How to write a speculative job application: target, write, follow up
How to choose companies, who to write to and what to say in a speculative (unsolicited) application to land interviews in the hidden job market.
Updated on 21/10/2026 · 6 min read · By the MakeYouFirst team
Some jobs are filled without ever being advertised: an unexpected departure, a new project, a need not yet written down. A speculative application lets you get in before the ad even exists. It works on one condition: it has to be targeted.
1. Choose the right companies
- Those that already employ people in your role (clinics, warehouses, agencies, firms…);
- Those that are growing: a new site, a new store, recent hiring in other teams;
- Those close to home or in the area where you want to work.
Fifteen well-chosen companies beat a hundred identical messages.
2. Write to the right person
In a small company, write to the owner or site manager. In a larger one, to the head of the relevant team or to the recruitment team. A message addressed by name is read far more often than one sent to a generic inbox.
3. A short message, focused on the company
Your message must answer three questions: why this company, what you can do for it, and what you propose (a chat, a trial, your availability).
Subject: Certified electrician available — speculative application
Dear Mr Garcia,
I saw that your company is working on several energy renovation projects in Montpellier. I have been an electrician for six years, hold the relevant safety certifications, have completed full rewiring jobs in renovation and installed around twenty EV charging points last year.
If you plan to strengthen your team in the coming months, I would be glad to meet you. My CV is attached.
Kind regards,
Thomas Roux — +33 6 98 76 54 32
4. Timing
Avoid closing periods and the days before holidays. For seasonal jobs (hospitality, tourism, farming), write two to three months before the season. Otherwise, the start of the week and the start of the month are good moments.
5. Follow up once
With no reply after two weeks, one short follow-up is enough. If the company has no need right now, ask whether you can stay in touch: many hires happen a few months later.
Find companies faster
MakeYouFirst’s “Speculative applications” section finds companies that employ your occupation near you and prepares a message tailored to each one from your profile. You choose who to write to, you review, and the email leaves from your own mailbox.