Cold Email To Make Nerdy Friends And Meet New Mentors

 “Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.”-Samuel Johnson

The Secret Weapon No One Knows They Have.

Some schools of eschatological thought believe Hell is just an endless line of desks with people going through an endless email inbox– scrolling through spam, newsletters, ads, job adverts, events, and work queries for all eternity. 

Okay, maybe that’s not official theology, but I’m sure you’ve felt that way before.

Truth be told, most of us are wasting one of the most valuable tools we have been given in the modern day, and that is the ability to communicate electronically. 

In fact, this has been one of the single most impactful tools for me throughout my own life. 

Using electronic communication like email, LinkedIn, and even Instagram, I have secured opportunities volunteering in labs (even as a high schooler), writing for prolific blogs, and getting invaluable career advice from people in the fields I admire. 

Now, I’m going to tell you exactly how I leveraged these tools, specifically email, so that you can find opportunities like this too. 

#1: The Formula To The Perfect Cold Email.

Let’s address the elephant in the room, which is that simply sending an email is not enough. 

We all get emails- newsletters, updates, promos and ads, and communication with people in our sphere. 

We also don’t usually have too much extra time to spend sifting through it all. 

So what happens?

There end up being plenty of emails that people delete and maybe never even read. 

Why?

Because engaging with that email takes too much effort, too much time, and provides them with little to no reward. 

So let’s start with a few key criteria your cold email needs to meet to ensure you get a response (and don’t get ghosted). 

The Criteria

1. Short but sweet: Don’t make your email hard to read. Certainly don’t make it an entire essay, detailing every aspect of your life story plus everything you ate for lunch the past week. Furthermore, if you feel like there is a lot of relevant information to include, don’t bunch everything up into a giant paragraph. Make your email scannable. 

2. Personalize: Don’t you just hate it when you receive an email that makes you feel like you are just another name on a giant mailing list? Sure, your name is at the top, but the content of the message is generic and corporate. To personalize your email to the person you’re sending it to, be specific about why you’re reaching out to them, and why something they did/wrote/said/created stood out to you. 

3. Be a giver: Yes, you may want a job or internship. You may want opportunities and invites to exclusive conferences. Yes, you want something. I get it. But so does everyone else. When you reach out to someone as a taker and not a giver, they might be initially willing to help you, but ultimately, professional relationships are founded on some degree of reciprocity, and so the more value you give to others, the more they will probably be inclined to give back. If you feel like you have nothing valuable, consider the value of your time. Consider the skills you are learning. Don’t undersell yourself. 

4. Clear call to action: In concluding your email, make the next steps clear. My favorite CTA for a cold email is to ask for a short 20min video call. Offer a few times that you are available and say you will send the invite. All they have to do is confirm and show up. It’s easy, clear, and gets you through the door. 

Use this template. 

Subject: 

• Option 1: Eager To Help With [insert here a project of theirs you are interested in] 
• Option 2: Eager To Chat About [insert here a book, article, etc. of theirs that you are interested in exploring more deeply]

Message: 

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I recently came across your [article/project/podcast/LinkedIn post] on [specific topic], and it really stood out to me. 

As someone currently learning more about [briefly mention your field or interest], your perspective on [specific insight] was both inspiring and practical — I saved it to refer back to.

I’m [Your Name], a [student/early-career professional] exploring opportunities at the intersection of [your interests]. 

I’m currently working on [quick one-liner about what you’re building, learning, or doing]. 

I’d love to offer help on anything you’re working on — whether it’s research, outreach, or even being a sounding board for ideas.

Would you be open to a quick 20-minute video call in the next two weeks? I’m available:

• [Option 1: e.g., Tuesday 10am PST]
  
• [Option 2]
  
• [Option 3]
  

If one works for you, I’ll send over a calendar invite. Thanks so much, and regardless, I’ll keep cheering on your work.

Warmly,
[Your Full Name]
[LinkedIn or website link]

#2: Follow-up. 

Even after sending the perfect email, you still might get lost in someone else’s inbox. 

That’s why it’s important to follow-up 2-3 times if you don’t get confirmation that someone received your message. 

Usually, replying has just slipped their mind or the message has gotten buried. 

#3: Connecting beyond email.

They received your email, and now you’re connecting beyond it, in real time. 

Maybe you are out getting coffee. Perhaps you’ve secured that 20-min Zoom call. 

But now you have to actually…talk. 

What do you say? How do you say it? What if they think you’re acting weird or that you’re being either too serious or too casual?

It’s easy to overthink this part of building inspiring connections. 

So I have compiled a list of question templates you can use to take away the friction and make these initial meets go smoothly.

Question Templates

• How did you navigate your first few internships or jobs in this field?
• Were there any unexpected turning points in your career that changed your direction?
• Is there a decision you made early on that you’re especially glad—or not so glad—you made?
• Given what you know about the field, are there specific skills or experiences you think are undervalued but essential?
• If you were me — interested in [X] and still early in your career — how would you go about exploring that interest?
• Are there any types of companies, roles, or environments you’d suggest I explore (or avoid) based on what I’ve shared?
• Who are the people or communities that have been most helpful or inspiring for you?
• If someone in your network is ever looking for [X], would you be open to connecting us?
• Are there any organizations, newsletters, or groups you’d recommend I plug into?
• Do you know of any projects or people that might be looking for someone with my interests or skills?
• I’m exploring how to combine [interest] and [skill] to make an impact in [field] — does anything come to mind that aligns with that intersection?
• I’m in the middle of [a project, a course, a decision] — would love to hear your take on it if you’re open to it.
• I’m interested in [X], but still figuring out what paths are possible. What would you do if you were exploring this today?

…But Make Sure To Always Ask:

• For suggestions on resources to read, listen to, or explore career development in your domain.
• If you can stay in touch beyond the initial meet 

Thank you, email.

Don’t let yourself get trapped into feeling like your dream career is out of reach. 

It’s probably way more accessible than you realize.

In fact, it is easier than ever before to connect with people doing incredible work.

So go ahead and open your email right now. 

Start typing a new message. Press send. 

I can’t wait to see where it takes you. 

Thought To Action 

1. Start a “Future Self” Journal: Write one page from the perspective of your dream self—what are you building, learning, wearing, prioritizing? Use this to guide daily decisions.
2. Identify Your Personal Design Criteria: What makes a task or project feel deeply worth it to you? Make a mini checklist. Use it to evaluate new commitments before saying yes.
3. Create a “Someday Stack” of Ideas: Start a list of odd, impractical, or ambitious project ideas that you don’t have time for yet. This becomes your personal innovation vault.
4. Study Someone Whose Job Didn’t Exist 20 Years Ago: Look up someone in a role like climate designer, circularity strategist, or biofabrication artist—and reverse engineer how they got there.
5. Fuel Up With Fiction That Thinks Ahead: Read a sci-fi or speculative fiction book this month. Start with something weird. It will stretch your imagination more than any TED Talk ever could.

Sources

No external resources were used for this post.