How to Choose the Right Cover Letter Salutation (+ Examples)

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Your cover letter’s salutation sets a professional tone for your application. We’ll show you greeting examples for different situations so you always know how to start your letter smoothly.

Cover letter salutations for different situations

The best salutation for a modern cover letter is “Dear” + [Mr./Ms.] + [hiring manager’s last name]. This is more professional than using an outdated greeting such as “Dear Sir or Madam” or an informal “Hi” or “Hello”.

When you don’t know the hiring manager’s name

First, try looking for the hiring manager’s name on the company website, LinkedIn, or Google.

If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, address your cover letter with a job title or department:

Examples of salutations when you don’t have a name

Dear Client Services Manager,
Dear Vice President of Business Development,
Dear Sales & Marketing Director,
Dear Hiring Manager,
Dear Human Resources Team,

When you know the hiring manager’s name

Use either Mr. or Ms. + their last name, or use their full name:

Examples of salutations when you know the name

Dear Mr. Tsai,
Dear Ms. Rodriguez,
Dear Eli Watson,

Finally, if the hiring manager has an academic or professional title, use it instead of Mr./Ms.

Examples of salutations with academic or professional titles

Dear Dr. Al-Bassam,
Dear Lieutenant Pritchard,
Dear Professor Lin,
Dear Assoc. Prof. Barker,
Dear Pres. Jardyn,

When the recipient’s gender is unknown

If you aren’t sure about the recipient’s gender, use their full name in the salutation:

Examples of salutations when their gender is unknown

Dear Cameron Hill,
Dear Jay MacBride,
Dear Taylor O’Malley,
Dear Blake Liverly,

Regardless of gender, never address a hiring manager by their first name only.

Build My Cover Letter

Our cover letter builder can make you a cover letter in as little as 5 minutes. Just pick the template you want, and our software will format everything for you.

Cover letter greeting template

Here’s a cover letter greeting you can copy and paste into your own cover letter, and customize however you want.

Cover letter salutations to avoid

Avoid the following greetings that are too old-fashioned, impersonal, or casual:

Examples of salutations to avoid

Dear Sir or Madam,
To Whom it May Concern,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Hey/Hello,
Greetings,

Don’t forget to end your cover letter professionally. Write “Sincerely,” followed by a line break, and then your full name.

Years of Experience

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Articles Written

Nathan Soto is dedicated to providing practical guidance to job seekers, especially people with nonlinear career paths.

Nathan graduated from the University of Nevada with a double B.A. in French and Music. His articles and career advice have been featured on multiple platforms, offering insights into resume writing, interview preparation, and personal branding.

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