How to Address Your Next Cover Letter

You have your resume all ready to go – it’s professional and aligned with the desired job opportunity. In fact, you have also developed a really fantastic cover letter outlining why you are the perfect candidate for this position. You are excited to send it. Then, it hits you. Who do you address it to? There is no name in the advertisement and you can’t leave it blank. What do you do?

Throughout my time as a Certified Professional Resume Writer, I have received this question time and time again. However, even if you THINK you don’t know who to send the information to, there may be several ways to find out this information. After all, do you really want the “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam” salutation to be the first impression you leave with the organization? The answer should be a definite NO! Read below to discover several methods for discovering this information.

Conduct Research

Tip #1 – Conduct research on the organization’s website. Oftentimes, the contact person for various departments is listed, including Human Resources. If that doesn’t work, then try calling the company, stating that you are applying for ABC job opening, and would like to address the letter to the appropriate person.

Review the Job Posting

Tip #2 – Research the job posting. Does the ad provide an email address? If so, you can sometimes infer the contact information from the email listing. Does the company utilize first names and last names in their email addresses? Or, it could be just a last name? Again, utilize this information, and, if needed, call the company to clarify the first name or last name of the human resources contact person.

Research LinkedIn

Tip #3 – Review the company’s LinkedIn page. Once again, many companies list directors or department heads on their LinkedIn pages. And, even if you don’t find the contact information on the LinkedIn page, it will allow you to further research the company and gather additional information for an upcoming job interview.

Last Option

Tip #4 – Finally, if all else fails, utilize the salutation of “Dear Hiring Manager.” While this isn’t perfect, it is far better than a generic opening that showcases little to no research.

If you are unsure where to start with your resume, cover letter, or interviewing skills, please contact Feather Communications today. Since 2008, I have assisted thousands of job searching documents that allow my clients to feel confident and positive in during their job searches. Contact me today!