Cover Letter When You Don't Know the Hiring Manager: Complete Guide [2025]
![Cover Letter When You Don't Know the Hiring Manager: Complete Guide [2025]](https://db.coverlettercopilot.ai/storage/v1/object/public/blog-images/images/1764324968270_mfqql4awky.jpg)
TL;DR - Quick Answer
When you don't know the hiring manager's name, use "Dear Hiring Manager," "Dear [Department] Team," or "Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Team" as your cover letter greeting. These professional alternatives are widely accepted and far better than outdated phrases like "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Sir/Madam." While a personalized greeting is always preferable, sometimes finding a specific name simply isn't possible—and that's okay. What matters most is the quality of your cover letter content, not whether you discovered a name that wasn't publicly available.
That said, before defaulting to a generic greeting, exhaust your research options. Check LinkedIn, the company website, job posting details, and even call the company directly. Finding a name shows initiative and creates an immediate personal connection. This guide covers exactly when to use generic greetings, which alternatives work best, and how to compensate for an impersonal salutation with a strong opening paragraph.
For comprehensive guidance on cover letter greetings, see our detailed guide on how to address someone in a cover letter. For help creating your entire letter, try our AI cover letter generator.
Key Takeaways
"Dear Hiring Manager" is the gold standard: It's professional, widely accepted, and acknowledges you're addressing a specific person even without knowing their name.
Avoid outdated phrases: "To Whom It May Concern" and "Dear Sir/Madam" feel impersonal, dated, and signal you didn't try to personalize your application.
Try to find the name first: LinkedIn, company websites, and direct phone calls often reveal hiring manager names that aren't in the job posting.
Department-specific greetings work well: "Dear Marketing Team" or "Dear Engineering Hiring Committee" shows you understand where the role sits.
Compensate with a strong opening: If you can't personalize the greeting, make your first paragraph exceptionally compelling and specific to the role.
Why Finding the Hiring Manager's Name Matters
Before we dive into alternatives, let's understand why personalization matters. Research by TopResume found that cover letters addressed to a specific person receive 50% more positive responses than those with generic greetings. This isn't surprising—people respond better when they feel personally addressed rather than receiving mass communication.
A personalized greeting accomplishes several things simultaneously. It demonstrates initiative and research skills. It creates an immediate connection with the reader. It shows attention to detail—a quality every employer values. And it signals genuine interest in this specific position rather than a copy-paste approach to job hunting.
However, the reality of modern job searching means you won't always find a name. Large corporations often shield their hiring managers. Staffing agencies handle recruitment for many positions. Some companies deliberately withhold names to reduce direct outreach. In these situations, a well-crafted generic greeting is perfectly acceptable—and infinitely better than no greeting at all.
How to Find the Hiring Manager's Name
Before defaulting to a generic greeting, invest 15-20 minutes in targeted research. The effort often pays off, and even unsuccessful searches demonstrate the initiative that makes you a strong candidate.
LinkedIn Research Strategies
LinkedIn is your most powerful tool for finding hiring manager names. Here's how to use it effectively:
Search by company and department: Look for people with titles like "Hiring Manager," "Talent Acquisition," "Head of [Department]," or "Director of [Department]" at the target company.
Check who posted the job: If the position was posted on LinkedIn, the poster's name often appears. They may be the hiring manager or can point you to the right person.
Look at department team pages: Companies often feature team members on their LinkedIn company page. Browse the department where you'd be working.
Use LinkedIn's "People Also Viewed" feature: When viewing a potential hiring manager's profile, similar profiles often appear—one might be the actual decision-maker.
Leverage mutual connections: If you share connections with company employees, reach out for an introduction or ask who handles hiring for the role.
Company Website Investigation
Company websites often reveal more than job postings. Explore these sections:
"About Us" or "Our Team" pages for leadership and department heads
"Careers" pages for recruiter contact information
Press releases mentioning department leaders or new hires
Company blog posts authored by team members
Annual reports or investor presentations listing management
Direct Contact Methods
Sometimes the most effective approach is simply asking:
Call the company: Phone the main number and ask: "Could you tell me who handles hiring for the [Job Title] position?" Receptionists often provide this information.
Email HR: Send a brief, professional inquiry: "I'm preparing an application for the [Job Title] position and would like to address my cover letter appropriately. Could you share the hiring manager's name?"
Use the job posting contact: If the posting includes a contact email, ask for the hiring manager's name when submitting your application or beforehand.
Other Research Methods
Google search: "[Company Name] [Department] manager" or "[Company Name] hiring manager [Job Title]"
Glassdoor reviews sometimes mention interviewer names
Industry publications featuring company leadership
Professional association directories for specialized roles
Company social media accounts introducing team members
Even if you can't find the hiring manager, this research helps you understand the company culture and reference specific details in your letter—making it stronger regardless of how you address it.
Best Generic Greeting Alternatives
When you've exhausted your research options and can't find a specific name, these alternatives maintain professionalism while avoiding outdated language:
Tier 1: Best Options
"Dear Hiring Manager,"
This is the most widely accepted alternative to a named greeting. It's professional, acknowledges that a specific person will read your letter, and works across all industries. Use this when you have no information about the department structure or hiring process.
"Dear [Department] Team,"
Examples: "Dear Marketing Team," "Dear Engineering Team," "Dear Human Resources Team." This greeting shows you understand where the role sits in the organization and creates a slightly more personalized feel. It's particularly effective when you know you're addressing a collaborative hiring process.
"Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Team,"
Example: "Dear TechCorp Recruiting Team." This works well for large companies with dedicated recruitment departments. It acknowledges the company by name while being appropriately vague about the specific reader.
Tier 2: Acceptable Options
"Dear Hiring Committee,"
Best for academic positions, government roles, or organizations that explicitly mention committee-based hiring. It signals awareness of formal hiring processes.
"Dear Talent Acquisition Team,"
Appropriate for positions where you know recruitment is handled by a dedicated talent acquisition department rather than the hiring manager directly.
"Dear Human Resources Department,"
Acceptable but less personal. Use this when you know HR handles the initial screening but prefer something more formal than "Dear Hiring Manager."
What to Avoid
"To Whom It May Concern" — Outdated, overly formal, and signals you made no effort to personalize. This phrase belongs in generic letters of recommendation, not job applications.
"Dear Sir/Madam" — Assumes binary gender and feels dated. Modern workplaces value inclusivity, and this greeting doesn't reflect that.
"Dear Sir or Madam" — Same issues as above, with the added awkwardness of extra words.
"Hello" or "Hi" — Too casual for most job applications. Reserve this for industries where informal communication is explicitly the norm.
"Hey there" or "Hi there" — Never appropriate for professional job applications, regardless of company culture.
No greeting at all — Starting directly with your content appears rushed, unprofessional, and potentially disrespectful.
How to Compensate with a Strong Opening
When you can't personalize your greeting, make your opening paragraph work harder. A compelling first paragraph can overcome an impersonal salutation by immediately demonstrating value and genuine interest.
Opening Paragraph Strategies
Lead with a compelling achievement:
"In my current role as Senior Marketing Manager, I increased qualified leads by 156% while reducing cost-per-acquisition by 40%—results I'm eager to replicate for [Company Name]'s growing team."
Reference something specific about the company:
"After reading about [Company Name]'s recent expansion into the European market, I was excited to see the International Sales Manager position. My eight years managing cross-border sales teams have prepared me to contribute immediately to this initiative."
Connect your experience to their stated needs:
"Your job posting emphasizes the need for someone who can 'bridge technical and business teams'—a description that perfectly matches my five years translating complex engineering concepts for stakeholder presentations at [Current Company]."
Show passion for the industry or mission:
"As someone who has followed [Company Name]'s sustainability initiatives since your 2020 commitment to carbon neutrality, I was thrilled to discover the Environmental Compliance Manager opening."
For more strategies on creating powerful cover letter openings, see our guide on what to include in a cover letter.
Industry-Specific Considerations
Different industries have different norms around cover letter formality. Adjust your approach accordingly:
Corporate, Finance, and Law
These traditionally formal industries expect conventional greetings. "Dear Hiring Manager" is always appropriate. Avoid any casualness in your salutation. If you can't find a specific name, stick strictly to the formal alternatives. The greeting sets the tone for the formality expected throughout the letter.
For corporate roles, see our accountant cover letter examples for appropriate tone and formatting.
Technology and Startups
Tech companies often have more relaxed cultures, but your cover letter should still be professional. "Dear Hiring Manager" works, though "Dear [Company Name] Team" might feel more appropriate for startups with flat hierarchies. Some very casual startups might accept "Hello," but err on the side of formality for initial contact.
Check our software engineer cover letter examples for tech-specific guidance.
Creative and Design
Creative industries allow slightly more personality, but the salutation isn't the place for creativity. Save your originality for the content. "Dear Creative Team" or "Dear [Agency Name] Team" works well. Avoid gimmicky greetings that might fall flat with the wrong reader.
For creative roles, explore our graphic designer cover letter examples.
Healthcare and Medical
Healthcare maintains high professionalism standards. "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear [Department] Hiring Committee" are appropriate. If applying to a specific practice, "Dear [Practice Name] Team" works. Always maintain the formal tone expected in medical environments.
See our registered nurse cover letter examples for healthcare-specific formatting.
Academic Positions
Academic hiring almost always involves committees. "Dear Search Committee" or "Dear Hiring Committee" are standard and expected. These positions often list committee chair names in the posting—if so, address them directly. Academic culture highly values protocol, so stick to these conventions.
Government and Non-Profit
Government positions typically have formal hiring processes. "Dear Hiring Manager," "Dear Selection Panel," or "Dear [Agency Name] Human Resources" are appropriate. Non-profits may be slightly less formal but still appreciate professionalism. "Dear [Organization Name] Team" shows you understand their collaborative culture.
Complete Examples
Here are full cover letter openings showing how generic greetings can lead into strong content:
Example 1: Corporate Position
Dear Hiring Manager,
Your posting for Senior Financial Analyst immediately caught my attention. With seven years of experience in corporate financial planning at Fortune 500 companies and a track record of identifying $2.3M in cost savings through process optimization, I'm excited to bring my analytical skills to [Company Name]'s finance team.
The role's emphasis on cross-functional collaboration aligns perfectly with my experience leading monthly business reviews with C-suite executives and translating complex financial data into actionable insights for non-finance stakeholders...
Example 2: Tech Startup
Dear TechVenture Team,
When I read about TechVenture's Series B funding and plans to scale the engineering team, I knew the Senior Backend Developer role was the opportunity I've been seeking. My five years building high-availability systems at [Current Company], where I architected APIs handling 10 million daily requests, have prepared me to help TechVenture meet its ambitious growth targets.
I'm particularly drawn to your commitment to developer experience—a passion I share after reducing deployment time by 70% through CI/CD pipeline improvements at my current role...
Example 3: Healthcare
Dear Patient Services Hiring Committee,
With ten years of experience in patient coordination and a deep commitment to compassionate care, I'm writing to express my strong interest in the Patient Services Manager position at [Hospital Name]. My current role managing a team of 15 coordinators serving 200+ patients daily has prepared me to lead [Hospital Name]'s patient services department during this period of expansion.
Your hospital's recent recognition for patient satisfaction scores resonated with me personally—patient experience has been the driving focus of my career...
Example 4: Non-Profit
Dear Community Foundation Team,
Your mission to eliminate childhood hunger in our community inspired me long before I saw the Development Director position posted. For the past six years, I've dedicated my career to non-profit fundraising, most recently raising $4.2 million for youth education programs at [Current Organization]. I would be honored to bring this experience to [Foundation Name]'s vital work.
The position's emphasis on corporate partnerships aligns perfectly with my success in building relationships that resulted in a 200% increase in corporate giving at my current organization...
Common Questions About Unknown Hiring Managers
Is it ever okay to not include a greeting?
No. Always include a greeting, even if it's generic. Skipping the salutation appears rushed and unprofessional. Some online application systems have character limits—if you're constrained, abbreviate other content rather than eliminating the greeting.
Should I use "Mx." if I don't know the person's gender?
If you have a name but don't know the gender, use their full name: "Dear Taylor Morgan," or "Dear T. Morgan." "Mx." is increasingly accepted but not universal—using the full name avoids any potential issues. For completely unknown recipients, stick with "Dear Hiring Manager."
What if the job posting says "no cover letter required"?
If you're submitting a cover letter anyway (which can still be valuable), use the same greeting conventions. If you're writing a brief email with your application, start with "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear [Company] Recruiting Team" even in the email body.
Can I use "Good morning" or "Good afternoon"?
Generally avoid time-specific greetings in written documents—you don't know when they'll be read, making the greeting potentially inaccurate. Stick with "Dear [X]" formats for cover letters. Time-specific greetings are more appropriate for emails where timing is clearer.
Should I address my letter differently for internal transfers?
For internal positions, you often know the hiring manager or can easily find out. If you genuinely don't know who handles internal hiring, "Dear [Department] Hiring Team" or "Dear Internal Recruiting" works. Leverage your internal network—someone can usually point you to the right person.
What if I'm applying through a staffing agency?
Address your cover letter to the ultimate employer, not the staffing agency, unless specifically instructed otherwise. Use "Dear Hiring Manager" since the agency typically won't share client hiring manager names. Your letter content should focus on the actual position and company.
How do I handle multiple recipients?
If you know the letter will be reviewed by multiple people (common in panel interviews), "Dear Hiring Committee," "Dear Interview Panel," or "Dear [Department] Selection Team" acknowledges multiple readers appropriately.
Is "Dear Recruiter" appropriate?
"Dear Recruiter" can work when you know the letter goes to a recruiter rather than the hiring manager. However, "Dear Hiring Manager" is safer since it works regardless of who actually reads it first. "Dear Talent Acquisition Team" is another option when you know dedicated recruiters handle initial screening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best generic greeting for a cover letter?
"Dear Hiring Manager" is the most universally accepted generic greeting. It's professional, acknowledges a specific reader, and works across all industries. "Dear [Department] Team" is a strong alternative when you know the department, offering slightly more specificity.
Is "To Whom It May Concern" still acceptable?
While technically not incorrect, "To Whom It May Concern" is considered outdated and overly formal for modern job applications. It signals that you didn't attempt to personalize your application. Use "Dear Hiring Manager" instead—it's equally formal but feels more direct and contemporary.
How long should I spend trying to find the hiring manager's name?
Invest 15-20 minutes in research. Check LinkedIn, the company website, and consider calling the company. If you haven't found a name in that time, proceed with "Dear Hiring Manager" rather than delaying your application. The quality of your letter matters more than the greeting.
Can I address my cover letter to the CEO?
Generally no, unless you're applying for a C-suite position or the company is very small. For most roles, addressing the CEO seems presumptuous and may be off-putting. Address the appropriate level—the hiring manager, department head, or recruiting team.
Should I mention that I couldn't find the hiring manager's name?
No. Drawing attention to what you couldn't find serves no purpose and may seem like you're making excuses. Simply use an appropriate generic greeting and move confidently into your compelling content. Your research efforts should inform your letter content, not be mentioned explicitly.
What if I find multiple possible hiring managers?
When uncertain between multiple people, "Dear Hiring Manager" is safer than guessing wrong. Addressing the wrong person can be worse than using a generic greeting. However, if you can identify who's most likely based on their title and department, it's worth the personalization attempt.
Does the greeting really matter that much?
The greeting matters, but it's not the most important element. A personalized greeting provides a small advantage, and an outdated greeting ("To Whom It May Concern") can hurt you. But your letter's content—your relevant experience, enthusiasm, and fit for the role—matters far more than the salutation.
How do I address a cover letter for a company with unusual naming?
For companies with unconventional names (all lowercase, single words, etc.), use their official formatting in greetings: "Dear spotify Recruiting Team" if that's their branding. When uncertain, "Dear Hiring Manager" avoids any naming issues while remaining professional.
Should greetings differ for email cover letters versus attached documents?
Maintain the same formality level for both. Whether your cover letter is in the email body or an attachment, use "Dear Hiring Manager" or another appropriate greeting. The email subject line handles the context; the letter itself should be complete and professional.
What about using the job posting reference number in my greeting?
Reference numbers belong in your subject line or opening paragraph, not the greeting. Your greeting should address a person ("Dear Hiring Manager") followed by an opening that references the specific position: "I'm writing to apply for the Marketing Manager position (Ref: MM-2025-123)."
Can a poor greeting get my application rejected?
An egregiously poor greeting (misspelling a name you should have verified, using inappropriate informality, or outdated phrases) can create a negative first impression. However, most recruiters won't reject otherwise strong candidates solely for using "Dear Hiring Manager." Focus on making the rest of your letter exceptional.
How do I handle follow-up letters when I still don't know the name?
For follow-up correspondence, continue with the same greeting you used initially. If you've since learned the hiring manager's name through the interview process, switch to addressing them directly. Consistency shows professionalism; adapting when you have new information shows attentiveness.
Using AI to Perfect Your Cover Letter
Whether you know the hiring manager's name or not, the rest of your cover letter needs to be compelling, tailored, and error-free. This is where AI tools can provide significant value.
Our AI cover letter generator helps you create personalized, professional letters in under 60 seconds. Simply upload your resume and paste the job description—the AI crafts content that highlights your most relevant experience for each specific position.
For inspiration across different industries and experience levels, browse our cover letter examples or download professional cover letter templates to ensure your formatting is as polished as your content.
Conclusion
Not knowing the hiring manager's name doesn't doom your cover letter to failure. While personalization is always preferable, professional alternatives like "Dear Hiring Manager" and "Dear [Department] Team" are widely accepted and appropriate.
The key is to invest reasonable effort in finding a name—15-20 minutes of research demonstrates initiative. If that search proves unsuccessful, confidently use a professional generic greeting and pour your energy into crafting compelling content that showcases your qualifications and genuine interest in the role.
Remember: hiring managers won't reject strong candidates because they couldn't find a name that wasn't publicly available. What they will reject are letters with poor content, obvious lack of research, or outdated greetings like "To Whom It May Concern." Focus on what you can control—your research, your storytelling, and your fit for the position.
Ready to create a standout cover letter? Our AI cover letter generator handles the heavy lifting, helping you craft personalized letters that make strong first impressions—regardless of whether you know the hiring manager's name. For more guidance, explore our comprehensive guide on how to create a cover letter or learn what makes a cover letter stand out.
