The best cover letter greeting is the hiring manager’s name. When no name turns up after ten minutes of looking, “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear [Team] Hiring Team” are the safe fallbacks, and “To Whom It May Concern” and “Dear Sir or Madam” are the ones to replace. The table gives a verdict on each.
Which cover letter greeting should you use?
| Greeting | Verdict | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Dear plus the hiring manager’s name | Best | You found the hiring manager or recruiter |
| Dear Hiring Manager | Acceptable fallback | The posting names nobody and a search finds nothing |
| Dear Hiring Team, with the team name added | Acceptable | The posting names a team or the company reviews applications as a group |
| Dear Recruiter | Situational | A named recruiter owns the posting and you know their name is unavailable |
| To Whom It May Concern | Replace it | Almost never for an application |
| Dear Sir or Madam | Replace it | Almost never for an application |
How do you find a name so you can skip the generic greeting?
Ten minutes of research is enough for most postings. Read the description for a team or a “reports to” line, then search the company’s LinkedIn People tab for that function plus a manager-level title. The guide to finding the hiring manager covers LinkedIn, Indeed, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever and Ashby postings one by one.
A name also works in an email greeting, and the email version of this question has its own subject line options.
Does the greeting change the outcome?
The greeting is one small signal among many, and nothing here claims a measured effect on reply rates. A named greeting shows research, and most employers accept a generic one. The greeting costs you only when it signals a template, as “To Whom It May Concern” does.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use a first name or a last name?
Use the form the company uses. Tech and startup teams write first names, while law, finance and academic settings expect a title and last name, such as “Dear Ms. Alvarez”.
What if the hiring manager’s gender or title is unclear?
Use the full name without a title: “Dear Jordan Alvarez”. It avoids guessing and reads as professional.
Does the greeting matter in the email body if I attach a cover letter?
Yes. The email body is the first thing a reader sees, so it needs its own greeting. Keep the attached letter’s greeting identical.
