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How to Address a Cover Letter Without a Name (and Find One First)

By Roy4 min read
Tagscover letterjob search strategyresume tips

The greeting is the first line a hiring manager reads, and a generic one — especially "To Whom It May Concern" — quietly signals that you didn't try very hard. But most job postings don't name a contact, so what do you actually write when you don't have a name? The short answer is: try to find one, and if you can't, use a specific, professional fallback rather than an archaic one.

Why the greeting matters more than it seems

A cover letter is your one chance to speak directly to a person, so opening with a vague salutation undercuts the whole point. A specific greeting — ideally a name — signals research and genuine interest. Even a well-chosen generic greeting ("Dear Marketing Hiring Team") beats a stale catch-all because it shows you at least identified who you're writing to.

This is part of the broader principle behind what a cover letter is for: personalization. The same effort that makes you find a name is what makes the rest of the letter specific.

How to find the hiring manager's name first

Before you settle for a generic greeting, spend five minutes here:

  1. Re-read the job posting. Names sometimes appear in the contact line, the "report to" section, or the application instructions.
  2. Search LinkedIn. Look up the company, then filter people by titles like "Recruiter," "Talent Acquisition," or the manager of the relevant department (e.g., "Head of Marketing" for a marketing role).
  3. Check the company's team or about page. Smaller companies often list department leads.
  4. Look at the email address. If the posting routes applications to "jane.doe@company.com," you may have your name.
  5. Call or email the main line. A quick "Who should I address my application to for the [role]?" is completely normal and shows initiative.

If you find a name, use "Dear [First Last]," or "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last]," — and double-check the spelling. When you're unsure of someone's pronouns or honorific, the full name without a title ("Dear Jordan Lee,") is safe.

The best greetings when you truly can't find a name

If your search comes up empty, choose a fallback in roughly this order of preference:

  • Dear Hiring Manager, — the reliable, widely accepted default.
  • Dear [Department] Hiring Team, — e.g., "Dear Engineering Hiring Team," more specific and warmer.
  • Dear [Job Title] Hiring Team, — e.g., "Dear Marketing Coordinator Hiring Team."
  • Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Team, — when you know it's routed through recruiting.

Each of these is professional, specific to the role or team, and avoids the impersonal tone of older conventions.

Greetings to avoid

Steer clear of these — they range from dated to off-putting:

  • To Whom It May Concern — the classic, and the one that most signals low effort.
  • Dear Sir or Madam — outdated and makes assumptions about gender.
  • Dear Sirs — outdated and exclusionary.
  • Hi there / Hey — too casual for a cover letter.
  • Dear Recruiter when you're addressing the actual hiring manager (mismatched) — use "Hiring Manager" if unsure who reviews it.
  • Just "Hello," with no recipient — reads as unfinished.
  • Omitting the greeting entirely — never skip it.

Make the rest of the letter as specific as the greeting

A strong greeting sets up a strong letter — but only if the body follows through with the same specificity. Tailor your content to the posting's language (see tailoring to a job description), keep it to 250–400 words, and finish with a confident close (see how to end a cover letter).

If writing a personalized letter for every application feels like a lot, our AI cover letter generator drafts a tailored letter from your resume and the job posting — you supply the greeting and the human touches, it handles the structure. The free trial includes 3 generations. And before you submit, confirm your resume matches the job's keywords with our free resume checker.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'To Whom It May Concern' acceptable on a cover letter?
It's best avoided. It reads as dated and impersonal and suggests you didn't try to find the recipient. Use 'Dear Hiring Manager' or a team-specific greeting like 'Dear Engineering Hiring Team' instead.
What can I use instead of 'Dear Sir or Madam'?
Use 'Dear Hiring Manager,' or address the team directly — for example, 'Dear Marketing Hiring Team,' or 'Dear [Company] Recruiting Team.' These are professional and avoid assumptions about gender.
How do I find the hiring manager's name?
Re-read the posting for a contact, search LinkedIn for the relevant department head or recruiter, check the company's team page, look at the application email address, or call the main line and ask who to address it to.
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