Yes, how you address your cover letter matters.
After all, this is the first thing the recruiter reads when going through your cover letter, and yes, there is a right and wrong way to do it.
In this article, we’re going to teach you how to address your cover letter in such a way that you leave a positive impression on any recruiter!
Read on to find out:
- How to address a cover letter to a recruiter? (Casual or formal)
- What title to use when addressing the hiring manager
- How to address a cover letter without a contact person/to a company
- How to address a cover letter without an address
- How to address a cover letter in an email
How to Address a Cover Letter To a Recruiter (Casual or Formal)?
As we already mentioned, the way you address your cover letter is important because it is the very first thing recruiters see upon opening your cover letter.
A well-formulated cover letter address means that you care enough to research the company (i.e. to find the hiring manager’s name and title) and that you show attention to detail.
As such, you should always put some research into who you’re addressing your cover letter to and do so in a formal way.
And yes, the formal part is important too. The recruiter isn’t your best friend - you want to maintain a sense of professionalism.
If this is how you address the recruiter in your cover letter:
Incorrect Examples
- Hey John
- What’s up Hiring Manager
- Hi there Hiring Team
Then you say goodbye to the job.
Now, you’re probably wondering, how can I find out whom to address my cover letter to?
That’s what we’re about to teach you:
Who Am I Addressing My Cover Letter To?
Here are some tricks to find the full name of the hiring manager:
- Check the job listing. The job listing may have information about the recruiter or the department doing the hiring. Make sure to read through the entire job listing, as it might not be at an entirely obvious place.
- Check the company website. Some websites feature the names of the hiring managers or heads of departments that may go through your cover letter. Alternatively, LinkedIn is another place where you can look for this information.
- Check the company’s LinkedIn. You can look up who works in the company you’re applying for on their LinkedIn page.
- Ask around. Do you have friends that work for the company? They could provide you with valuable inside info.
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Quick Tip
To avoid making a bad impression, head over to our guide on cover letter mistakes to learn about what NOT to do when writing your cover letter.
Addressing a Cover Letter With a Name
By now, you have probably found the hiring manager’s full name and gender. With this information available, it’s best to address the hiring manager formally, as follows:
Examples
- Dear Mr. Brown,
- Dear Miss Fitzpatrick,
- Dear Mrs. Lockhart,
- Dear Ms. Walters,
If, for some reason, you are unsure about the person’s title, gender, marital status, or preferred pronouns, just address them using their entire name to avoid any mistakes. For example:
Examples:
- Dear Alex Brown,
- Dear Blair Fitzpatrick,
- Dear Jesse Lockhart,
- Dear Madison Walters,
Addressing someone with a title
Now, if you found out that the hiring manager has a professional or academic title, then it’s more appropriate to address them using that title. If, for example, the hiring manager has a Ph.D., then it’s more respectful to address them as “Dr. Last Name,” instead of “Mr. Last Name.”
Here are some professional titles and how they’re abbreviated:
- A professor is Prof.
- A reverend is Rev.
- A sergeant is Sgt.
- Honorable is Hon.
If, however, you are uncertain about how a title is abbreviated, then avoid it altogether.
Here are a few examples to give you an idea:
Examples:
- Dear Prof. Welsch,
- Dear Director Smith,
- Dear Rev. Owen,
- Dear Dr. Leonard,
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Quick Tip
When addressing women and you don’t know their marital status, always go with Ms., because it doesn’t comment on marital status. Some women prefer not to be addressed with Miss or Mrs. even when they’re married, so sticking with Ms. is the best choice.
Want to learn more cover letter tips? Our guide has all you need to ace your cover letter!
How to Address a Cover Letter Without a Contact Person
It might happen that, no matter how hard you search, you can’t find the name of the hiring manager or department head that will read your cover letter.
In that case, you can address your cover letter to the department, faculty, or the company.
Examples:
- Dear Software Development Hiring Team,
- Dear Customer Service Department Hiring Team,
- Dear Head of the Literature Faculty,
- Dear Director of Marketing,
- Dear Human Resources Recruitment Team,
Alternatively, if you don’t have enough information either about the department or the team, you can opt for addressing the cover letter directly to the company’s hiring staff, as follows:
Dear [Company Name] Hiring Team
Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Staff
If all else fails (meaning, you don’t know the name of the department head or even the exact department, in addition to the recruiter) then you can use one of the good, old-fashioned:
Dear Hiring Manager,
...but NOT the impersonal and way outdated “To whom it may concern” and “Dear Sir/Madam.”
Starting a cover letter can be challenging. Our guide can show you how to start a cover letter that will get you results from the get-go.
How to Format the Company’s Address
Before you reach the salutation, you have to make sure that the header with the recipient’s contact information is formatted correctly.
It might not be the deciding point of whether you’ll secure an interview or not, but it will cost you points if it’s off.
So, the first thing you want to do is add your name and surname on the upper left side of the cover letter. Underneath, you should write your professional title (if applicable), your email, and your phone number.
Now, after you’ve also added the date, you should leave one more space and add the recipient’s contact information and, most importantly, the company’s address.
It should look something like this on your cover letter:
When You Can’t Find the Company’s Address
Some companies might have several addresses listed (as per their branches, for example), or even none at all.
Since an application that doesn’t have an address line could end up lost or misplaced, make sure you do one of the following before skipping the company’s address completely:
- Check all your resources, (pretty much like when you were looking for the hiring manager’s name) to find the company’s address.
- Use the company’s headquarter address. This is sometimes easier to find, especially if the company has several branches.
- Use the P.O. Box number for the company. This is not as specific as an actual address line, but if all else fails, it’s still something.
Frequently, you’ll be asked to submit your job application (including your cover letter) electronically, or by email. In those cases, you can skip the address line altogether.
Here’s how you’d go about addressing a cover letter in an email.
How to Address an Email Cover Letter
If you’re sending your job application through email, chances are you’ll need to format your cover letter in the body of the email, or as an attachment along with your resume.
First and foremost when you’re addressing a cover letter in an email is the subject line, which should be between 6-10 words long.
Considering that hiring managers receive countless emails daily, you want to make sure that yours is a job application immediately. And the way to do that is straight through the subject line, which should indicate exactly the position you’re applying for and your name so that it’s easier to find through the recruiter’s swarmed mailbox.
Here’ what we mean by that:
Examples:
- Subject Line: John Doe - Software Development Job Application
- Subject Line: John Doe - Job Application for Marketing Manager Position
- Subject Line: John Doe - Stock Manager Job Application
Afterward, if you’re including your cover letter in the body of the email (as opposed to attaching it as a document), begin by using a salutation, add space, and start your letter.
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Quick Tip
If someone referred you for the position, make sure to mention that in the subject line of your email as well as in your opening paragraph.
So, let’s see how all the above plays out in practice:
Example:
Subject Line: John Doe - Carl Jacob’s Referral for Software DeveloperDear Dr. Leonard,I was very glad that Mr. Jacobs, a long-time partner at your firm who also happens to be my mentor from college, referred me for the Software Developer position.
Do you want your style, personality, and overall personal brand to shine through your application? With Novorésumé, you can match your cover letter with your resume to make a lasting impression!
Key Takeaways
And that’s all there is when it comes to addressing a cover letter! You should feel much more confident in doing so by now.
Either way, let’s go over the main points we covered throughout the article:
- Your cover letter address should be formal and well-researched. Don’t address the hiring manager with “hey,” “what’s up,” “hi there,” or even the old-fashioned “Dear Sir/Madam” and “To Whom It May Concern.”
- Always try to find the hiring manager’s full name and professional title through the company’s website, LinkedIn, by calling, or by asking someone who works there.
- 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 can’t find the contact person’s name, then address the department, faculty, or company (i.e. Dear Microsoft Hiring Team, or Dear Software Development Recruitment Team).
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