Sure you can. Just don't reach out to an old friend who you've lost contact with. That just seems sketchy. Being upfront ("I'm looking for a job, and I'd like

Sure you can. Just don't reach out to an old friend who you've lost contact with. That just seems sketchy. Being upfront ("I'm looking for a job, and I'd like to know what kind of platform you guys are using / what kind of skills you are looking for ...") is also good. As long as you're polite. If a stranger asks you for help, your first response will be "sure, why not?". You're not trying to leverage a friendship by cold calling some guy at a company - it's just business. Cold calling friends, on the other hand, can seem sketchy. If you do want to cold call a friend, it's probably better to ask advice. Actually, it's probably always better to frame it as advice, since the people you cold call won't want to give you a firm answer.