If the job listing instructs you to address your cover letter to a job title or other designation, follow those instructions exactly. The company may be using a filter to collect applications, particularly if you’re submitting your cover letter and résumé by email.
Some small, privately held companies or startups may not have a list of employees on their website. Extremely small “mom and pop” companies may not even have a website at all. In that case, do a general internet search for the name of the company and see what comes up. You can also search the company on career networking sites, such as LinkedIn. You may be able to find the name of someone in charge of hiring new employees. [5] X Research source
If you’re applying to a larger corporation, you may want to provide the job title you’re interested in or the department where you’re applying to work. Larger corporations likely have more than one hiring manager, depending on the job. For the largest companies, you’ll have better luck asking to be connected to human resources. Someone in that department would be more likely to know the name you’ll need than a receptionist or operator.
For example, if you’re applying for an accounting position, you might address your cover letter to the “Chief Financial Officer. "
For example, if you’re applying for a job as a senior analyst, you might address your cover letter to the “Senior Analyst Hiring Manager. "
In a smaller company or startup, you don’t have to worry as much about your cover letter and résumé getting to the right person. It’s likely that everyone who works for the company knows that they’re hiring, and knows who’s in charge of reviewing applicants.
Sometimes “hello” is appropriate, particularly if you’re sending your cover letter using email. However, unless you know the company is more casual, including the “dear” won’t hurt – even in email correspondence.
For example, if the recipient has her name listed on the company’s website as “Mrs. Shirley Jackson,” it’s okay to address her as “Mrs. Jackson” in your cover letter. If you’re not sure about the recipient’s gender identity, use their first and last name instead of “Mr. " or “Ms. "
For example, if Dr. Sam Greene is the head of the department where you’re applying for a job, you don’t need to know whether Sam is a man or a woman. You can simply address your letter to “Dr. Greene. " Check the company’s website or do an internet search if you think the recipient is part of an ethnic group that lists the family name first. For example, if you were writing a letter to Dr. Yang Yuanqing, who is Chinese, you would address your letter to “Dr. Yang,” since the family name is listed first in Mandarin.
If you’ve addressed your cover letter to a group of people, such as “Dear Web Content Hiring Team,” a colon may look better than a comma. Again, this is typically simply a matter of personal preference. If you choose to simply address the person by name, rather than including the word “dear,” follow their name with a colon instead of a comma.
