How to address a letter to an unknown person UK

Hoping to land an interview? Avoid these greetings in your cover letter!

Is your cover letter landing you interview after interview? Probably not. Shockingly, there's only a 17 per cent chance that your cover letter will actually be read, according to recent statistics. So if you want to give yourself the best chance at success, you need to catch the reader's attention. The opening line of your letter has to be just right.

You may already be wondering how to address a cover letter that will dazzle employers. Well, why don't we take a moment to talk about what not to do? Here are some of the worst ways you could address a cover letter to an unknown recipient. Avoid them at all costs!

'Hey' or 'Hi'

You're not texting your mate. When you're addressing a cover letter to an unknown person, the last thing you want to do is get overly familiar with them. Greetings such as 'Hey', 'Hi' and even 'Hello' are strikingly casual. You should only use them when you know someone or are in a social environment.

Needless to say, your cover letter is neither the time nor the place for these greetings. When you start a letter this way, it's unlikely that the employer or recruiter will read the whole thing. Your lack of professionalism and awareness is likely to lose you the opportunity before you've even received it.

'Dear Team'

Who exactly are you addressing here? Are you sending a letter (or email) to the whole company? No, you are not. This rookie mistake shows that you have no idea how to address a cover letter.

You're writing to one or two individuals ‒ the people who have hiring power within the company. The fact that you don't know who they are already puts you at something of a disadvantage. Don't make things worse by addressing a whole group of unnamed people.

'To whom it may concern'

You may have been taught this one in school, but that doesn't mean it's right. The working world has come a long way in the last 10 years. It's time we started to update the lingo we use to match that. For instance, if you're applying for a modern role, such as one in a marketing or a digital field, this greeting won't align with their culture.

Using this formal way of addressing a letter tells the reader two things: 1) you are lazy and 2) you can't be bothered to find out who they are. It's a real faux pas.

'Dear Sir or Madam'

You may not know whether you're writing to a man or woman, but that doesn't mean this opening will cut it. This greeting is many people's 'go to' when they are addressing a cover letter with no name, but much like 'To whom it may concern', this one is overly formal and outdated.

What's more, it's not likely to make any impression on the person reading it. Think about it: they have to sift through hundreds of letters. There is nothing at all that makes this bland opening stand out from the crowd.

'Dear Recruiter'

Have you ever read a duller opening line? Just because you're addressing a cover letter to an unknown person doesn't mean that you have to bore them. While this greeting is professional and will do your cover letter no real harm, it shouldn't be your first choice.

If you are going through a recruitment agency, finding out your contact's name shouldn't be all that difficult. Just ask. Whenever you can, it's good practice to address a recruiter by their name and title. This small and simple trick shows them that you have gone the extra mile and done some research.

'Dear HR Professional'

Don't presume that you know the reader's job title. You don't. Depending on the size of the company, there may not even be an HR department. Plus, the person reading your CV and cover letter may have a different title like 'Talent Acquisition Manager' or 'Recruiter'. By assuming what the person's role is, you could get off on the wrong foot.

If you don't know the specifics about someone or their role, don't try to guess. You may think it's a pretty safe way to go, but it could end up ruffling some feathers. Instead, keep things neutral and avoid any confusion.

When you're applying for that all-important dream job, choosing the right greeting for your cover letter is essential. It's the first thing the reader will see and will set the tone of your application. Now that you understand how not to address a cover letter, you can take to writing with the confidence that you won't make a mistake. Avoiding these missteps is sure to give you a real advantage.  

Once you've written a sparkling cover letter, make sure your CV is up to scratch too. Submit it to our free CV review service and find out now!  

Recommended Reading:

Related Articles:

Email etiquette for addressing unknown/external recipients:

1. If you don't know the gender of the recipient just use "Dear First Name, Last Name". Especially when you operate in a multicultural environment and cannot tell the gender behind every single name.

2. If you must absolutely be formal, stick with the good ol' "Dear Sir/Madam". It's less personal, but also less hassle - especially when working in an African context.

3. For an email exchange - note that it's all about the dance. One leads and the other follows:

• If the recipient responds to your first email with "First Name only" in their signature after you used "Dear First Name Last Name" to address them, please address them with "Dear First Name only" in your next email.
• If you are unsure/uncomfortable with the above, wait till you receive at least two emails from them where they use "First name only" in their signature and then address them by "Dear First Name only" in your next email.

4. Reciprocate - In case of doubt, just reciprocate in kind. E.g if they continually respond to all your emails with "Dear Madam" - even after you sign off with your first name only - then respond with "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam" or "Dear Sir/Madam" - whichever fits depending on if you know their gender.

5. If you are using "To Whom It May Concern" - it better be a generic email address eg. . Else you got work (research) to do.

6. Never assume - that a recipient is male, female, or both :P

7. Under no circumstance is "Dear First Name OR Last Name" okay. Especially not after multiple email exchanges.

8. BONUS: If you know you are emailing a woman, stick with "Ms. Last Name" - it covers both the married (Mrs.) and the unmarried (Miss).

Got your own tips on email etiquette? Share in the comment section.

The salutation is an important part of a letter. The choice of the right salutation depends on whether you know the person you are writing to and how formal your relationship is.

Very formal (for official business letters)

To Whom It May Concern:	Use only when you do not know to whom you must address the letter, for example, when writing to an institution.
Dear Sir/Madam,	Use when writing to a position without having a named contact.
Dear Mr Smith,	Use when you have a named male contact.
Dear Ms Smith,	Use when you have a named female contact; do not use the old-fashioned Mrs.
Dear Dr Smith,	Use when writing to a named doctor.
Dear Prof Smith,	Use when writing to a named professor.
Dear Xu Li,	Type the whole name when you are unsure of the recipient’s gender.

Less formal but still professional (business letters)

Dear colleagues,	Use when writing to a group of people.
Dear Mary,	Use when writing to a named female.
Dear John,	Use when writing to a named male.

 Informal (personal letters)

These salutations should be used with people you are close to, as they might offend others.

Hello guys,	Use when writing to a group of people you know very well.
Hi,	Use when writing to one or more people you know very well.

•  There should be a comma after the salutation and a colon after “To Whom It May Concern”.
• No full stop is needed after Mr, Ms, and Dr.
• The form Mrs is outdated.
• Avoid the exclamation (!) in salutations.

Starting your letter

There two ways in which business letters usually start: they make reference to a previous contact, for example, phone conversation, meeting, previous mail correspondence; or they are the first contact with the recipient.

Making reference to previous contact

I am (we are writing) regarding

• your inquiry about …
• our phone conversation …

In reply to your request …
Thank you for contacting us.

Contacting the recipient for the first time

I am (we are) writing to

• inform you that …
• confirm …
• enquire about …
• complain about …

I am contacting you for the following reason.
I recently heard about … and would like to …

Making a request

We would appreciate it if you would … I would be grateful if you could … Could you please send me … Could you possibly tell us …

It would be helpful if you could send us …

Giving good news

We are pleased to announce that …
I am delighted to inform you that …

Giving bad news

We regret to inform you that …
 I’m afraid it would not be possible to …
Unfortunately we are unable to …
After careful consideration we have decided …

Ending your letter

Enclosures

Please find enclosed (for letters)
Please find attached (for emails)

Offering future assistance

If you require more information, please let us know.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any further assistance.

Referring to future contact

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
We are looking forward to meeting you on 21 January/in Tromsø.
We would appreciate your reply at your earliest convenience.

Closing

The closing salutation must match the opening salutation and the overall tone of the letter. Choose one of the following closing lines depending on the formality of the salutation.

Very formal

Your sincerely, Sincerely yours, Respectfully,	Use when you’ve started with Dear Sir/Madam or To Whom It May Concern.
Sincerely,	Use when you’ve started with Dear + name.

 Less formal but still professional

Kind regards, Warm regards, Regards,	not too formal but businesslike
Best wishes,	even less formal

 Informal

Best, Hugs, Cheers,

Use with friends and colleagues you feel close to.