How to address a cover letter if you don't know the hiring manager's name (2023)

FAQs

What if you don t know the hiring managers name for cover letter? ›

To address a cover letter without a name, use some variation of, "Dear Software Team Hiring Manager." You can also use, "Dear Hiring Manager" if the addressee really is unknown. Remember that "To Whom It May Concern" is an old-fashioned salutation for cover letters.

You can still personalize your cover letter, even when you don't know the identity of the hiring manager. Instead of “To Whom It May Concern,” which casts a wide net and is specific to no one, try addressing your cover letter to one specific person.

To Whom It May Concern: Use only when you do not know to whom you must address the letter, for example, when writing to an institution. Dear Sir/Madam, Use when writing to a position without having a named contact.

Do employers really read cover letters? The simple answer is, yes ‒ most of the time. Many employers like to see a cover letter because it shows two important things: that the candidate has gone the extra mile and that the candidate is serious about their application.

For a cover letter, you should always default to addressing it to the hiring manager for the position you're applying to. Unless you know for sure that the culture of the company is more casual, use the hiring manager's first and last name. You can include a title, such as “Mr.” or “Ms.” (never Mrs. or Miss).

“To Whom It May Concern” is used when writing to someone you don't know by name. “Dear Hiring Manager” is the salutation you'd use when applying for a job. “Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms.

Short and sweet is great. Writing a letter to a stranger is an act of kindness: make sure your letter is not about you, but really lifts up the other. Don't outright ask them to write back, or write in a way that compels them to reply. This puts pressure on an act that should only bring joy.

How do you start a professional letter without dear? ›

Tone Is Everything

One of the biggest challenges is getting the tone of a cover letter right. You want to seem professional, but also enthusiastic and upbeat. You want to showcase your brilliant skills and achievements, but you don't want to come off us as braggadocious.

Talking about salary expectations

Your cover letter is not the correct place to discuss your current salary or salary expectations unless the employer specifically asks you to do so.

58% of workers say cover letters are unnecessary—you might want to write one anyway. For decades, cover letters have been used by hiring managers to gauge whether or not someone is right for a role. However, many of today's job applicants find cover letters to be unnecessary and time-consuming.

Use a generic salutation, such as Dear Hiring Manager, Dear Recruiting Manager or Dear Human Resources Professional. (Avoid To Whom It May Concern; it is antiquated.)

If the hiring manager has a gender-neutral name If you find the hiring manager's name, but they have a gender-neutral name and no indication on their profile as to their gender, you can opt for “Dear Hiring Manager” or “To Whom It May Concern” to avoid an embarrassing miscommunication.

The most professional salutation for a cover letter is “Dear.” Even an email cover letter should start with “Dear,” followed by the hiring manager's name and a colon or comma.

How do you start a cover letter without a name? ›

Here's what to remember:

To address a cover letter without a name, use a variation of, 'Dear XYZ Team Hiring Manager." Or if the addressee is completely unknown, use 'Dear Hiring Manager'. Take care with gender and the use of titles.

When you're looking to add a personalized touch to your job application, addressing the hiring manager by name helps companies recognize you as a detail-oriented person. It also helps you form a connection with a company's human resources department.

Addressing a cover letter to the hiring manager is appropriate in most situations. It's always better to include a generic greeting, like "Dear Hiring Manager," if you don't know the name of the hiring manager. It's also preferable to use if you're not sure of the accuracy of the hiring manager's information.

I'm applying for the [title] role and want to make sure I'm accurate in the note I'm sending to the [your best guess for the title of the hiring manager or the head of the department]. Is this specific title accurate? From there, you can either ask for that person's name, or head right over to LinkedIn or Google.

Even if a cover letter is optional it can still dramatically boost your chances of landing a job: Even if submitting a cover letter is optional, 77% of recruiters will give preference to candidates who did send a cover letter. 72% of recruiters still expect cover letters even if the job ad states they're optional.

If you know the hiring manager's name, go with “Dear Mr./Miss Last Name,” but if you're unsure about their gender, marital status, or preferred pronoun, just address them using their full name. If the recruiter has a professional or academic title, it's more appropriate to address them using their title.

If you're unable to find the name of the hiring manager and you don't want to use "Dear Hiring Manager," here are a few alternatives that you may consider: Dear Recruiter or Recruiting Manager: Addressing your cover letter to a recruiter is appropriate if you know a recruiter is handling the hiring process.

'Dear Hiring Manager' is an appropriate cover letter salutation in most situations, especially when you don't know the name of the person you are submitting the cover letter to.