How to Get Noticed by Hiring Managers Without Referrals
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Introduction
In this guide, I'll will show you what to write to the hiring managers when you've already found them for a role where you are a really great fit.
What can you tell them that would make them give you an interview call. I'm going to show you with examples, and this method works much better than having a referral because the problem with referrals, as we all know, is we only know a couple of companies where we can get a contact with the hiring manager.
And even then, they only work when you are a fit, if you are not a fit, then referrals won't work either. And if you are a fit, then this method beats referrals any single day.
So let's crack right into it.
This Will Only Work If...
1️⃣ You actually are a good fit for the role.
2️⃣ You take a customer-first approach.
3️⃣ You're lucid and crisp.
What Hiring Managers want to know?
Before we move to actually drafting a message. Here’s a key insight we’ve gained from executing thousands of outreach for our clients.
And we understood from that data is that there are couple of things hiring managers are interested in.
They look for proven experience, especially in current day job market, when things are so hyper-competitive, competition is ruthless for any role. There are thousands of candidates.
So a hiring manager is not suffering with "I can't find the right candidate".
The problem they want to solve now is, "how relevant of a candidate, how closely aligning of a candidate can I find?"
And that's what they're looking for.
So they assess you based on the:
1️⃣ Key initiatives that you have led or driven in your past.
2️⃣ The environment that you have been in.
Key Initiative could be something that you already did in you past that maybe relevant to them now.
So if those two things are very much aligning to what they're looking to do, they wanna talk to you. And that's what we essentially captured in our messaging.
Examples of Key Initiatives:
🔹 Transformational: eg, Cloud Migration
🔹 Establishing first-of-its-kind capability: Initiating an SRE Practice.
🔹 Maturing systems: Maturing technology through the growth phase of the company, M&A or Pre-IPO due diligence, etc.
🔹 Other examples include:
Launched a new SaaS Product.
Built a customer data platform.
Penetrated a new market
Examples of The Environment:
🔹 Industry: Healthcare, Retail, Technology, Financial Services etc.
🔹 Consulting vs. Corporate IT Environment
🔹 Big Company vs. Midsize company Environment
🔹 Team Size
🔹 Key Function: Application vs Infrastructure, Software Development vs. Software Operations
The Easy 4-Step Message Framework
1️⃣ Call out their problem – People pay attention to things that are relevant to them. Problems are the most relevant thing.
2️⃣ Show the alignment – Key Initiatives + Environment.
3️⃣ Support your reasoning – Provide supporting examples + Your Unique View.
4️⃣ Ask for an easy call to action – Keep it simple and low-effort for them.
We use this simple four-step messaging where we want to call out their problem, because people pay attention to things that are relevant to them. And the problems are the most relevant thing to anyone.
For example, someone with a toothache—they aren’t interested in a toothpaste ad promising whiter teeth. But if the ad says, "Suffering from a toothache? Our toothpaste relieves pain instantly," they’ll listen. So that's why, we call out the problem right off the bat.
That’s exactly how your message should work.
Call out the hiring manager’s exact pain point to capture their attention.
Demonstrate alignment by showcasing how your past initiatives and environment fit their needs.
Support your reasoning with proof—examples of your work, insights on their challenges, or a unique perspective.
Make the call-to-action easy because hiring managers are busy. A low-effort, no-pressure request makes them more likely to respond.
Example #1: Reaching Out For A Data Leadership Role
This example is for a Senior Vice President of Enterprise Data and Analytics at Macy’s—a large company with a high-profile role.
Gathering Clues from the Job Description:
Establishing and driving the vision for Data, Analytics, AI & ML
Establishing data as an asset
Modern data practices and data stewardship
Retail industry experience
AI use cases of retail
Leading large data organization
If you read closely through this job description, it becomes clear that Macy’s in the second phase of their data journey. They're now looking to unlock the power of data to support more sales, growth or other functions.
And so that's why they are looking for a leader who can establish and drive the vision for data and analytics and AI and ML.
So you just gather the clues as to, what are all the things that they're looking for in an ideal candidate.
Understanding the Work Environment:
They clearly call out, "They want someone from a retail industry experience and who has worked on retail specific use cases".
So again, industrial alignment. They want somebody who has driven large-scale transformation initiatives. As well as who have led large data organization.
And so we'll use this in our messaging.
Resume that aligns with job description:
Now that we’ve reviewed the job description, these resume snippets show a perfect alignment with the role. If you read through the resume, literally every single thing aligns here. (I have not highlighted anything in resume snippets because it would be a lot of red lines).
But the point that I'm trying to make here is when you are a good fit for a role, then you don't have to tweak your resumes and so on and so forth.
So, If you have written a great resume, it will naturally reflects what the job requires.
For this SVP-level position, I’ll be reaching out directly to the CIO of Macy’s. Given the seniority of the recipient, rather than overloading my outreach email with too much detail I'll keep my messaging as crisp and to the point as possible.
And from there, I will attach my resume along with this email and that prompts them to get to look at the resume.
And when they do look at the resume, that pretty much gives them a very clear picture about how everything seems to align.
Message:
Thought process behind this message:
It is designed to be crisp, personalized, and easy to act on, especially given the seniority of the hiring manager. Here’s the breakdown:
1️⃣ Personalization & Warm Opener
The message starts with:
"Hope you're doing well. Congratulations on assuming your role as a Supervisory Board Member at Ahold Delhaize."
This personal touch makes it clear that this isn’t a generic cold message. It shows that I’ve taken the time to look at their profile, making them more likely to engage.
2️⃣ Defining Their Problem
Next, I immediately call out the core problem the hiring manager is trying to solve:
"I see you’re looking for a leader from the retail space who can transform the data landscape at Macy’s—more specifically, drive the use of data as a strategic asset and establish the vision and roadmap for the same."
This keeps the message relevant and highly specific.
3️⃣ Showcasing Alignment
Now, I tie my experience directly to their needs:
"In partnership with the CDO, I have driven a strikingly similar transformation at American Eagle Outfitters, leading a 300+ people data organization."
Instead of over-explaining, I keep it high-level yet impactful. The goal is to show them I’ve already solved the exact problem they have—and in the same environment—which makes it easy for them to see me as the right fit.
Sometimes I detail things out, as I’ve done in Example #2, where breaking down specifics adds value. However, in this case, everything aligns so seamlessly that there’s no need to spell it all out.
4️⃣ Supporting Reasoning
I used a very short paragraph to support my reasoning.
"Notably, my efforts were focused on establishing the modernization and cloud migration vision for AEO, implementing advanced analytics, developing a cloud-based data platform, incorporating GenAI for revenue generation and planning use cases, and driving an enterprise-wide data literacy effort."
5️⃣ Reiterating Value
I then summarize my fit for the role in a single, direct line:
"Thus, I believe I’ll be a great fit for shaping, maturing, and delivering on Macy’s data organization's future."
This reinforces why they should consider me—without sounding pushy.
6️⃣ Easy Call to Action (CTA)
Instead of asking them to schedule a call (which takes mental effort), I give them very easy call to action:
"I understand you are probably very busy, so if you like my candidature for this role, please share this with your recruiter and I can work directly with them."
This makes it easy for them to just forward the message—which increases the chances of a response.
Now, picture this—
It’s a Tuesday afternoon, the hiring manager is buried in meetings and emails. Suddenly, your email pops up. They skim through it and think:
"Oh yeah, this candidate looks solid. Let me check the resume… Everything aligns perfectly. This is a really great fit!"
Instead of overcomplicating things, they take the easiest next step:
Forwarding it to their recruiter, Jenny.
"Hey Jenny, check this candidate out and set something up."
✅ Done. No friction. No back-and-forth.
Now, contrast that with a high-friction call to action like:
"Let me know when you’re available for a call."
Suddenly, scheduling becomes a mental effort. They hesitate, get distracted, and before you know it—they forget to respond.
🔹 Result? No call. No next step. No interview.
That’s why your CTA should be effortless.
That’s how you increase your chances of a response and move forward in the hiring process..
Example #2: Reaching Out For A Cyber Security Role
This example is for a VP of Information Security Engineering and Operations role at Broadridge, a large organization.
Gathering Clues from the Job Description:
Evolving Threat Landscape
Endpoint Security, Network Security, Secrets Management and Data Leakage Prevention
Intrusion Detection and Prevention
DDoS Attacks
Building and Leading a team. Creating a strategy
I'm not going to show you the resume because it's already pretty much aligning.
Message:
Thought process behind this message:
In this example, instead of putting things at a high level, I have gone a little bit deeper because this is another flavor of like writing. So, what I like to do is, I put in the bullets that are very highly corresponding to clues inside job description.
I use the words that they want to use. And then I talk about my experience along those areas that they are looking to work on.
And again, I used the same framework, I empathize with the problem first, and then I showcase a really strong alignment by saying.
1️⃣ Defining Their Problem
I start by recognizing their core problem:
Broadridge’s focus on building a secure, responsive infrastructure in a dynamic and evolving threat landscape resonates precisely with my background.
This immediately shows understanding of their needs, making them more likely to read further.
2️⃣ Showcasing Strong Alignment
Instead of generic statements, I call out specific experiences that match their priorities:
I have overseen similar transformations at Zelis Healthcare, managing security operations and ensuring a robust security posture against emerging threats.
This makes it easy for them to see I’ve done exactly what they need.
3️⃣ Providing Supporting Reasonings
I then list key security initiatives in bullet points, ensuring each one maps to a key requirement from the job description:
Security Operations Leadership
Email and Endpoint Security
DDoS and DoS Protection
Cloud Security & Secrets Management
Strategic Vision and Team Growth
This structured approach makes it effortless for the hiring manager to scan and validate the fit—even before they check my resume.
4️⃣ Easy Call to Action (CTA)
Rather than requesting a time-consuming meeting, I make the next step as frictionless as possible with super easy CTA towards the end
"I have applied through the portal and attached my resume for your review. I'd love the opportunity to discuss my alignment, and I'd appreciate it if you could forward my profile to the relevant hiring team for this position."
So when somebody reads this kind of message, even if they don't open the resume, they can already see like, somebody has worked in a similar kind of environment, doing similar kind of thing. And they have sufficient proof. So it may be a good fit. And when they open the resume, they can also validate that.
This framework works like a charm—just like the message in Example #1, it led to an interview.
If you are truly a good fit, this is all you need:
🔹 what core essence are they looking to do by hiring for this position?
🔹 Identify the core charter of the role
🔹 Present the right supporting arguments for that
That's all you need.
This Simple Shift Can Land You More Interviews
We’ve covered exactly what to write to hiring managers to grab their attention and increase your chances of landing an interview.
Before you go, here’s something to remember: You only need one "yes."
Not every outreach will get a response, and that’s completely fine. You only need one "yes" to change your career.
The process is simple, but not always easy. It does take time, effort and expertise. That’s why most people:
Don’t do it
Do it poorly
Do it inconsistently
This Process Works. We have 100s of interviews landed for our clients in the last few months to prove that.
But while the strategy is simple, execution is where most people struggle.
That’s where we step in.
At Wolfmentoring, we offer a complete done-for-you service for all of your job search efforts, where we:
Position you as an expert in a narrow market
Create your resume and linkedIn profile
Find and apply for the right roles on your behalf
Find the hiring manager and their contact details
Research the role to write a compelling email to the hiring managers
Interview prep and offer negotiation consultation
If you're looking to explore, you can do so at www.wolfmentoring.com
