Reaching out to someone you don't know is much easier when you actually know something about them first. A little research before you send that message can turn a cold, awkward intro into a real conversation that leads somewhere.
Why Most Cold Outreach Gets Ignored
Most people send a message like: "Hi, I'd love to pick your brain about your career." That gets ignored because it's vague, it asks for effort, and it shows you did zero homework.
A better message says something specific. It shows you know what the person works on, what they've said publicly, or what's happening at their company. That takes maybe 10 minutes of research. The reply rate is night and day.
What to Actually Look Up Before You Message Someone
Here's what's worth finding before you write anything:
- Their recent work or projects. Have they published an article, spoken at an event, or posted about something they're building? Reference it.
- Company news. Is their employer hiring, launching a product, or going through a change? That gives you a real, timely reason to reach out.
- Their career path. If they switched from one field to yours, that's a great conversation starter. It shows you looked.
- Shared ground. Same university, same previous employer, same city. Even a loose connection helps.
- What they seem to care about. Look at what they post or write about. If you can ask about that, you're already ahead of 90% of people.
You don't need to be a detective. A few minutes on LinkedIn and a quick Google search usually gives you enough.
The Part Most Job Seekers Skip: Staying Current
Here's the thing people forget. You might identify someone worth reaching out to today, but wait two weeks before you actually send the message. By then, their company has announced a hiring freeze, or they've just changed roles, and your message lands at exactly the wrong time.
Or the opposite happens. You miss the moment when their company just raised funding and is actively building out a team. That was the perfect window to connect.
This is where scheduled research saves you. Instead of doing a one-off Google search, you can set up an automated check on a person's company or area of work, so you always know what's happening before you reach out.
A Copy-Paste AIDular Prompt for Networking Research
You can set this up at aidular.com on a weekly schedule. Just paste it in and fill in the details:
"Each week, search for any news, announcements, job postings, or public updates about [Company Name] and [Person's Name or Role, e.g. 'Head of Product']. Include any new hires, product launches, funding rounds, or company milestones. Keep it brief and sourced."
You get a short, sourced email every week. When something relevant comes up, you have a natural, timely reason to reach out. No more staring at a blank message box.
How to Use What You Find
Once you have something concrete, your message writes itself. A few templates:
- "I saw [Company] just opened a new office in Austin. I'm based there and would love to hear what that expansion looks like from your side."
- "I read your piece on supply chain hiring last month. I'm switching into ops from logistics and it really clicked with me."
- "Noticed [Company] is hiring a lot of data roles lately. I'm exploring that space and you seem like someone who really gets it."
Each of these is specific. Each one shows you did work. Each one gives the other person something easy to respond to.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Research should help you, not paralyze you. You don't need a full dossier on someone before sending a two-paragraph message. The goal is one or two relevant details, not everything.
Also, keep it professional. You're using publicly available information to have a better conversation. That's normal and good. Don't reference anything that would feel intrusive or off-putting.
Networking isn't about collecting contacts. It's about starting real conversations. A bit of prep makes those conversations much easier to start.
Try setting up a weekly company tracker on aidular.com for free. Pick two or three companies where you'd love to know someone, and let AIDular keep an eye on them so you always have a reason to reach out at the right moment.