How to Greet in a Cover Letter: 7 Steps

Your cover letter’s greeting is the first thing a hiring manager reads after your name. Getting it right sets a professional tone and shows you’ve done your homework. This guide walks you through choosing the correct salutation, from finding the right contact name to handling the tricky cases where no name is available.

What You’ll Need

The job posting (to check for a contact name)
The company’s website (especially the “About Us” and “Team” pages)
A LinkedIn account (free tier is fine) to search for the hiring manager
5–10 minutes to do the research

Step-by-Step

Check the job posting first. Scroll to the top and bottom of the job description. Many postings include a line like “Please address your application to Sarah Chen” or an HR contact email with a name. If you see a name, use it.
Look at the company’s website. Go to the “About Us” or “Team” page. Look for the department head, the person who would be your direct manager, or the HR director. If the team page lists roles but no names, try the company’s newsroom or press releases—they often name the department leads.
Search LinkedIn. Type the company name plus the job title you’re applying for (e.g., “Acme Corp Marketing Manager”). Look for someone whose role matches the person who would supervise this position. If you find them, verify they’re still there by checking their “Experience” section for the current date.
Determine the correct title. If you know the person’s gender and they use standard titles, use “Mr.” or “Ms.” If you’re unsure, or if the person has a neutral name, use their full name: “Dear Jordan Smith.” Never guess a title based on a first name alone.
Use the full name format when in doubt. “Dear Alex Johnson” is always safe—it’s professional, respectful, and avoids gender assumptions. This works for both men and women and for people with non-binary gender identities.
Fall back to a department or role if no name exists. If you genuinely cannot find a name after 10 minutes of searching, write “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Marketing Team.” These are acceptable and far better than “To Whom It May Concern.”
Format it correctly. Place the greeting on its own line, followed by a colon (not a comma) in American English: “Dear Ms. Chen:” Then skip a line and start your opening paragraph.

Common Mistakes

Using “To Whom It May Concern.” This is outdated, impersonal, and signals you didn’t try to find a name. It also reads as generic, which is the opposite of what a cover letter should be.
Guessing a gender from a first name. Names like “Taylor,” “Morgan,” “Casey,” or “Sam” are not reliably gendered. Never write “Dear Mr. Taylor” if Taylor might be a woman—you’ll look careless.
Using a first name only. “Dear John” is too casual for most professional contexts unless you already know the person well. Stick with a title and last name or the full name.
Addressing the wrong person. If you find a name but it’s the CEO and you’re applying for an entry-level role, you’ve addressed the wrong person. Target the person who would actually read your application—usually the hiring manager or department head.
Misspelling the name. A misspelled name in the greeting is an instant red flag. Double-check the spelling against two sources if possible.

Tips

Use LinkedIn’s “People” filter. After searching the company, filter by “People” and then by current company. This narrows results to current employees only, avoiding the embarrassment of addressing someone who left last month.
Check the company’s “Contact Us” page. Sometimes there’s a general email like “hr@company.com” that includes a name in the auto-reply. You can also call the main line and ask for the name of the hiring manager for a specific department—this is more common than you’d think.
When in doubt, use the full name. “Dear Robin Patel” is universally safe. It’s respectful, modern, and avoids the gender trap entirely.
Match the company culture. For a startup with a casual vibe, “Dear Alex” might be fine. For a law firm or bank, always use “Dear Mr./Ms. Lastname.” When unsure, err on the side of formality.
Keep it to one line. Don’t write “Dear Mr. Smith, who I met at the career fair on Tuesday.” Save that context for the opening paragraph.

Troubleshooting

You found a name but it’s ambiguous (e.g., “Chris”). Use the full name: “Dear Chris Lee.” This is correct regardless of gender.
The job posting says “no phone calls.” Respect that. Don’t call the company to ask for a name. Instead, rely on LinkedIn and the website. If you still can’t find a name, use “Dear Hiring Manager.”
You found a name on LinkedIn but they’re not in the right department. A name is better than no name, but only if it’s the right person. If you can’t confirm they’re the hiring manager, use the department greeting instead: “Dear Engineering Team.”
The company is very small (under 10 employees). Check the website’s footer or the “Contact” page—small companies often list a direct email like “jane@company.com.” Use that name.
You’re applying through a portal that doesn’t show any company info. Search the company name on LinkedIn anyway. If the company has no online presence at all, “Dear Hiring Manager” is your best and only option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is “Dear Sir or Madam” ever acceptable?
A: No. It’s outdated, assumes a binary gender, and signals you didn’t bother to find a name. Use “Dear Hiring Manager” instead.

Q: What if I know the person’s name but not their gender?
A: Use their full name: “Dear Jamie Rodriguez.” This is professional and avoids assumptions.

Q: Should I use a comma or a colon after the greeting?
A: In American English business letters, use a colon (“Dear Ms. Chen:”). In British English or more casual contexts, a comma is acceptable. When in doubt, the colon is safer for formal applications.

Q: Can I use “Dear Hiring Team” if I’m applying to a startup?
A: Yes. “Dear Hiring Team” or “Dear [Department] Team” works well for startups and smaller companies where multiple people might review your application.

Q: What if the job posting lists a name but it’s clearly a generic inbox like “jobs@company.com”?
A: That’s not a person’s name. Search the company website and LinkedIn for an actual individual. If you can’t find one, use “Dear Hiring Manager.”

Q: Is it okay to address the cover letter to the recruiter even if they’re not the hiring manager?
A: Yes, if the recruiter’s name is listed in the posting, address it to them. They’re the first person to read it, and using their name shows attention to detail.

Template

When you know the name:

Dear Ms. Chen:

[Opening paragraph…]

When you don’t know the name:

Dear Hiring Manager: