Have you ever been stumped on how to approach professors you’re interested in working with but have never met? Coming into college many individuals have to start writing professional emails which entails a different set of etiquette. Below I have outlined some steps you can take when drafting cold emails.
Steps To Cold Emailing
1.Of utmost importance, research the professor that you are reaching out to. It is vital to demonstrate in your email that you are knowledgeable about their work and have taken the time to learn more in-depth about them.
2.Referring to your resume, be able to identify how some of your previous experiences can aid in the professor’s research; this step is vital in demonstrating to the professor why you are a good fit for their lab/ team.
3.With this being an email and not a cover letter, keep it brief by attaching your resume which they can preview on their own time instead of reading a long email that discusses all of your experiences.
4.Write a brief statement thanking them for their consideration and that, if needed, you can provide them any necessary further material
Key Points/ Tips
- Be polite as they are reading and responding to this email on their own time
- Do not pester the professor if they don’t respond immediately. Send a follow-up anywhere from 3-7 days after your initial email but don’t send any more than 1-2 follow-ups.
- Ask if they know any other professors who are looking for undergraduate research assistants if they themselves are not taking students
Mock Email Template*
Hello Professor ___,
My name is ___ and I am a current (freshman/sophomore/junior/senior) in the College of ___ majoring in ___. I am incredibly interested in your research regarding ___. I would love to leverage my skills and experience in ___ to aid in your research’s goal to __. For your reference, I have attached my resume below which details my experience more extensively.
Please let me know if you would be willing to meet with me to discuss your research more in-depth and the possible opportunity of me joining your lab. If you are not currently taking any students at this time, I would really appreciate it if you could refer me to anyone in your field that is also doing research and looking for undergraduate student researchers.
If you need any additional materials from me such as a cover letter please let me know. I thank you for your time and look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
___
*This template is mainly for cold emailing in regards to research so feel free to make changes based on what you feel is the best fit for the scenario you are reaching out to professors for