- Three checks cover it: the employer’s website, one phone call, then the department head as addressee (Yale; UNC).
- Colon or comma? The guides split: business letters take a colon after the greeting, templates a comma.
- Never read a gender into a first name: use the job title plus the name, or the full name alone (Purdue OWL).
Priya has found the job she wants, and the posting names no one to write to. Three checks settle most cases, and the opening line works anyway.
Finding a Name for Your Cover Letter
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Search the employer’s website
Yale’s advice is to research the employer’s websites for the recipient’s name.
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Make one phone call
Sometimes it takes one call: UNC-Chapel Hill’s handout notes that “a phone call to an administrative assistant will do the trick.”
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Aim one level up
Still nothing? Yale’s fallback is the head of the unit, department, or office; “Dear Hiring Committee” is the last choice.
Greetings That Work Without a Name
When in doubt, use “Hiring Manager,” the UNC-Chapel Hill salutation handout advises.
| Case | Greeting |
|---|---|
| No name found, most applications | “Dear Hiring Manager” |
| Documents go through HR | “Dear HR Manager” |
| Job in higher education | “Dear Search Committee” |
| A more personal line | “Dear [Company] Hiring Manager” |
| Nothing else worked | “Dear Hiring Committee” |
| CareerOneStop’s stand-ins | The recipient’s job title, “Human Resources” or “Search Committee” |
CareerOneStop, which the U.S. Labor Department sponsors, draws the line at greetings addressed to a business, a department, or “To Whom It May Concern.”
Titles, Names, and the Gender Question
When the name comes with a title, business letters put the personal title in front of the last name. Unsure of the gender? Purdue’s writing lab suggests the job title with the name, or the full name alone, as in its “Dear Chris Harmon:” example; UNC adds neutral titles, “Chair” or “Chairperson” rather than “Chairman” or “Chairwoman.”
After the Greeting: Colon or Comma?
On business letters, Purdue OWL asks for a colon after the salutation, “never a comma,” and the UNC-Chapel Hill handout repeats the rule. Templates lean the other way: CareerOneStop’s sample greets “Dear Ms./Mr. [Hiring Manager’s Name],” with a comma, and the University of Toronto’s email template does the same. No guide settles the question for cover letters alone, so pick one and keep it. Purdue and CareerOneStop’s template agree on the closing, at least: a comma.
Priya’s Letter, From the First Line
Natalie, the cover letter coach on Nation AI, wrote the letter below for Priya from her CV and the posting; Priya and Northstar Goods, the Denver seller, are invented. New to what a cover letter is? Note where the greeting sits.
The letter Natalie wrote for Priya
Dear Hiring Manager,
I’m applying for the Sales Representative position at Northstar Goods in Denver. With a bachelor’s degree in business administration and hands-on experience in retail sales and customer outreach, I’m ready to contribute to your sales team.
As a retail associate, I helped increase monthly sales by 12% by supporting customers and helping them find products suited to their needs. During my internship at BrightPath Supplies, I contacted 35 prospective customers each week, building my communication and outreach experience. These roles have given me a practical foundation in customer service and working toward sales goals.
I’m drawn to this position because I enjoy helping customers find practical solutions. I’d welcome the opportunity to bring that approach and my sales experience to Northstar Goods.
Thank you for your consideration. I’d be glad to discuss my application in an interview.
Best regards,
Priya
Asking Natalie what to try
I couldn’t find a name. What else can I try?
“Check the job posting, company website, and LinkedIn for the recruiter or sales team lead.”
“If you still can’t find a name, don’t guess; use the greeting above.”
The Same Greeting, by Email
In an email, the University of Toronto’s guide keeps the same greetings, “Dear Mr./Ms. LastName” or “Dear Hiring Manager,” or drops the salutation and starts straight with the first paragraph. A subject that says what is inside is what gets a message opened, the guide warns; CareerOneStop adds that the body of the email can be the letter when the employer asks for email applications.
Natalie
AI cover letter assistant
“Share the posting and your experience, and I draft the letter with the greeting that fits, name or no name. I use only what you give me, so nothing claims experience you do not have.”
A greeting that fits, then the letter
Give Natalie the posting and the name you found, and she drafts the letter in the AI cover letter generator; the first messages are free, no sign-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “Dear Sir or Madam” still acceptable?
The UNC-Chapel Hill handout files “Dear Sir/Madame” and “To Whom It May Concern” as outdated; greet a person or a role instead.
Should I guess the hiring manager’s name?
No. Natalie’s rule from the chat above holds: if the name will not surface, do not guess; the fallback greeting needs no name.
Does the recipient’s address go in the letter?
On a printed or attached letter, yes, above the greeting: Purdue OWL puts the inside address one line below the date, left justified, in U.S. Post Office format, and CareerOneStop’s template stacks name, job title, organization, street address, then city, state and ZIP.
Sources
- USC Career Center, cover letter overview.
- U.S. Department of Labor, CareerOneStop, on writing a cover letter.
- Cover letter sample and template, CareerOneStop.
- Cover letter advice and samples, Yale Law School.
- The basic business letter, Purdue OWL.
- Job search salutations, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, UNC-Chapel Hill.
- How to format an email, Rotman Commerce, University of Toronto.
One more pair of eyes on the letter?
Alex, Nation AI’s generalist assistant, helps with every other line, from the hook to the sign-off.
