The Uncomfortable Truth About Job Hunting

Here’s what nobody tells you: the best startup jobs never make it to job boards.

You spend hours crafting the perfect resume, submit it through an ATS (Applicant Tracking System), and wait. And wait. And wait.

Meanwhile, someone else sent a 3-line email directly to the CEO — and got an interview.

This isn’t a fairy tale. A high school student named Niraj Pant once emailed Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel and actually got a reply. His entire email was:

“Hi, I’m Niraj Pant. I know your time is valuable, so I’ll keep this to three lines. I’ve been programming since 8th grade. Experience in Java/Obj-C/Android/iOS. I’d love to intern at Snapchat this summer as a rising senior. How can I make that happen?”

That’s it. No fancy cover letter. No 3-page resume. Just short, honest, and specific.

The 3-Line Cold Email Framework

Based on Ben Lang’s battle-tested guide from the Next Play Newsletter, every effective cold email answers exactly three questions:

1. Who You Are

One sentence. Your name, what you do, one credibility marker.

2. Why You’re Reaching Out

Be specific. “I saw your Series A announcement” beats “I’ve been following your company for years” (which sounds fake, because it usually is).

3. Why They Should Care

This is where most people fail. It’s not about you — it’s about what you can do for them. Concrete results, relevant skills, a portfolio piece that speaks for itself.

The 5 Things That Kill Your Email Instantly

These mistakes matter more than what you should do:

❌ Going Over 200 Words

If your email needs scrolling, it’s already dead. The CEO has 200 unread emails. Yours gets 8 seconds.

❌ Using Corporate Buzzwords

“Executed on key initiatives” → Nobody talks like this in real life. Just say “Grew ARR from $0 to $1M in 3 months.” Numbers beat adjectives, always.

❌ No Clear Ask

“Let me know if you’re interested” is not an ask. “Would you have 15 minutes for a call next week?” is. Give them a yes-or-no decision, not a homework assignment.

❌ Being Vague

“I’ve worked with early-stage startups” → Which ones? Doing what? “I built the landing page for Company X that converted at 12%” tells a story in one line.

❌ Following Up 5 Times

One follow-up is professional. Two is the maximum. Five is a restraining order waiting to happen.

The Numbers Game Nobody Wants to Hear

Here’s the uncomfortable math:

• Send 1 email → probably nothing happens
• Send 10 emails → maybe 1 reply
• Send 30 emails → at least 1 interview (Ben Lang’s rule of thumb)

This is fundamentally a sales process. You’re selling yourself to someone who doesn’t know you exist yet. And like all sales, it’s a numbers game.

The good news? Writing 30 personalized cold emails takes a few hours. Waiting for 100 job applications to go nowhere takes months.

A Real Template You Can Steal

Subject: [Specific role] — [Your unique angle]

Hi [Name],

I'm [Your Name], a [role] who [one impressive thing].

I noticed [something specific about their company — recent funding, 
product launch, hiring post]. I think I could help with [specific 
value you'd bring] because [brief proof].

Would you have 15 minutes this week for a quick call?

[Your Name]
[LinkedIn/Portfolio link]

Total word count: under 80. That’s the whole point.

Why This Works in the AI Age

In 2026, AI can generate thousands of generic outreach emails. Which means inboxes are noisier than ever.

But here’s the paradox: a genuinely personal, specific, human email stands out more than it did 5 years ago. When everything looks AI-generated, authenticity becomes your competitive advantage.

The 3-line framework works precisely because it forces you to be specific. You can’t fake specificity at scale.

The Deeper Lesson

The most successful cold emails share one trait: they’re surprisingly ordinary.

No genius copywriting. No viral hooks. No growth hacks.

Just short. Honest. Specific.

Anyone can write one. Most people never do.

That gap between can and do — that’s where careers change direction.

So instead of refreshing LinkedIn for the 50th time today, open your email and write to 5 people you’d actually want to work with. It’ll take 30 minutes.

Those 30 minutes might be the best investment you make this year.

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Inspired by Ben Lang’s “The guide to getting a job with cold email” from the Next Play Newsletter (Aug 2025).