How a Cold Email Landed a Startup Internship

Zeng, a journalism and economics major, treated the job hunt like a reporting assignment. She leveraged her background to research EO Studios, identifying specific gaps in their operations—such as advertising infrastructure and content research—where her skills could provide immediate utility. Rather than submitting a generic resume, her email outlined a roadmap for how she could contribute to the firm's growth, specifically citing her experience running a video production studio.

The direct approach worked, albeit not instantly. After a follow-up email, the CEO looped in a senior team member for an initial conversation, eventually leading to an in-person meeting in San Francisco. Zeng emphasizes that this strategy requires a shift in mindset: candidates must treat outreach as a form of investigative work, using LinkedIn to monitor a company’s evolving needs and leadership philosophy rather than relying on mass-application volume.

While this method proved effective for a media startup, Zeng warns that it is not a universal solution. She notes that disrupting traditional hiring hierarchies is more viable in agile companies that value individual initiative over rigid corporate structures. Ultimately, she acknowledges that while strategy and research are critical, finding the right opening at the right time still requires a degree of luck.