How to Find Hiring Managers
Use Stori's contact database of 300M+ verified professionals to find hiring managers, unlock their email and phone, and build your outreach pipeline. Requires the Outreach plan.
Overview
Finding and contacting the right hiring manager can dramatically improve your chances of landing an interview. Instead of submitting applications into a black hole, Stori lets you reach the decision-maker directly.
The workflow follows three steps: Source (search for contacts), Shortlist (save and organize), and Email (send outreach). This feature is available on the Outreach plan ($34/mo).
Source — Searching for Contacts
The Source page lets you search Stori's database of 300M+ verified professionals to find hiring managers, recruiters, and other decision-makers.
Navigate to the Source page
Go to the Source section from your navigation menu.
Enter your search criteria
You can search by:
- Company name — Find people at a specific company
- Job title — Search for "Engineering Manager," "VP Marketing," etc.
- Location — Filter by city, state, or country
- Department — Narrow to a specific function
Review search results
Results show the person's name, current job title, and company. You can see basic information before spending any credits.
Unlock contact details
Click the Unlock button next to a contact to reveal their email address and phone number. This costs 1 credit per contact. Once unlocked, the contact information is saved to your account permanently.
Before unlocking, verify the person's title and company match what you are looking for. Credits are non-refundable once used.
Finding the Right Person
Choosing who to contact is just as important as what you say. Here is how to identify the best person to reach out to:
Best targets (in order of priority):
- Direct hiring manager — The person who would be your direct supervisor. Look for titles one level above the role you are applying for in the same department (e.g., "Engineering Manager" if you are applying for a "Software Engineer" role).
- Department head — If you cannot find the direct manager, look for the VP or Director of the relevant department. They can route your message to the right person.
- Internal recruiter — Look for "Recruiter," "Talent Acquisition," or "People Partner" titles at the company. They are responsible for filling roles and will review your profile.
Avoid contacting the CEO or other C-suite executives for non-executive roles. They are unlikely to handle hiring for individual contributor positions and may view unsolicited contact negatively.
Shortlist — Organizing Your Contacts
The Shortlist is your saved list of contacts that you plan to reach out to. Think of it as your outreach pipeline.
- Add contacts from search — After finding a relevant contact in Source, add them to your Shortlist for later outreach
- Track unlock status — See which contacts you have already unlocked (email/phone visible) and which still need credits
- Organize by company or role — Keep your outreach organized so you are not sending multiple emails to the same company unintentionally
- Remove contacts — Clean up your Shortlist as you complete outreach or decide not to pursue certain leads
Build your Shortlist before you start sending emails. Having a batch of contacts ready makes your outreach sessions more productive and consistent.
Email — Sending Outreach
Once you have unlocked a contact's email address, you can send outreach directly from Stori. The email flow integrates with your Shortlist:
Select a contact from your Shortlist
Choose an unlocked contact you want to email.
Compose your email
Use the email composer with template variables, AI-assisted drafting, and optional video intro embedding. See the Send Emails page for full details on composing emails.
Send and track
Send from your connected Gmail or Outlook account. Stori tracks opens and replies so you know when to follow up.
Personalization matters. Emails that reference the specific role, company, or something unique about the hiring manager get significantly higher response rates than generic templates.
Credits and Costs
Unlocking contact information requires credits. Here is what you need to know:
- 1 credit = 1 contact unlock — Each unlock reveals the person's email address and phone number (if available)
- Outreach plan includes 40 credits/month — These subscription credits reset each billing cycle and do not roll over
- Buy additional credit packs — 50 credits for $29, 100 credits for $49, or 200 credits for $79. Purchased credits carry over forever.
- Once unlocked, always unlocked — You never need to spend another credit on the same contact
For full details on credits, see the Credits page.
Tips for Finding Hiring Managers
- Use the Chrome extension first — The hiring manager search in the extension is the fastest way to find contacts for a specific job posting, with its two-tier (direct manager, then senior leader) approach
- Search by company + department — Combining company name with a department or function keyword narrows results effectively
- Check title relevance — Job titles vary by company. An "Engineering Lead" at one company may be equivalent to an "Engineering Manager" at another
- Target 2-3 contacts per company — Reaching out to the hiring manager AND the recruiter can increase your chances, but do not send identical messages
- Be strategic with credits — Review a contact's title and company carefully before unlocking. Credits are non-refundable once used.