one-line answer would be helpful."
Under 120 words.
Voice: respectful but not fawning. They get a lot of these. The way to stand out is the specific question, not the warmth of the thank-you.
5. "I'd love to learn from you": the second-touch ask.
Used after an initial conversation, info session follow-up, or LinkedIn connection. The "first email worked, now I want a real conversation" move. This is where most networking actually happens.
Second-touch · escalating from "we connected" to "20-minute call"
I already had one exchange with [name + role] (we [met at event / connected on LinkedIn / they answered my last email]). I want to escalate to asking for a 20-minute call.
What we already exchanged:
- [paste: the gist of the prior conversation, what they said, what I'm following up on]
The specific reason I want a 20-minute call (not just another email):
- [be specific: you're deciding between two paths and they've done both? You're trying to break into [industry] and they have a non-obvious view? You're working on something specific they could give 5 minutes of feedback on?]
Outline structure I want:
1. Subject: references the prior exchange, e.g., "Following up on [thing from last email]."
2. Reference the prior thread in one line.
3. The specific reason a call is the right format (not another email).
4. The ask:20 minutes, two specific time windows in the next 2 weeks. Offer a Zoom link or to set up Calendly. Mention you're flexible.
5. Close:"totally understand if the timing isn't right."
Under 130 words.
Voice: warm but not pestering. The hook is the specificity: what you actually want from the call. Don't say "I'd love to pick your brain." Say what your specific question is.
The "pick your brain" warning
"I'd love to pick your brain" is the line on every busy person's auto-archive list. It signals: I haven't done my homework, I want you to do the work of figuring out what's useful to me, I haven't thought about the specific question. Replace it with the actual specific question, every time. "I'd love to pick your brain about how you think about X" is a real ask. "I'd love to pick your brain" alone is not.