how to write a good cold email
by khizar malik · a guide to effective outreach
cold emailing is simple if you do it right. here's what works.
lead with value
open with what you can do for them. something like "this is who i am, this is what i can do, this is what i want to do." get straight to the point—what value are you bringing? that's what they care about.
keep it short
you're reaching out to busy people. respect their time from the start. the shorter your email, the more likely they'll actually read it. say what you need to say and get out.
be casual
talk to them like a normal person. don't grovel or act like they're above you. when you do that, it comes off as desperate, and you're not desperate. if you provide genuine value, there's nothing to be desperate about.
don't ask for too much. keep it light.
skip the resume
you don't need to attach your resume. just say what you need to say. your website should function as your resume anyway—if they're interested, they'll click through and look themselves. don't force it on them.
always end with an ask
don't just say "let me know what you think" or "hope to hear from you." be specific. "would you be open to a quick chat?" or "could i send you my portfolio?" makes it easy for them to say yes. one clear ask, not five options.
footer matters
always include your info in the footer. have your website, linkedin, and one other link. for tech, i find website, linkedin, and twitter works well. if you're a creator, your portfolio site is usually the move.
this gives them easy access to learn more about you without cluttering the email itself.
the point
save them as much time as possible. you're often reaching out to ceos and busy people, especially through linkd. make it easy for them to say yes by making it easy for them to read.
templates below got me two internships. use them and good luck.
templates
fullscript (interning there this fall!)
subject: i'll be brief- 4th year student
Hey Kyle,
I'm Khizar, CS @ Carleton in the Co-op programme. Been making AI applications for 2+ years, quite good with building end to end products.
I really admire what you're building at Fullscript. Making healthcare more accessible is pretty cool, your mission is inspiring. I'm reaching out because I'd love the opportunity to contribute to your team.
Some of my past projects include:
- thirdspace, a social networking app to share experiences (1,000+ users, ranked top 70 in the App Store)
- passr, a resume optimization platform where users can directly prompt their resumes (40+ active users)
- A chrome extension which uses a custom ML model to determine if a website is considered 'productive' or 'unproductive' (launching this week)
I'm free this fall. If you're open to it, I'd be happy to chat further.
Best,
Khizar Malik
website | linkedin
pally ai (yc):
subject: motivated student, will hustle @ pally ai
Hey Wyatt,
I remember using Pally AI for relationship management a while back, love the UI and UX. Can't wait to see what other things you guys have in store.
I've been building for fun for ~2 years (thirdspace 1.3k + users, passr 40+), quite good with building end to end products.
If you're open, I'd love a quick chat about potential internship opportunities for Winter.
Best,
Khizar Malik
website | linkedin
pitched mark cuban our startup
subject: Solving the loneliness epidemic—1,000+ student users in 4 wks
Hey Mark,
I'm Khizar (CS @ Carleton) building thirdspace, a live "meet-up right now" app. Students type "study in library" and nearby classmates get an instant ping; one tap and they're meeting IRL.
The U.S. Surgeon General calls loneliness an "epidemic" hitting Gen Z hardest. We're fixing that.
Early proof
- One-campus launch: 1,000+ active students → #70 in Canada's App Store
- First paid pilot: Ottawa nightclub logged 200+ live walk-ins (over capacity) in one night
- Model: venues pay us to fill seats; current run-rate $4.3 k MRR / 1 k actives
- Closed $50 k; raising $500 k pre-seed to reach five campuses by September
Could I send you our two-page deck?
Best,
Khizar Malik
these all got me insane opportunities. there's doors around you waiting to be opened, all you need to do is knock. you got this!