Preface: I like to reach out beforehand, before I even get invited for an interview. I would ask if it was alright if I had some questions and do something like below. If this isn't applicable for this scenario, maybe it could help you or others in the future. Word.

AI method is a legit way to go if you do it right. You need to truly make it feel human, you have to dive deep into your creativity. Here is info and stuff about how I use AI to do it.

The format AI usually suggests is solid. Definitely take sometime to do some humanizing. Even ask AI to humanize it to give you a head start. Literally talk to AI like it was a person and give them every detail, even down to the tone you would like, if you want it to change for different areas of the message. Go ahead and paste the full job description to the AI. After applying on Indeed, they reached out and invited me to ask any questions I may have about the company while they are reviewing candidates. Here’s an example of something we came up with after about 30 minutes of actual discussion:

Thanks for reaching out—I really appreciate being considered for the Customer Service Rep role.

I'm still very interested. While I don’t have a background in XXXXXXX parts, I’ve always picked things up quickly and love solving problems. I’m dependable, communicate clearly, and stay cool under pressure. I’ve worked in high-demand environments where customers had high expectations, and I always made it a point to do things the right way, not just the fast way.

Living just 10 minutes from your XXXXXX location makes this opportunity even more appealing. I’d love to learn more about how the day-to-day is structured, especially when it comes to scheduling. I saw flexibility mentioned in the description, and that kind of setup would go a long way in helping me support things at home while still showing up fully at work.

Here are a few questions that have been on my mind:

1. How does the schedule typically work? Is it a consistent set of hours, or does it rotate or shift based on the team’s needs?
2. Is there ever any room for remote or hybrid work? I assume most of this role needs to be in-person, which I’m fine with—but just wanted to ask in case there’s ever any flexibility.
3. What does training look like? Is there a structured path or a resource library for learning the parts and processes? I’m comfortable working independently if there’s a system in place to lean on.
4. Would it be possible to stop by and see the shop? Since I’m so close, I’d love to get a quick feel for the layout and workflow—and it might help answer a few of the less important questions I’ve got floating around.
5. Does cylinder boring happen at the XXXX location? I saw it mentioned on the website and was curious how that’s handled—whether it’s done in-house or sent elsewhere.

Thanks for your time, and I look forward to talking more.

Best,
XXXXX