Cover Letter Tip: Address The Hiring Manager By Name

While it is true that your cover letter may not be more than glanced at due to the significant influx of resumes being submitted across the board, you still want to be prepared in case it does. If you do not show that you were concerned enough to find out the name of the person with the hiring power, you won’t be making a very strong impression.

Addressing the letter to

“Dear Human Resources”

“To Whom It May Concern”

“Dear Sir / Madam”

Contrast these generic titles with one that personally addresses the hiring manager:

“Dear Mr. Johnson”

It may seem irrelevant to some, but that little personal touch can make a world of difference. I feel more flattered when somebody addresses me by name versus “Dear Recruiter.”

Now ideally if you are following the 80/10/10 rule (80% of your time should be spent networking, 10% working with recruiters, and 10% applying for positions posted online), the need for a cover letter at all will only apply to 20% or less of your time. There are competing schools of thought regarding the importance of cover letters, or why cover letters are overrated. In any case, the question of course arises – what do I do if I don’t know thename of the hiring manager? In a previous post, I address that issue specifically (highlighted above). Suffice it to say, with a little legwork and creativity, you can find the name of pretty much about anyone.

Before I end this post, let me share a tip that extends beyond personally addressing the hiring manager in a cover letter: Find ways to personally make contact and network with that hiring manager over simply including his/her name in print on a piece of paper. Being able to network like this will skyrocket your chances landing for the position, and reduce the need for a cover letter at all.