Hired By:*
Close to 1 million cover letters crafted - and counting!
Knowing how to address a cover letter isn’t always straightforward. Should you use the hiring manager’s full name? What if the job posting doesn’t identify a contact? Does an email cover letter follow the same rules as a formal letter?
The right greeting sets a professional tone and shows attention to detail. Whether you’re applying for your first job or a senior position, this guide will help you make a good impression by choosing the right salutation, finding an appropriate hiring contact, and formatting your letter to fit the application requirements.
When you know who’s reviewing your application, address your cover letter using that person’s full name or preferred professional title. If you’re unsure which title to use, “Dear [First Name] [Last Name],” is a safe, professional choice.
Using the correct name adds a personal touch and demonstrates attention to detail. It also helps your letter reach the intended reader, whether that’s a hiring manager, recruiter, or department leader.
If the job posting identifies a hiring manager, address your letter directly to that person using their full name. If it lists a recruiter instead, use the recruiter’s name unless the instructions specify another recipient.
End your greeting with a comma. A colon is also acceptable in a traditional formal business letter, but commas are common in modern cover letters. For example, “Dear Andrew Lopez,” or “Dear Nancy Wong,” are appropriate greetings.
If you’ve already communicated with the recipient by first name, or the employer clearly uses an informal communication style, “Dear [First Name],” may also be appropriate. The goal is to sound professional without being unnecessarily formal.
Use honorifics such as Mr. or Ms. when you know the recipient’s preferred title, and professional titles such as Dr. or Prof. when appropriate to their credentials. Don’t assume someone’s gender or marital status based on their name.
If you’re unsure which title to use, address the person by their full name instead. For example:
You can also use the recipient’s full name without an honorific: Dear [First Name] [Last Name].
The following cover letter examples show how to address a cover letter to a specific hiring manager, recruiter, or other professional contact.
Before sending your letter, double-check the recipient’s name and title.
If you don’t know the recipient’s name, you can still address your cover letter professionally. First, check the job posting, company website, and LinkedIn for a contact. If you can’t find a name, choose an appropriate general greeting and avoid overly casual or outdated salutations.
To find the right person to address your cover letter to, check the job posting, company website, and LinkedIn for a hiring manager, recruiter, or department leader. If those sources don’t identify a contact, you may be able to ask the employer directly.
Start with these four steps:
If you can’t confidently identify the recipient after a brief search, don’t keep looking indefinitely or contact an employer that hasn’t provided a recruiting contact. A professional greeting such as “Dear Hiring Manager” is better than addressing your letter to the wrong person.
When you don’t have a recipient’s name, “Dear Hiring Manager” is usually the safest cover letter greeting. If you know which department or team is reviewing applications, use a more specific salutation, such as “Dear Marketing Hiring Team” or “Dear Search Committee.”
| Greeting | When to Use It |
|---|---|
| Dear Hiring Manager, | When you don’t know who oversees the hiring process |
| Dear [Department] Hiring Manager, | When you know the department but not the individual |
| Dear [Department] Team, | When the application appears to be reviewed by a team |
| Dear Search Committee, | When a committee is responsible for evaluating applicants |
| Dear Recruiting Team, | When a recruiting department manages the application process |
For example, someone applying for an accounting position could use “Dear Accounting Hiring Manager,” while a candidate for a university faculty role might use “Dear Search Committee.”
“To Whom It May Concern” and “Dear Sir or Madam” aren’t necessarily disqualifying, but they’re usually less effective than a greeting tailored to the role or organization. “To Whom It May Concern” sounds impersonal when you know the application is going to a hiring team. “Dear Sir or Madam” also assumes too much about the recipient.
A specific greeting, such as “Dear Customer Service Hiring Manager,” shows you understand the role without requiring you to know someone’s name. Ultimately, a relevant generic greeting beats an incorrect name, outdated title, or overly familiar introduction.
When addressing a cover letter to a company, team, or department, use the most specific professional greeting available. A department-focused salutation is often more relevant than addressing the entire organization, especially when the position belongs to a clearly identified team.
For example, “Dear Marketing Hiring Team,” tells the reader exactly which group you’re hoping to reach, even if you don’t know an individual hiring manager’s name.
If the job posting identifies a department or hiring team, address your cover letter directly to that group. For example, “Dear Marketing Hiring Team” is a professional choice when applying for a marketing position without a named contact. This makes your greeting more specific without guessing who will review your application.
Examples include:
For smaller organizations or workplaces with a more informal culture, “Dear [Company Name] Team,” can also work. It’s less specific, though, so use a department or hiring team when possible.
If a committee is reviewing applications, address your cover letter with “Dear Search Committee” or “Dear [Department] Search Committee.” This approach is common for positions at universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, where multiple people may participate in hiring decisions.
You don’t need to identify every committee member. A collective greeting acknowledges the group without making assumptions about who will read your letter first.
When two people are identified as recipients, include both names in your cover letter greeting, separated by “and.” Use their full names or verified professional titles. If three or more people are reviewing your application, a collective greeting such as “Dear Hiring Committee” is usually easier to read and more practical.
For example:
Dear [First Name] [Last Name] and [First Name] [Last Name],
If appropriate titles are known, you can also write:
Dear Dr. [Last Name] and Prof. [Last Name],
To format a cover letter correctly, include your contact information, the date, and the recipient’s details when submitting a traditional business letter. For an email cover letter, use a clear subject line and professional greeting, and follow the employer’s instructions for attachments. Keep either version concise and easy to read, ideally within one page.
A traditional cover letter generally begins with your contact information, followed by the date and the employer’s details. The exact layout can vary depending on your cover letter format and the employer’s instructions.
A typical address block includes:
For example:
[Your Full Name]
[Phone Number] | [Professional Email Address]
[City, State]
[Month Day, Year]
[Recipient’s Full Name]
[Recipient’s Job Title]
[Company Name]
[Street Address]
[City, State zip code]
Dear [Recipient’s Full Name],
If you’re applying through an online system, you may not need a full mailing address unless the employer requests it. Avoid adding personal details such as your age, marital status, or Social Security number.
These cover letter examples show how to organize your contact information, the recipient’s name and title, the employer’s address, and a professional salutation:
If you need a hand, LiveCareer’s Cover Letter Generator helps job seekers create professionally formatted cover letters with customizable content and layouts.
When emailing a cover letter, you can either attach the letter as a separate document or write it directly in the email body. Follow the employer’s preferred method whenever one is specified.
If you’re attaching the letter, use a clear subject line and keep the email body brief. For example:
Subject: [Your Full Name] – Application for [Job Title]
Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],
I'm applying for the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. I’ve attached my resume and cover letter for your review.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
If the email itself serves as your cover letter, begin with the same professional greeting, then continue with your cover letter opening paragraph.
For attachments, use a clear file name, such as “FirstName_LastName_CoverLetter.pdf.” Save the document in the employer’s requested format, typically PDF or Word, and confirm that all required files are attached before sending.
A cover letter should generally fit on one page and contain three to four focused paragraphs. That gives you enough room to introduce yourself, explain your relevant qualifications, and close with a professional expression of interest.
A simple structure includes:
Use readable fonts, consistent spacing, and reasonable margins. Your cover letter template should also maintain consistent contact information and formatting with your resume.
The goal isn’t to fill the page—it’s to make the letter easy for a hiring manager to review.
A greeting that works for one employer may feel out of place at another. Beyond knowing the recipient’s name, consider the organization’s culture, application instructions, and any circumstances you need to explain in your letter.
For example, a law firm, government agency, or financial institution may favor a traditional salutation, while a smaller creative business might welcome a more conversational approach.
Match your cover letter greeting to the employer’s communication style while keeping it professional. For formal workplaces, use “Dear [First Name] [Last Name]” or a verified professional title. At startups or smaller businesses where employees communicate by first name, “Dear [First Name]” may be appropriate.
Avoid overly casual greetings such as “Hey” unless you’ve established that level of familiarity with the recipient.
Always follow the employer’s application instructions when addressing and submitting your cover letter. If the posting names a specific recipient, address your letter to that person. If it requires responses in an online form instead of a separate document, use that process rather than submitting an unsolicited attachment.
When a cover letter is optional, it can still help you explain your interest in the organization or provide context that doesn’t fit neatly on your resume.
Your greeting doesn’t need to change because you’re switching careers or returning to work after an employment gap.
For a career change, keep the salutation professional and use the body of the letter to connect your transferable skills to the new position.
If you have an employment gap, briefly explain it in the body of your letter only when that context would help the employer understand your experience.
The most effective approach is to personalize the letter’s content rather than trying to make the greeting unusually clever or memorable.
Before submitting your application, check for these common issues:
If you don’t know the recipient’s name, address your cover letter with a professional greeting such as “Dear Hiring Manager,” or “Dear [Department] Hiring Manager.” Check the job posting, company website, and LinkedIn for a relevant contact first. If you can’t confirm who’s responsible for hiring, use a specific department or team greeting rather than guessing someone’s name or title.
“To Whom It May Concern” is acceptable in some situations, but it’s generally not the strongest choice for a cover letter. It can sound impersonal, particularly when you know which department or hiring team will receive your application. “Dear Hiring Manager,” “Dear Recruiting Team,” or “Dear [Department] Team,” usually sounds more relevant and professional. Use the most specific accurate greeting available.
Address a cover letter to a team by using the department or group’s name in your salutation, such as “Dear Marketing Hiring Team,” or “Dear Customer Success Team.” If a committee is reviewing applications, “Dear Search Committee,” may be appropriate. For smaller organizations, “Dear [Company Name] Team,” can work when no specific department is identified. Keep the greeting professional and relevant to the position.
Over the past 15 years, we’ve helped more than 10 million job seekers build stronger cover letters, discover their career paths, interview confidently, and boost their chances of finding the right job faster. Review our Editorial Policy to learn more about our process.
We’ve helped job seekers create strong applications for 15+ years.
Featured in:*
Add LiveCareer as a preferred source on Google
