How to ask for help from people who don't know you
pradyuprasad.com
July 2, 2026
5 min read
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68/100
Summary
Effective help-seeking involves prioritizing the needs and perspectives of the person being asked rather than focusing solely on oneself. Mastering the skill of asking for help can significantly improve the likelihood of receiving assistance, regardless of the situation.
Key Takeaways
- Asking for help is a skill that requires understanding the perspective of the person being asked.
- Demonstrating seriousness through proof of work, such as a trained model or a thoughtful blog post, increases the likelihood of receiving help.
- Requests for help should be specific, low friction, and bounded to make acceptance easier for the person being asked.
- It is important to make it easy for the person to decline your request, as a no can lead to a better relationship in the future.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · pradyuprasad.com
Community discussions
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Community Sentiment
Positives
- Demonstrating genuine effort in problem-solving significantly increases the likelihood of receiving help, as it shows seriousness and commitment.
- Offering to pay for someone's time can create a sense of value and seriousness, often leading to more productive interactions.
- Citing relevant work of the person you're asking for help can effectively capture their attention and demonstrate your appreciation for their expertise.
Concerns
- The trend of using LLMs to craft requests may dilute their effectiveness, as it risks coming off as insincere or formulaic.
- Surface-level proof of work, such as a single blog post, is insufficient; deeper, more meaningful engagement is required to show genuine effort.
