This as told essay is based on a conversation with Judy Zeng, a 22-year-old business development intern at global media startup EO Studios, based in San Francisco. Her identity and employment have been verified by Business Insider. This story has been edited for length and clarity.
I recently graduated from Northwestern University, where I studied journalism. I now work at a company called EO Studios.
As a media major, there was always a lot of stress around finding internships and jobs. With all the AI applications and AI-powered reviewers, as a senior I was very disappointed with the traditional hiring process. I sent out about 30 applications but never knew if they were seen. I felt like I could spend all day applying for jobs and not get anything.
To be more effective with my reachI thought I would try to be more strategic. Volume was not my strength.
I tried an alternative method
For a class assignment, I produced a video story about how journalists convert their cold emails cold outreach to jobs. A Northwestern alum who had the same double major as me, he said Cold emailed a YouTube personalityand now he works as head of content.
Many of the people I spoke to made me feel like there was an alternative to the traditional application processand I was inspired by that. I felt like there was something very bold and audacious about contacting someone directly for a job. I never felt like I was one of those people, but I knew I had initiative, so I thought, why not give this a try?
There was also an aspect of this strategy that felt like part of the job. As a journalism major, I took pride in being able to search through emails and talk to the people I was interested in.
I decided to try it out. This is the message I sent to the CEO from the company I currently work for:
Hi [recipient], I’m Judy Zeng, a senior at Northwestern University studying journalism and economics. I’m super passionate about technology and media, and in the past year I founded a video production studio with over 40,000 views and over 50 people on video. Here is my LinkedIn profile for reference. I’ve been following EO Studio’s content and brand for a while now, and I think what you’re doing is truly exceptional. I would love to join the team and help you grow your business. Here are a few specific ways I see myself adding value:
- Expand EO’s advertising and partnership infrastructure to grow revenue beyond YouTube monetization.
- Support the content production team by researching topics, preparing questions and interviewing subjects with my journalism background.
- Conduct quantitative research on what types of videos perform best on YouTube so you know what your next viral video looks like.
Would you be open to a conversation in the coming weeks? I also saw that you are looking to expand your global presence in the United States and have moved your leadership meetings to English. I would like to add a new perspective to your team as a Silicon Valley resident with connections in the Chicago area, where I currently attend school. Let me know what you think! Thank you, Judy
This was the first time I tried something like this. The CEO didn’t respond at first, so I sent a quick follow-up. He then thanked me for reaching out and said he was interested in speaking. After the answer I had a conversation with a senior member who he brought in. Then I was able to meet the CEO in San Francisco since I was the Bay Area during spring break.
In our conversation we discussed the company, its vision and the new media landscape. Both of my conversations with the senior member and the CEO felt more like coffee conversations than formal interviews. Then I received a verbal offer.
Understand the company before contacting
If you’re used to sending out a ton of job applications, this is another framework where you’ll want to think carefully about the company you want to work for and whether it’s a good fit for you.
You must first take the time to really understand the company and its business needs. I think use LinkedIn is an underrated strategy to understand what is going on at certain companies and to reach them.
Many CEOs, decision makers, and senior-level people post on LinkedIn about what’s happening at the company, what they’re thinking about right now, and whether they’re hiring. They post about their philosophies and whether they are trying new experiments.
Luck plays a role
I would definitely recommend contacting a CEO, but it depends on the content or company you are contacting.
This will not work in every industry. I don’t think you can email the CEO of a consulting giant and then get a job. It must be a company that has no problem with people disrupting traditional hierarchies or hiring people. Ultimately, a big part of success with this method is also luck.
Did you get a job through cold outreach? We want to hear from you. Contact the reporter via email at aaltchek@insider.com or share your story in the comments below.
