“To Whom It May Concern” on Your Cover Letter

Updated June 17, 20221.7k

The term “To Whom It May Concern” is generally considered to be outdated on a cover letter. Why is that, and what should you replace it with?

To Whom It May Concern Cover Letter

If you’ve ever thought about the ways you can address your cover letter for a job application, the first phrase that might come to mind is “To Whom It May Concern.” For many people, this seems like the best option for a salutation when you’re not quite sure who will read your business correspondence. However, most experts don’t recommend using this phrase anymore. Here’s what you need to know about “To Whom It May Concern” as well as how to avoid it.

Why Should You Avoid “To Whom It May Concern” on a Cover Letter?

The biggest problem with “To Whom It May Concern” is that it’s an incredibly generic greeting. Even if it’s not be the case, many recruiters read this phrase and think of someone sending 100 cover letters that are exactly the same to 100 different companies. If you want a hiring manager to give you a job interview opportunity, you want them to remember you. That means avoiding generic phrases like this one in a cover letter.

Tips for Other Phrases To Use

So, if “To Whom It May Concern” isn't right for job applications, what is? Here are a few other addresses that may help you during your job search:

The name of the hiring manager
The name of the department handling hiring
Dear Hiring Manager
Dear Hiring Team
Dear HR Manager
Dear Recruiter
Dear Recruiting Department
Dear Recruiting Manager
Dear Recruiting Team

In general, the name of the person handling the hiring process is always going to be the best option. This gives you a specific person for you to direct your business letter. However, if you absolutely can’t find the name of the person that is handling the hiring process, the above suggestions are all better alternatives than “To Whom It May Concern.”

Remember to focus on formatting when using any of these phrases, as great formatting leaves the right first impression. Use capital letters; for instance, “Dear Hiring Manager,” and not “Dear hiring manager.” Be sure to add a comma after the salutation. If you’re addressing the letter with a full name, you can use either the last name, like “Dear Mr. Smith,” or the full name, like, “Dear John Smith.”

Finding a Name To Address Your Cover Letter

Just because you have a list of potential alternatives doesn’t mean you should just give up on finding the name of the talent acquisition manager, human resources manager, or another contact person to address your cover letter to.

The first option is to look at the job posting itself. Oftentimes, you’ll find the name of your contact person in the job description. It may also have a slightly more roundabout piece of information, like “Human Resources department head.” If you can discern who this is, you’ll have the full name you need to address your contact letter.

The next option is to look at the company’s website. By applying for the job, you should already have the company’s name. Check the About Us section, their Team Members section, and any other staff-related pages that you can find on the website. If you can’t find anything about the right person on the website, you might want to check the company’s LinkedIn and see if anyone has linked their account to the official LinkedIn profile.

Another possible option is to see whether you know someone who already works at the place you’re hoping to get your new job. If you have a family member who works at this company, you can ask them to do some prospecting and find the contact information you’re looking for.

Lastly, if all else fails, you can also call the company directly. A quick “Do you know who’s handling talent acquisition for [job title]?” can help point you toward the right person that you need to address your letter to.

FAQ: To Whom It May Concern Cover Letter

Should I use “Dear Sir or Madam” instead?

“Dear Sir or Madam” is another phrase that seems like it should be good for job seekers who don’t know exactly who might be reading the letter, but it’s not a great option. It suffers from the same problems as “To Whom It May Concern.” It’s stuffy, overly generic, and outdated. Instead, use one of the recommendations from this article.

Can a cover letter template help me create a cover letter introduction?

Cover letter templates are a great start to any cover letter introduction. When you use the cover letter builder from ResumeNerd, you can get help with your cover letter introduction and the rest of the cover letter as well. It’s an effective way to start your journey toward a new job.

How should I address my cover letter if the hiring team is a group of people?

If the hiring team is an entire department, address the cover letter to the department. Think of the department itself as your contact person. Rather than “To Whom It May Concern,” which is generic, you’re addressing your cover letter to the people the cover letter is going to.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.