Let’s talk about what I refer to as the "No Ask" Policy 💡
During my job search in 2022, ~80% of my interviews were a result of direct outreach to job posters: whether it was the hiring manager, recruiter, or a potential teammate for the role. My big secret? The "No Ask" Policy™️😆 I also used this approach when job searching in November 2023 and, though I received way fewer direct responses, I still interviewed with 9 companies, most of which I cold applied to.
How did I come up with this? My mentor, an engineering manager who has worked in tech for over 10 years, helped contextualize the purpose for outreach. If the goal is that you want to get your name and information in front of someone, then there’s no reason to ask a question just to ask a question. And, even if you have a genuine question to ask, he still cautioned against using this initial outreach to do so: “Is this question absolutely necessary to ask at this juncture? Could it wait until an interview?”
In many ways, his advice was very human-centered —
Respect people’s time and attention
Provide job posters with information that may help you both (like giving them a short elevator pitch)
Don’t force someone to answer you by asking a question you actually don’t need the answer to currently.
So, what exactly is the "No Ask" Policy?
Whenever someone posted a role I was interested in (on LinkedIn or elsewhere), I'd shoot them a message with a brief elevator pitch - mine was just 8 sentences - tying my background to the role. But most importantly? No requests or questions or "asks". No "can we chat?" No "can I pick your brain?" No "do you have time for a coffee chat?" No obligations or expectations. Period.
It might sound strange and maybe even counterintuitive but I think the "No Ask" Policy brings a breath of fresh air to the often transactional nature of networking online. By not demanding a response from job posters, you show respect for their time. You offer information they might find useful BUT with no strings attached. This low-pressure tactic can actually encourage more genuine engagement. By removing the obligation to respond, you allow the person on the receiving end the choice of whether to engage with you or not. An example of this: In my job hunt in 2022, I received lots of responses and even offers for referrals, coffee chats, etc. — but most importantly, I landed interviews despite cold applying to a lot of roles. In 2023, despite not receiving ANY responses to my “No Ask” elevator pitches, I still landed interviews with companies I was cold applying to. I also have friends who have tried this out in late 2023 and found it effective in their job searches as well!
In terms of networking this strategy is also great because it not only landed me interviews but also helped me meet a bunch of awesome people, some of whom I’m still in touch with today. In fact, one of them is actually now my coworker because, though I didn’t end up working for her company back in 2022, she ended up coming to work with me!
I hope more people try the "No Ask" Policy! If you do try it out, I'd love to hear how it goes!