Why You Shouldnt Start Your Cover Letter With To Whom It May Concern

Why You Shouldnt Start Your Cover Letter With To Whom It May ConcernYouve found the job you want. Youve got your resume all set up, now you just need to write that cover letter. Keep in mind that your cover letter is your first impression. And the first impression of your first impression is how you open up your letter googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Youll want to make it as effective as possible by tailoring your salutation to its appropriate audiencewithout offending anyone or showing bias of any kind.Rule 1 If youre not writing to a particular committee or individual avoid thedreaded impersonal To Whom It May Concern. Also, steer clear ofthe generic Dear Sir or Madam, which is just hopelessly bland.Use What You KnowIf you know exactly who will be reading your letter, address it personally Really. Its okay. Dear John Smith will work. If you happen to know that your reader is a doctor or has a PhD, try Dear Dr. Smith instead. OR if you know the company culture to be on the informal side, and youre sure it wont backfire Dear John might do.If the Dear freaks you out, you can drop it entirely and just use the personenname, or you could try Hello instead. When in doubt, though, use Dear.Do Your ResearchIf you dont know the hiring manager or the person most likely to receive your letter, you could guess. Do a bit of Googling and at least find the head of the department youre applying to. Even if you shoot for higher up than the person who eventually receives your letter, youll still get points for initiative.If You Cant Find a Name, Try a TitleThe point is to be as specific as possible. If names are unavailable, you can always try Dear Senior Analyst Search Committee or Research Assistant Hiring Manager instead. For that matter, if you know you will be addressing a committee, a simple Dear Search Committee or Dear Hiring Committee will do nicely. Read through the job description for hintsoften it will include the name of the committee or department explicitly.When in doubt, err on the side of formal. And never gender a general salutation. Ladies and gentlemen could work. But often guessing on the position/manger/committee will net you more favorable results.Remember, this is your first impression in a letter that serves as an overall first impression. Dont blow it in the very first line.