Research with a time limit
Check the posting, company website and relevant team information for a recipient. Keep the search brief. If you cannot confirm a name, use a suitable team greeting instead of guessing.
When you have a name
Use “Dear Firstname Lastname” or a confirmed professional title. Preserve the spelling, accents, and capitalization the person uses. Avoid Mr., Ms., or another honorific unless you know it is appropriate.
When you do not have a name
A specific team based greeting signals care without pretending to know information you do not have. Avoid “To Whom It May Concern,” which feels distant, and “Dear Sir or Madam,” which assumes gender.
- Dear Product Hiring Team
- Dear Customer Operations Team
- Dear Hiring Manager
For recruiters and confidential searches
If an agency recruiter owns the process, address the recruiter directly. For a confidential employer, use the role or function named in the listing and focus the letter on the stated business need.
Final checklist
- Recipient name is verified and spelled correctly
- No unverified honorific
- Fallback names a relevant team where possible
- Company name matches the application
- Greeting is consistent across document and email
Frequently asked questions
- Is “Dear Hiring Manager” acceptable?
- Yes. A verified name or team is more specific, but “Dear Hiring Manager” is professional when the recipient is not public.
- Can I address the department head?
- Only if the available information suggests that person is involved. A team based greeting is safer than guessing.
- What if the recipient has a doctorate?
- Use a confirmed professional title when relevant and when that is how the person presents themselves. Otherwise, a full name greeting avoids assumptions.