If the job posting provides a contact name, start your letter with a simple “Dear Mr. or Ms. Contact name.” Avoid using first names, since this is not professional. If your contact is a woman, do not use Miss or Mrs. You should always use Ms. Do everything in your power to avoid using the dreaded “Dear Sir or Madam” or the “To Whom it may Concern” greeting. Generic greetings are a great way to show that you don’t care enough about the job to include a real contact name. The only justification for using a generic greeting is if you absolutely cannot find a contact name. Responding to a blind box posting is one example of when this might happen.
If the job posting does not provide a contact name, it is usually easy to find one. Your first step should be to call the company (unless the job posting prohibits this) and ask someone in human resources (HR) for a contact name. The HR department should expect these types of inquiries anyway. When you call, tell the HR department your name. There is always a chance that they will remember you, which is a good thing. If you are unable to secure a contact name by calling, try to find the name of the head of HR on the company’s website and use his or her name as the contact name. It is always better to call first, however, because you are more likely to get the specific answer you need.