How to Address a Cover Letter: Examples & Tips

By Natalia Merced, Career Advice Expert •Last Updated: August 20, 2024

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Every little detail in your cover letter, including your cover letter greeting, communicates information about the professional you are. It's the first thing the hiring manager will read when opening your letter, so getting it right is critical.

In this guide, we'll discuss how to address someone in a cover letter, tips on finding their information, greeting examples and common mistakes to avoid.

How to Address a Cover Letter With a Name

Addressing your cover letter with the recipient's name establishes a personal connection and shows that you took the time to tailor it. The correct way to address them is with the formal "Dear Ms. or Mr." For example:

Dear Mr. Jones
Dear Ms. García
Dear Mr. Lopez
Dear Ms. Davis

With our builder, you can customize your cover letter greeting or choose from one of our prewritten suggestions.

If you're unsure about the person's gender, the safest bet is to use their full name. For example:

Dear Sydney García,
Dear Alex Lopez,

Examples of Proper Cover Letter Greetings

Explore how these cover letter examples address their recipient below.

Why is Addressing a Cover Letter Correctly Important?

A proper salutation sets the tone for the rest of your cover letter and shows your eye for detail. After all, the goal is to convince the employer you're the best candidate for the role and have a genuine interest in working for the company.

The first step in writing a cover letter is researching the company and learning the recipient's full name.

How to Find the Recipient’s Name

Remember, every element of your cover letter is an opportunity to convey the kind of person you are. Going out of your way to research the recipient's full name shows a can-do attitude that employers want. Here are a few ways you can find out their name:

Read the job listing: The listing is the first place to look, as it almost always has information on the hiring manager or the department doing the hiring. Scroll to the bottom and read the small print!
Check the company website: Most companies feature the names of their hiring managers and department heads on their websites.
Search on LinkedIn: If not on their website, the company's LinkedIn can offer insight into the people working there. Start searching in the department you're applying to.
Make some calls: If you know someone in the company, ask them for help or, as a last resort, call the company. Explain you're applying for an open position and want to address the cover letter to the right person.

Using Professional Titles in Cover Letter Addresses

If your recipient has a professional or academic title, use it to address them. For example, if Sydney García has a Ph.D, show respect by addressing her as "Dr. García" instead of "Ms. García." Here are some professional titles and their abbreviations:

Professor (Prof.)
Senator (Sen.)
Sergeant (Sgt.)
Revered (Rev.)
Honorable (Hon.)

When addressing female-identifying recruiters, use "Ms." instead of "Mrs." or "Miss" because it doesn't comment on marital status. This helps prevent accidental offense to your recipient, who might be unmarried or married but chose not to take her partner's last name.

What to Do When You Can’t Find the Recipient’s Name

Sometimes, even after trying all the alternatives, you won't find the name of the person you're writing to. In that event, address your cover letter to the department you're applying to, the hiring staff or the company.

Here are a few examples of how to address a cover letter without a name:

Dear Marketing Department Hiring Team,
Dear Director of Marketing,
Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Staff,

If necessary, you can always opt for "Dear Hiring Manager." It's not as personal, but it will get the job done.

A well-formatted cover letter greeting is as important as the address. Check out our cover letter format guide to ensure your cover letter ticks all the boxes.

How to Address an Email Cover Letter

You'll email your cover letter if you're not applying through a job portal. We suggest attaching it as a document, but the employer may require you to format it in the body of the email.

In any case, the most critical aspect is to write a concise subject line the recruiter can quickly identify. It should include the position you're applying for and your name. Here's how it should look:

Lily Ramírez - Marketing Intern Job Application
Mark Silva - Store Manager Job Application, referred by Emily Biles

If you're writing your cover letter inside the email, leave out the address and date. Start with your salutation, and ensure you include your contact information and email signature.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Cover Letter Addresses

Using outdated salutations: Never use greetings such as "To whom it may concern" and "Dear Sir/Madam." These are considered impersonal and obsolete.
Being too casual: Starting your cover letter with "Hey," "What's up," or "Hi there" will come across as unprofessional, and the hiring manager will likely move on to the next candidate.
Addressing it to the wrong person: If you use the same cover letter for multiple job postings, ensure the recipient's name is correct.

Key Takeaways

Correctly addressing your cover letter is as important as the document's body. It's the first thing the hiring manager will see, showing that you did your research.
Always use the formal "Dear Mr. or Ms." followed by their last name.
If you don't know the recipient's gender, opt to use "Dear [Full Name],"
If the person has a professional or academic title, it's more appropriate to address them by that title.
You can find the hiring manager's name through the job listing, the company's website or LinkedIn, or by asking a friend who works at the company.
Address the cover letter to the hiring staff, the department you're applying to, or the company if you can't find the person's name.
When emailing your cover letter, always include your name and the position you're applying to in the subject line.
Never use outdated greetings like "To whom it may concern," and avoid being too casual by using salutations such as "Hey" or "What's up."

FAQ

How do you address a cover letter to an unknown recipient?

The best way to address a cover letter when you don’t know the person’s name is to use “Dear Hiring Manager,” Another option is to address the cover letter to the department you’re applying to or the hiring staff. For example:

Dear Marketing Department,
Dear [Company Name] Hiring Team,

What is the proper greeting for a cover letter?

You should always address your cover letter using the formal “Dear Mr. or Ms.” If the person has a professional or academic title, like “Dr.”, address them by that title.

How do I address a cover letter to whom it may concern?

Never use the outdated “To whom it may concern” when addressing a cover letter. It’s considered impersonal and has been phased out of the job market. Likewise, avoid using “Dear Sir/Madam.”

How We Reviewed This Article

Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.

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Natalia Merced

Career Advice Expert

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Natalia is a Content Writer based in Puerto Rico and a member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches. She is dedicated to leveraging her writing expertise to help job seekers reach their career goals.

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