/sourcing-outreach

name: sourcing-outreach
description: When the user needs to write recruiting outreach messages to attract passive candidates or request referrals.
related: [job-description, interview-kit]
reads: [startup-context]

Sourcing Outreach

When to Use

Activate when the user asks to write cold outreach to potential candidates (LinkedIn InMails, cold emails), craft referral request messages, build a multi-touch follow-up sequence, or improve response rates on existing recruiting outreach. Also activate when the user is sourcing for a specific role and needs help personalizing messages at scale.

Context Required

• **From startup-context:** Company name, one-line mission, stage/funding, notable investors or customers, recent milestones, and team size.
• **From user:** Role being hired for, the candidate's name and background (LinkedIn profile, blog posts, talks, open-source work), what specifically drew the user to this candidate, and the communication channel (LinkedIn, email, Twitter DM).

Workflow

1. **Research the candidate** — Review the candidate details provided by the user. Identify 1-2 specific, genuine connection points: a project they shipped, a talk they gave, an open-source contribution, a blog post, or a career pattern that signals fit. 2. **Choose the outreach template** — Select from: cold LinkedIn InMail, cold email, warm intro request, referral ask, or follow-up. Each has different length and tone constraints. 3. **Draft the message** — Write a short, personalized message using the PRC framework (see below). Keep LinkedIn InMails under 300 characters for the preview. Keep cold emails under 150 words. 4. **Add a clear, low-friction CTA** — The ask should be small: a 15-minute call, a reply with interest level, or permission to send more details. Never ask for a resume or formal application in cold outreach. 5. **Build the follow-up sequence** — Draft 2-3 follow-ups spaced 4-7 days apart. Each follow-up adds new information (a company milestone, a team blog post, a relevant data point) rather than just "bumping" the thread. 6. **Review for tone** — Ensure the message sounds human, not templated. Check that personalization is specific enough that it could only apply to this candidate.

Output Format

• A primary outreach message (ready to send)
• 2-3 follow-up messages with suggested send timing
• Notes on personalization elements used and why they were chosen

Frameworks & Best Practices

The PRC Framework

Every outreach message should contain three elements in roughly this order:

• **Personalization (P):** A specific, genuine observation about the candidate's work that shows you did your homework. Not "I saw your impressive profile" — something like "Your talk on event sourcing at StrangeLoop changed how I think about our own data pipeline."
• **Relevance (R):** Why this role connects to their career trajectory. Bridge from what they've done to what they'd do at your company.
• **Call-to-action (C):** A single, low-commitment ask. "Would you be open to a 15-minute call this week?" is better than "Apply at our careers page."

Channel-Specific Guidelines

**LinkedIn InMail:**

• Subject line matters more than body — keep it intriguing and specific (e.g., "Your Kafka work + our real-time pipeline" not "Exciting opportunity").
• InMail preview shows ~300 characters. Front-load the personalization.
• Do not connect-and-pitch simultaneously. Either send an InMail or send a connection request with a note — not both at once.

**Cold Email:**

• Subject: Short, specific, no clickbait. "Quick question about [their project]" or "[Mutual connection] suggested I reach out."
• Keep body under 150 words. Three short paragraphs max.
• Plain text outperforms HTML templates. No logos, no signatures with 10 links.
• Send from a real person's email (founder@, not recruiting@).

**Warm Intro / Referral Request:**

• Make it easy for the connector: provide a forwardable blurb they can send with zero editing.
• Include context on why you think the candidate is a fit so the connector can vouch meaningfully.
• Always give the connector an out: "No pressure at all if this doesn't feel right."

Personalization Research Checklist

Before writing, look for:

• [ ] Recent talks, podcast appearances, or conference presentations
• [ ] Blog posts or technical writing
• [ ] Open-source contributions (GitHub, GitLab)
• [ ] Career trajectory patterns (e.g., "you've gone deep on infrastructure at two companies in a row")
• [ ] Mutual connections or shared communities
• [ ] Company or product they built that you genuinely admire

Follow-Up Sequence Design

• **Follow-up 1 (Day 4-5):** Add a new piece of information — a recent company milestone, a blog post from the team, or a specific project they'd work on. Keep it to 2-3 sentences.
• **Follow-up 2 (Day 9-11):** Try a different angle. If the first message was about the role, this one could be about the team or a technical challenge. Ask a question rather than making a pitch.
• **Follow-up 3 (Day 16-20):** A graceful close. "I don't want to crowd your inbox — just wanted to leave the door open. If timing is ever better, I'd love to chat." This gets surprisingly high response rates.
• **Never send more than 3 follow-ups** to a candidate who hasn't responded.

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

• **Spray and pray:** Sending identical messages to 200 people. Response rates plummet below 5%. Batch personalization into tiers instead.
• **The humble brag opener:** "We just raised $50M from Sequoia" as your first sentence. Lead with the candidate, not yourself.
• **Fake personalization:** "I was really impressed by your background" is worse than no personalization because it signals a template.
• **Overselling:** Don't describe the role as "once in a lifetime." Be honest and specific about what makes it compelling.
• **Asking for too much:** "Please send your resume and three references" in a cold message guarantees no reply.

Related Skills

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