Employee shares tips to find a hiring manager’s email — experts say this is the best way to land a job

Several job seekers struggle to get noticed by hiring managers amid the flood of online applications. One Reddit user shared a technique they have used successfully over the years, highlighting a simple method: find the decision maker and reach out directly.

“A few people asked me this after my last post so figured I'd share what actually works,” they wrote.

Years ago, while job hunting, they depended on a sales-inspired approach: “When I was job hunting years ago I did the same thing I'd do in sales, find the decision maker and reach out directly. Same playbook.”

Using LinkedIn Effectively

LinkedIn is a powerful tool, but numerous applicants use it incorrectly. Rather than just looking for a job title, the user recommended combining the company name with terms such as “hiring manager,” “recruiter,” or “talent.”

“Also try the department - like 'engineering manager at [company]' if you're applying for a dev role,” they stated.

It’s also useful to check who posted or shared the vacancy on LinkedIn: “Sometimes it's right there. People like to announce(brag!!) they are hiring.”

Another tip is going through the company page → People → Filter by title. This often points directly to the right person.

Finding the Email Address

Several companies use predictable email formats, like

firstname.lastname@company.com or flastname@company.com. Tools such as Hunter.io, Apollo, and RocketReach can help uncover emails, with Hunter featuring the pattern for domains and Apollo blending direct emails with LinkedIn data.

“Or just guess the format and send it. Worst case it bounces.”

Once found, send a short LinkedIn connection request and, if possible, an email. Keep messages under three sentences.

“Applied for X role, here's why I'm interested, would love to chat.”

“Most people won't do this. That's why it works for the ones who do.”

User Experiences and Cautions

Some Reddit users provided realistic feedback:

• “These tools are vague, I tried using them with my own id and it gave me a wrong email id lol. Can work sometimes or can't.”
  
• “lol. Has anyone really had success ‘cold reaching out’ on LinkedIn? I haven’t and I’m guessing it’s because hundreds of others are doing the exact same thing to that ONE PERSON! These posts ALL seem to ignore the fact that the biggest problem in today’s job market is that THOUSANDS of people are applying for ONE JOB… and that’s IF, the job post is real to begin with!”
  
• “Recent studies suggest a significant portion of LinkedIn jobs are 'ghost' or fake, with figures ranging from around 20% to over 40%, including listings for roles that don't exist, aren't actively hiring, or are for internal use only, with some reports citing over 27% in the U.S. alone as not genuine.”
  
• “I have for roles in the past. It's hit or miss. You need some volume to get success. I'm a recruiter. I only get a handful of people reaching out for my roles. However, I do get a decent of people reaching out about other roles. I do my best to push it to the right department. Some have moved forward and other's haven't. But the reality is the majority won't respond. I haven't even gotten 100 people doing outreach since I started this role in November. And I work for an AI company that just raised another $350M and makes money.”
  
• “Just be warned that some hiring managers will absolutely not like being cold outreached like this and this can negatively impact your application.”
  

FAQs:

Q1. Why contact the hiring manager directly?
Direct communication can bypass automated systems and make your application more visible. It enables you to emphasize your interest and fit personally.

Q2. How do I find the hiring manager on LinkedIn?
Search using the organization’s name plus titles like “hiring manager” or “recruiter.” You can also filter employees by department or role.