Cover letters might feel outdated, but they’re actually pretty important. They give you a chance to share your story and show your personality in a way your resume doesn’t. Make sure you begin your cover letter correctly, so they keep reading! This guide on how to address a cover letter will give you the info you need to start your cover letter like a pro!
This guide covers everything you need to know about how to address a cover letter, including:
- Formatting your cover letter’s address
- Who to address a cover letter to
- How to address a cover letter without a name
- Cover letter greetings
- Cover letter opening lines
- Examples of a cover letter address
If you’re still not sure about why you’re writing a cover letter, hop over to this post for clarity before you get started! You’ll write a much better cover letter if you understand the why behind it!
Alright, let’s dive into how to start a cover letter!
How to address a cover letter
You should start a cover letter with your address, the date, their name, and their work address. Then, your cover letter needs a greeting and an attention grabbing opening line.
We’ll break down each piece of addressing a cover letter (including if you don’t know their name) in a sec, but first I want to bust a quick cover letter myth:
Your cover letter should NOT start with the same heading as your resume.
A cover letter needs to be entirely different from your resume– it’s there to add to it, not repeat it.
Remember, don’t start a cover letter the same way you format your resume. Instead, address your cover letter with the following format!
Your Address
The very top of your cover letter should have your address, but with one small twist. You only want to include your actual address- not your name or position title.
If you’d need to relocate for the job and don’t have an address there yet, then put your current address and add a line in your cover letter’s opening about relocating. For example, you could say:
“I currently work as a [POSITION] in [CITY], but am willing to relocate to [THEIR LOCATION].”
Once you’ve written your address- and only your address- it’s time to move to the next part of your cover letter’s format: the date.
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The Date
This is super easy!
After your address, hit enter twice (to leave one nice line of space), and then type the date you’re sending it out.
So, if you’re writing it a week before you send the application, use the date you’re actually going to press send.
Alright, let’s talk who to address a cover letter to and how to address a cover letter without a name!
Their Name, Position, and Address
Next, you’re going to address your cover letter to the person who’s probably reading it.
To format this section, put their name on one line and their position title on the next. Then the name of the company, and then the company’s address- each on a separate line.
It’s sometimes confusing to know exactly who to address your cover letter to, so let’s go over how to figure it out and what you should do if you can’t find anyone!
Who to address a cover letter to
It’s super important you find an actual person at the company to address your cover letter to. This shows an employer 2 key things:
- You’ve done your research on the position and the company
- You’re willing to put in extra effort to stand out
So, always take the time to find someone to address your cover letter to.
As you’re researching, work on figuring out who could read your application. Do they have an HR department? Whose title is similar to the one you’re applying for? Are there any titles like “supervisor” or “manager?”
Okay, lemme spill a major secret you probably haven’t heard…
Your cover letter doesn’t need to be addressed to the right person!!!
They understand you don’t know the details of their hiring process- they just want to see you tried!
Here are a few insider ways to find an actual person to address your cover letter to:
- The company’s website and social media
- Staff and company LinkedIn pages
- Call the company and politely ask who to address your cover letter to
Do some research and find the name of anyone at the company who has a reasonable chance of reading applications, whether it’s HR staff, the head of a related department, or the CEO.
Don’t stress about being right, just focus on showing you’re willing to put in the extra effort.
How to address a cover letter without a name
Before I get into addressing a cover letter to unknown, I want to say: you should try your hardest to find a name. Try, try, and try again to find an actual person at the company to address your cover letter to. The hiring manager, the head of HR, the intern coordinator- whoever.
It’s so important to make your cover letter feel personal and addressing it to someone at the company is very personal. Also, it shows you took the time and effort to research the company and find someone who works there.
If you’ve checked all of the spots above and still haven’t found the name of 1 reasonable person to address your cover letter to- make sure it’s not a scam. Companies should be transparent enough to list their current employees.
If it’s not a scam and you really can’t find anyone, make sure you avoid the phrase, “To whom it may concern”
It’s way too generic and impersonal. Instead, just use a position title, like “Hiring manager” or “Department Chair.” Then, for their address, use the company’s headquarters.
Once you’ve figured out who you’ll address your cover letter to, it’s time to start your cover letter!
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80% OF JOBS ARE ON THE HIDDEN MARKET—
LEARN HOW TO FIND THEM IN THIS FREE WORKSHOP
Are online job apps making your career sour? The key to candy coating your career is networking!
In this FREE workshop, I’ll teach you how to ditch your resume & grow the best resource you have as a job seeker: your network!
How to start a cover letter
To start a cover letter, use a quick greeting and an opening sentence. Personally, I don’t think you need to work too hard to stand out with these. Just be yourself and use it as a chance to show your personality a little!
First, let’s talk about your cover letter’s greeting!
Cover letter greeting
This is where it’s especially important to have a name. Again, don’t use “To whom it may concern” and don’t worry about having the correct name. You’re just showing them the effort you’re willing to put in!
You also want to use a formal cover letter greeting, like Mr., Ms., or Dr. Make sure you’re using the correct gender identity of the person you’re writing to!
This part may seem simple, but there’s one more key detail that sets this apart from a regular letter. In business writing, you use a colon instead of a comma when you’re addressing a letter. So, this would look like:
“Dear [NAME]:”
Once you’ve figured out how to address a cover letter and how to write the greeting, it’s time to write your cover letter’s opening line!
BONUS: Cover letter opening lines
This isn’t technically part of how to start a cover letter, but it’s important so I wanted to add it in as a bonus! Let’s talk about how to write your cover letter’s opening!
Like I mentioned earlier, I don’t think you need to work too hard to write a dynamic cover letter opening.
Instead, focus your cover letter’s opening line on showing your passion. Don’t shy away from being excited in your cover letter! It’ll help you stand out!
For example, you can start your cover letter with:
“I’m excited to apply for the [POSITION] at [COMPANY], because of the incredible work this company has done with [EXAMPLE].”
Once you’ve figured out your cover letter’s opening line, you can move on to the rest of your cover letter! Use this modern guide on How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter!
Example of how to address a cover letter
That’s everything you need to know about how to start a cover letter! Now, here’s an example of what your cover letter’s address will look like when it’s done:
Knowing how to address a cover letter is an important part of standing out. Avoid copying your resume’s header by including your address without your name, the date you’re sending it, the name and address of someone working there, and your greeting. Remember to work hard to find the name of someone- even if it’s not the “right” person!
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