The appropriate title for writing to a male is Mr. For a female, use Ms. Ms. is more professional than Mrs. even if you know the person you are writing to is married. For a medical doctor or someone with a PhD, use Dr.
If you don't know whether the individual is a man or woman use a gender neutral greeting and simply include their first and last name i.e. Dear Tristan Dolan.
The following is a list of letter salutation examples that are appropriate for business and employment-related correspondence.
Letter Greeting Examples
- Dear Mr. Smith
- Dear Mr. Jones
- Dear Kiley Doe
- Dear Dr. Haven
Follow the greeting with a colon or comma, a space, and then start the first paragraph of your letter. For example:
Dear Mr. Smith:
First paragraph of letter.
When You Don't Have a Contact Person
If you don't have a contact person at the company either leave off the salutation from your cover letter and start with the first paragraph of your letter or use a general salutation. For example:
To whom it may concern:
First paragraph of letter.
General Salutations
- To whom it may concern
- Dear Hiring Manager
- Dear Human Resources Manager
- Dear Sir or Madam
How to Write a Cover Letter
How to write a cover letter, including what to include in your cover letter, how to write a cover letter, cover letter format, targeted cover letters, and cover letter samples and examples.
Cover Letter Articles and Advice
- Top 10 Cover Letter Writing Tips
- Cover Letter Writing Guide
- Email Cover Letters
- Targeted Cover Letters
- Sample Cover Letters
- Cover Letter Closings
