do i put my address on a cover letter

To Whom it May Concern? How to Address and End a Cover Letter

We’ve put together a few tips to help you personalize your cover letter, whether you know the hiring manager’s name or not.

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In our modern age of personalization, To Whom It May Concern is both an antiquated and detached way to address a cover letter . It may also imply that you haven’t researched the company or that you assume the letter can be read by anyone. Below, we’ve put together a few tips to help you personalize your cover letter , whether you know the hiring manager’s name or not.

When it comes to addressing a cover letter, advice columns frequently spotlight these two pitfalls:

• Mistake 1 : Failing to address your cover letter to a specific person
• Mistake 2 : Addressing a cover letter to the wrong person

Most job postings don’t specify who will be reading your cover letter. This puts job seekers in a tricky situation. Fixing the first mistake could cause you to make the second. So what’s the best way to replace “To Whom It May Concern” on your cover letter?

Get instant feedback on your cover letter with Jobscan’s cover letter optimization tool. See it in action .

3 Key Tips for Addressing Your Cover Letter

1) don’t address your cover letter to the recruiter.

For many job openings, the first person you need to impress is a corporate recruiter. That doesn’t mean you should address your cover letter to them.

“Recruiters do not read cover letters,” a long-time healthcare recruiter told Jobscan . “Bottom line.”

That might be an overstatement — most don’t, some do — but many recruiters would admit that they aren’t the intended audience of a cover letter. “It’s mostly for the hiring manager,” said a recruiter in the non-profit industry. “For us [recruiters], it’s just an extra step in an already elongated process.”

The healthcare recruiter agreed: “If you’re sending it straight to a hiring manager who’s looking at a much lower number of applicants, they might actually read that.”

2) Search for the Hiring Manager’s Name

The best way to personalize your cover letter is to address the hiring manager by name. However, it can be difficult to identify the hiring manager, and your educated guess could cause you to address your cover letter to the wrong person. Here are some tips for finding the hiring manager.

Search the Company Website

Few job postings list the hiring manager by name but many will tell you the position to which you’d be reporting.

With this information, a little detective work can reveal the name of the hiring manager.

Start off by browsing the company’s website. Look for an about page, company directory, or contact page. These pages are frequently linked at the very bottom of the website. Companies that feature employees on their about page make it much easier to figure out who will be reading your cover letter.

You can also try searching the website. If the website doesn’t have a built-in search bar, use this syntax in Google:

“[position you’ll be reporting to]” site:company website

This will reveal hard-to-find about pages or other mentions of the position in the company’s blog posts, press releases, and other pages.

Search LinkedIn

If a company doesn’t list the hiring manager on their website, LinkedIn is your next best resource.

Start off by searching for the company page on LinkedIn. Once you’re on the company’s LinkedIn page, click “See all X employees on LinkedIn” near the top.

Depending on the company size, you can either browse all positions or narrow your results by adding search terms to the search bar (e.g. “Marketing Manager”) and utilizing the “Current companies” filters on the right side of the screen.

Search for the “reports to” position from the job listing. If it wasn’t provided in the listing, search for keywords related to your prospective department (e.g. “marketing”). If the company uses an intuitive corporate hierarchy  you should be able to determine who will be reading the cover letter.

Contact the Company Directly

There is nothing wrong with calling or emailing the company to ask for the name of the hiring manager. Be polite and honest with the administrative assistant or customer service representative. Explain that you’re about to apply for a job and you’d like to know who you should address in your cover letter.

If they aren’t able to provide an answer or transfer you to someone who knows, let it go. The last thing you need is word getting back to the hiring manager that you were pushy with one of their colleagues.

3) Use a More Personalized “To Whom it May Concern” Alternative

You can still personalize your cover letter, even when you don’t know the identity of the hiring manager. Instead of “To Whom It May Concern,” which casts a wide net and is specific to no one, try addressing your cover letter to one specific person.

The most generic version of this is:

Dear Hiring Manager,

But job seekers can often be more specific. Take a look at these examples:

Dear Customer Experience Manager, 

Dear Customer Experience Hiring Team Manager, 

Some other alternatives include addressing your cover letter to an entire department:

• Dear Engineering Department,

Dear Engineering Team, 

OR addressing the entire team:

Hi Jobscan Team,

Dear Jobscan Team,

As with many aspects of the job application process, demonstrating that you put in some extra effort can make a difference. Doing some research before addressing a cover letter contributes to a positive first impression.

8 cover letter salutation examples

Here are eight standard cover letter openings you can choose from. Select the one that best suits the energy of the company you’re applying to and use either a specific name or department depending on the information you have available.

• Hi Mr. Smith,
• Hello Jobscan Team,
• Dear Ms. Whittaker and Team,
• Good morning, Mr. Kennedy
• Good afternoon, Louise, 
• To the Jobscan hiring manager, 

How to end a cover letter

Just as important as beginning your cover letter is ensuring you end it on a strong note. Your cover letter ending should not be underestimated in its ability to help you move forward in the hiring process. After making your case in the previous paragraphs, you need to end your cover letter with a strong call to action to entice the recruiter to invite you for a job interview.

Madeline Mann , an HR leader in the technology industry and creator of Self Made Millennial , says that while no conclusion will save a bad cover letter, it can distinguish you from another good candidate.

It’s all about enthusiasm, according to Madeline. “Companies want people who want them,” she says. If you can draw to the company’s values and show how interested in working with them you are, that’s a substantial advantage. You want to create a lasting impression by incorporating that enthusiasm in your cover letter ending.

“Companies want people who want them” – Madeline mann

A good conclusion, in fact, should reflect the rest of your cover letter.

Set up the end of your cover letter with a strategic middle section

If you want your cover letter ending to be effective, you first need to build momentum. Most recruiters and career coaches agree that by the time you get to the end of your cover letter, it needs to possess the following three elements:

• It tells a story about yourself
• It shows your value concretely
• It calls the recruiter to action

Julia Reiter, a career coach based in Toronto, suggests that you lead up to your cover letter ending by showing that you understand the company’s current challenges and are equipped to solve them. This will make your cover letter call to action all the more effective.

Although the job description will give you information about what the company is looking to accomplish, it will not help you distinguish yourself from other applicants. Show the company you are willing to go the extra mile by researching the key industry challenges and the particular issues they might be facing (beyond the obvious ones).

For example, you can read articles from industry-related publications and get acquainted with the numbers and statistics about the particular business areas your company is engaged in. By being aware of the particular issues they are facing, you can more easily make your skillset and experiences relevant.

When you talk about your past experiences and accomplishments , make sure you mention the problems the company is facing. For example, if you are applying for a customer success manager position at a Software-as-a-Service company, a relevant issue might be high churn rates.

Instead of writing something like “my experience in customer success makes me confident I will be a great addition to your team,” write something like “When I worked at XYZ company, I was able to reduce the churn rate by 30%. With this experience and my deep knowledge of B2B consumer psychology, I am prepared to ensure we have one of the lowest churn rates in XYZ industry.”

End your letter with a call to action

You may be tempted to write that “I’m looking forward to hearing from you” for your cover letter ending. That isn’t a call to action. For Madeline, the end of a cover letter serves to give one last push and show interest and enthusiasm in a way that stands out.

Likewise, Julia says, “now that the company knows you are aware of their current challenges and are equipped to solve those challenges for them, don’t leave them hanging. Tell them how they can make your skills and experiences a reality on their team. What number can they reach you at for an interview?”

How do you conclude a cover letter? Here are 3 examples

• “I’m excited to have the opportunity to talk about how I could join your team in its quest for XYZ value. I’m particularly thrilled about XYZ project and would love to know how I can contribute to it.
• “I am keen on meeting with you to see what I can contribute to XYZ company as it moves on in its journey to XYZ goal. I am available at your convenience for a phone call or in-person meeting.”
• “I would love to get your thoughts on what I mentioned. I am happy to hop on a phone call at your earliest convenience to discuss how I can help XYZ company with XYZ issue.”

Read more : Check out our cover letter examples page, which covers a wide range of jobs, industries, and situations.

Mistakes to avoid when ending a cover letter

The mistakes people make when they end their cover letter are often the same ones they made earlier in the piece. However, they can be particularly detrimental to your chances of landing an interview if they constitute the final impression a recruiter has of you.

When ending a cover letter, avoid:

Making it about yourself instead of the company: use sentence constructions that make the recruiter see how the company is going to benefit from hiring you. For example, try to use “you” or “we” instead of “I.”

Sounding generic or robotic: we’ve all seen these cover letters that end with the same plain paragraph. If you write one of those, the last impression you’re giving is not different from those given by all other applicants.

Selling yourself short: the conclusion is your last chance to show off the value you can bring to the company. Emphasize it and use it as a segue into your call to action.

How to end a cover letter with the appropriate salutations

Always remember that recruiters review hundreds of applications for each position. When you are competing with that many candidates, the slightest mistake will disqualify you immediately Although you may not think too much of the salutations, they can hurt your chance of landing an interview.

Make sure your salutations are formal and polite. You should be respectful not only by indicating your appreciation of the recruiter’s time but also by being concise. Do not overdo your salutations and do not employ informal greetings. “Sincerely,” “Thank you for your consideration,” “kind regards,” are all safe options.

When ending your cover letter, you want to balance confidence, respect, and appreciation.

17 cover letter ending examples

Depending on the energy of the business you are applying to, and your own personality, select one of the following 17 cover letter closing options.

• Best wishes,
• Sincere thanks,
• Many thanks,
• Thanks in advance,
• Thank you for your consideration,
• Thank you for your time,
• Respectfully, 
• Sincerely, 
• Sincerely yours, 
• Yours truly, 
• Kind regards,
• With best regards,
• Looking forward to speaking with you, 
• With gratitude,

One Final Important note: Cover letters aren’t what they say they are

Cover letters don’t introduce your resume, they supplement it.

In order to get your cover letter into the hands of a hiring manager who cares, your  resume has to get past the recruiter and, in many cases, the applicant tracking system they’re using.

Try analyzing your resume below to receive instant optimization tips and recruiter insights from Jobscan so that the time you spend crafting your cover letter isn’t a waste.

The keyword analysis also shows exactly what to focus on in your cover letter.

Jobscan Premium (one month free)  even has a cover letter scan feature.

Editor’s Note: A section of this article was originally written in a separate blog post by Léandre Larouche on June 9, 2020. It has been updated and combined with this article as of June 10, 2021.

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How to Write a Cover Letter: Your Full Guide (With Tips and Examples)

It’s a familiar cycle: You sit down to write a cover letter, open a blank document, check your email, browse cover letter examples , do some chores, watch that cursor blink a few more times, and finally Google something like “how to write a cover letter”—which hopefully brought you here. But you still might be thinking, does anyone really read cover letters? Why do they even exist?

First: Yes, we can assure you that cover letters do, in fact, get read. To some hiring managers, they’re the most important part of your job application. And regardless, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to tell prospective employers who you are, showcase why they should hire you, and stand out above all the other candidates.

To ensure your letter is in amazing shape (and crafting it is as painless as possible), we’ve got easy-to-follow steps plus examples, a few bonus tips, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Get that cover letter out there! Browse open jobs on The Muse and find your dream job »

What is a cover letter and why is it important?

A cover letter is a brief (one page or less) note that you write to a hiring manager or recruiter to go along with your resume and other application materials.

Done well, a cover letter gives you the chance to speak directly to how your skills and experience line up with the specific job you’re pursuing. It also affords you an opportunity to hint to the reviewer that you’re likable, original, and likely to be a great addition to the team.

Instead of using cover letters to their strategic advantage, most job applicants blabber on and on about what they want, toss out bland, cliché-filled paragraphs that essentially just regurgitate their resume, or go off on some strange tangent in an effort to be unique. Given this reality, imagine the leg up you’ll have once you learn how to do cover letters right.

How long should a cover letter be?

An ideal cover letter typically ranges from a half page to one full page. Aim to structure it into four paragraphs, totaling around 250 to 400 words, unless the job posting states otherwise. Some employers may have specific guidelines like word or character limits, writing prompt, or questions to address. In such cases, be sure to follow these instructions from the job posting.

How to write a cover letter hiring managers will love

Now that you’re sold on how important cover letters are, here are eight steps to writing one that screams, “I’m a great hire!”

Step 1: Write a fresh cover letter for each job (but yes, you can use a template)

Sure, it’s way faster and easier to take the cover letter you wrote for your last application, change the name of the company, and send it off. But most employers want to see that you’re truly excited about the specific position and organization—which means creating a custom letter for each position.

While it’s OK to recycle a few strong sentences and phrases from one cover letter to the next, don’t even think about sending out a 100% generic letter. “Dear Hiring Manager, I am excited to apply to the open position at your company” is an immediate signal to recruiters and hiring managers that you’re mass-applying to every job listing that pops up on LinkedIn.

At the same time, there’s nothing that says you can’t get a little help: Try out one of our free cover letter templates to make the process a bit easier.

Step 2: Add your contact info

At the top of your cover letter, you should list out your basic info. You can even copy the same heading from your resume if you’d like. Some contact info you might include (and the order to include it in):

• Your pronouns (optional)
• Your location (optional)
• Your email address
• Your phone number (optional)
• Your Linkedin, portfolio, or personal website URL (optional)

Note that only name and email are mandatory, and you don’t need to put a full address on a cover letter or resume anymore. A city and state (or metro area) are more than enough. So your header might look like this:

Inigo Montoya he/him Florin Metropolitan Area [email protected] 555-999-2222

If the job posting tells you to submit your cover letter in the body of an email, you can add your contact info at the end, after your name (and if you’d like to forgo the email address here, you can—they have it already). So your sign off could look like this:

Violet Baudelaire she/her [email protected] 123-123-1234

https://www.linkedin.com/in/violet-baudelaire/

Step 3: Address your cover letter to the hiring manager—preferably by name

The most traditional way to address a cover letter is to use the person’s first and last name, including “Mr.” or “Ms.” (for example, “Dear Ms. Jane Smith” or just “Dear Ms. Smith”). But to avoid accidentally using the wrong title—or worse, inadvertently misgendering someone—first and last name also work just fine.

If “Dear” feels a bit too stiff, try “Hello.” But never use generic salutations like “ To Whom it May Concern ” or “Dear Sir or Madam.”

For more help, read these rules for addressing your cover letter and a few tips for how to find the hiring manager .

Step 4: Craft an opening paragraph that’ll hook your reader

Your opening sets the stage for the whole cover letter. So you want it to be memorable, friendly, conversational, and hyper-relevant to the job you’re pursuing.

No need to lead with your name—the hiring manager can see it already. But it’s good to mention the job you’re applying for (they may be combing through candidates for half a dozen different jobs).

You could go with something simple like, “I am excited to apply for [job] with [Company].” But consider introducing yourself with a snappy first paragraph that highlights your excitement about the company you’re applying to, your passion for the work you do, and/or your past accomplishments.

This is a prime spot to include the “why” for your application. Make it very clear why you want this job at this company. Are you a longtime user of their products? Do you have experience solving a problem they’re working on? Do you love their brand voice or approach to product development? Do your research on the company (and check out their Muse profile if they have one) to find out.

Read this next: 30 Genius Cover Letter Openers Recruiters Will LOVE

Step 5: Convey why you’d be a great hire for this job

A common cover letter mistake is only talking about how great the position would be for you. Frankly, hiring managers are aware of that—what they really want to know is what you’re going to bring to the position and company.

So once you’ve got the opening under wraps, you should pull out a few key ideas that will make up the backbone of your cover letter. They should show that you understand what the organization is looking for and spell out how your background lines up with the position.

Study the job description for hints . What problems is the company looking to solve with this hire? What skills or experiences are mentioned high up, or more than once? These will likely be the most important qualifications.

If you tend to have a hard time singing your own praises and can’t nail down your strengths , here’s a quick trick: What would your favorite boss, your best friend, or your mentor say about you? How would they sing your praises? Use the answers to inform how you write about yourself. You can even weave in feedback you’ve received to strengthen your case (occasionally, don’t overuse this!). For example:

“When I oversaw our last office move, my color-coded spreadsheets covering every minute detail of the logistics were legendary; my manager said I was so organized, she’d trust me to plan an expedition to Mars.”

Step 6: Back up your qualifications with examples and numbers

Look at your list of qualifications from the previous step, and think of examples from your past that prove you have them. Go beyond your resume. Don’t just regurgitate what the hiring manager can read elsewhere.

Simply put, you want to paint a fuller picture of what experiences and accomplishments make you a great hire and show off what you can sashay through their doors with and deliver once you land the job.

For example, what tells a hiring manager more about your ability to win back former clients? This: “I was in charge of identifying and re-engaging former clients.” Or this: “By analyzing past client surveys, NPS scores, and KPIs, as well as simply picking up the phone, I was able to bring both a data-driven approach and a human touch to the task of re-engaging former clients.”

If you're having trouble figuring out how to do this, try asking yourself these questions and finding answers that line up with the qualifications you’ve chosen to focus on:

• What approach did you take to tackling one of the responsibilities you’ve mentioned on your resume?
• What details would you include if you were telling someone a (very short!) story about how you accomplished one of your resume bullet points?
• What about your personality, passion, or work ethic made you especially good at getting the job done?

Come up with your examples, then throw in a few numbers. Hiring managers love to see stats—they show you’ve had a measurable impact on an organization you’ve worked for. Did you bring in more clients than any of your peers? Put together an impressive number of events? Make a process at work 30% more efficient? Work it into your cover letter!

This might help: How to Quantify Your Resume Bullets (When You Don't Work With Numbers)

Step 7: Finish with a strong conclusion

It’s tempting to treat the final lines of your cover letter as a throwaway: “I look forward to hearing from you.” But your closing paragraph is your last chance to emphasize your enthusiasm for the company or how you’d be a great fit for the position. You can also use the end of your letter to add important details—like, say, the fact that you’re willing to relocate for the job.

Try something like this:

“I believe my energy, desire to innovate, and experience as a sales leader will serve OrangePurple Co. very well. I would love to meet to discuss the value I could add as your next West Coast Sales Director. I appreciate your consideration and hope to meet with you soon.”

Then be sure to sign off professionally , with an appropriate closing and your first and last name. (Need help? Here are three cover letter closing lines that make hiring managers grimace, plus some better options .)

Step 8: Reread and revise

We shouldn’t have to tell you to run your cover letter through spell-check, but remember that having your computer scan for typos isn’t the same as editing . Set your letter aside for a day or even just a few hours, and then read through it again with fresh eyes—you’ll probably notice some changes you want to make.

You might even want to ask a friend or family member to give it a look. In addition to asking them if they spot any errors, you should ask them two questions:

• Does this sell me as the best person for the job?
• Does it get you excited?

If the answer to either is “no,” or even slight hesitation, go back for another pass.

Cover letter examples

Here are four example cover letters that follow the advice given above. Keep in mind that different situations may require adjustments in your approach. For instance, experienced job seekers can emphasize accomplishments from previous roles, while those with less experience might highlight volunteer work, personal projects, or skills gained through education.

Example #1: Cover letter for a job application

Alia Farhat San Francisco Bay Area [email protected] 444-000-1111

Hello Danny Tanaka,

If I’m being honest, I still haven’t fully gotten over the death of my first Tamagotchi pet when I was six years old. (His name was Tommy, and I’ve gotten far more creative since then, I promise.) When I was older, I discovered NeoPets and I was hooked for years—not just on the site, but on the community that surrounded it. So when I heard about FantasyPets last year, I immediately started following news about your development process, and that’s how I saw your post looking for a marketing strategist. Not only do I have eight years of experience in digital marketing, but as a lifelong gamer with a passion for pet-focused titles who’s spent years in online communities with like-minded people, I also know exactly what kind of messaging resonates with your target audience.

You’re looking for someone to help you craft a social media marketing campaign to go along with your game launch, and I’ve been a part of three launch-day marketing campaigns for mobile and web-based games. In my current role as social media manager at Phun Inc., I proposed a campaign across Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok based on competitor research and analysis of our social campaigns for similar games to go along with the launch of the mobile game FarmWorld. Using my strategy of featuring both kids and adults in ads, we ended up driving over one million impressions and 80k downloads in the first three months.

I’ve always believed that the best way to find the right messaging for a game is to understand the audience and immerse myself in it as much as possible. I spend some of my research time on gaming forums and watching Twitch streams and Let’s Plays to see what really matters to the audience and how they talk about it. Of course, I always back my strategies up with data—I’m even responsible for training new members of the marketing team at Phun Inc. in Google AdWords and data visualization.

I believe that my passion for games exactly like yours, my digital marketing and market research experience, and my flair for turning data into actionable insights will help put FantasyPets on the map. I see so much promise in this game, and as a future player, I want to see its user base grow as much as you do. I appreciate your consideration for the marketing strategist role and hope to speak with you soon.

Alia Farhat

Example #2: Cover letter for an internship

Mariah Johnson

New York, NY [email protected] 555-000-1234

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am excited to submit my application for the software development internship at Big Tech. As a student at New York University majoring in computer science with a keen interest in social studies, I believe I would be a good fit for the role. Big Tech's mission to promote equality and a more sustainable world is deeply inspiring, and I would be thrilled to contribute to this mission.

In a recent hackathon, I demonstrated my ability to lead a team in designing and developing an app that directs members of a small community to nearby electronics recycling centers. My team successfully developed a working prototype and presented it to a panel of industry experts who awarded us second place.

I’ve also been an active volunteer at my local library for over four years. During this time, I organized book donation drives, led book fairs, and conducted reading sessions with children. This experience strengthened my presentation and communication skills and confirmed my motivation stems from supporting a good cause. I would be more than happy to bring my passion and dedication to an organization whose mission resonates with me..

Through these experiences, along with my coursework in software engineering, I am confident I am able to navigate the challenges of the Big Tech internship program. I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about my qualifications. Thank you for your consideration.

Example #3: Cover letter with no experience

Sarah Bergman

Philadelphia, PA [email protected] 1234-555-6789

Dear Chloe West,

I’m excited to apply for the entry-level copywriting position at Idea Agency. As a recent graduate from State University with a major in mass communications, I’m eager to delve deeper into copywriting for brands, marketing strategies, and their roles in the business world.

Over the past two years, I’ve completed courses in creative writing, copywriting, and essentials of digital marketing. I’ve also been actively involved in extracurricular activities, creating content and promoting student events across multiple online platforms. These experiences expanded my creativity, enhanced my teamwork skills, and strengthened my communication abilities.

As an admirer of your visionary marketing campaigns and Idea Agency’s commitment to sustainability, I’m enthusiastic about the prospect of joining your team. I'm confident that I can contribute to your future projects with inventive thinking and creative energy.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications further. Thank you for considering my application.

Best regards,

Example #4: Career change cover letter

Leslie Smith

Chicago, IL [email protected] 111-222-3344

Dear Paul Jones,

Over the past year, I’ve volunteered to represent my company at a local fair and there I discovered how much fun working face to face with clients would be. Everytime I sold a product for The Solar Company, I often wished it was my full-time job. Now, I'm excited to submit my application for the sales coordinator position with Bloom Sales.

After completing a degree in business administration, I decided to put my outgoing personality and strong communication skills to work as a sales specialist at The Solar Company. I’ve sharpened my presentation and critical thinking skills in client meetings and sourced more than $20,000 in new partnerships. This experience has given me an invaluable foundation, and now I’m confident it's the time to move business administration to sales coordination.

I’m comfortable seeking out new business opportunities, making cold calls, and selling potential clients on the advantages of Bloom Sales products. I attend an average of 10 in-person meetings a week, and interacting with a lot of different personalities is what excites me the most. As a detail-oriented, tech-savvy professional, I have advanced knowledge of Excel and data analysis.

I would love to learn more about your sales strategy for the second semester and discuss how my experience in business administration and client-facing sales exposure would help Bloom Sales achieve its goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Extra cover letter examples

• Pain point cover letter example
• Recent graduate cover letter example
• Stay-at-home parent returning to work cover letter example
• Sales cover letter example
• Email marketing manager cover letter example
• No job description or position cover letter example (a.k.a., a letter of intent or interest)
• Buzzfeed-style cover letter example
• Creative cover letter example (from the point-of-view of a dog)

Bonus cover letter tips to give you an edge over the competition

As you write your cover letter, here are a few more tips to consider to help you stand out from the stack of applicants:

• Keep it short and sweet: There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, for resumes and cover letters alike, don’t go over a page. (Check out these tips for cutting down your cover letter .)
• Never apologize for your missing experience: When you don’t meet all of the job requirements, it’s tempting to use lines like, “Despite my limited experience as a manager…” or “While I may not have direct experience in marketing…” But why apologize ? Instead of drawing attention to your weaknesses, emphasize the strengths and transferable skills you do have.
• Strike the right tone: You want to find a balance between being excessively formal in your writing—which can make you come off as stiff or insincere—and being too conversational. Let your personality shine through, for sure, but also keep in mind that a cover letter shouldn’t sound like a text to an old friend.
• Consider writing in the company’s “voice:” Cover letters are a great way to show that you understand the environment and culture of the company and industry. Spending some time reading over the company website or stalking their social media before you get started can be a great way to get in the right mindset—you’ll get a sense for the company’s tone, language, and culture, which are all things you’ll want to mirror—especially if writing skills are a core part of the job.
• Go easy on the enthusiasm: We can’t tell you how many cover letters we’ve seen from people who are “absolutely thrilled for the opportunity” or “very excitedly applying!” Yes, you want to show personality, creativity, and excitement. But downplay the adverbs a bit, and keep the level of enthusiasm for the opportunity genuine and believable.

The bottom line with cover letters is this: They matter, much more than the naysayers will have you believe. If you nail yours, you could easily go from the “maybe” pile straight to “Oh, hell yes.”

Cover letter FAQs (a.k.a., everything else you need to know about cover letters)

• Are cover letters still necessary?
• Do I have to write a cover letter if it’s optional?
• Can I skip the cover letter for a tech job?
• What does it mean to write a cover letter for a resume?
• How can I write a simple cover letter in 30 minutes?
• How can I show personality in my cover letter?
• What should I name my cover letter file?
• Is a letter of intent different from a cover letter?
• Is a letter of interest different from a cover letter?

Regina Borsellino , Jenny Foss , and Amanda Cardoso contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

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Does my cover letter need an address?

HR and the ATS

Standard letter format back when people pounded on manual typewriters required both the company’s physical address and your return address at the top of a letter. That made a lot of sense at a time when you couldn’t copy and paste or simply hit reply on an email.

But does it still make sense today to include the company’s address or even your own?

Below we will look at:

Does my cover letter need the company’s address?

Does my cover letter need my address, what does my cover letter need.

When you use a cover letter template , it may suggest that you include the physical address of the company you are applying to. Does that mean you must type it in? No. If you do add the building site, will it hurt your application? Again, no. It can’t hurt to err on the side of formality.

But let’s look at the reasons not to use the company’s physical address. If it’s a big corporation, it has many addresses and you may be limiting where the HR department thinks you want to work by listing a specific site. You are also introducing a place for an error. For instance, if you include an address that the company no longer uses or is just a warehouse or server location, it looks as though you haven’t done your homework.

Another consideration is the use of the valuable real estate within your letter. Depending on the layout of your cover letter, the address may also be a waste of space you could be using to add that one last sentence that could tip the scales in your favor.

The bottom line: There’s no compelling reason to put the company’s address on your letter. Cover letters without addresses will not be penalized and adding an address introduces room for an unforced error.

You may be wondering, “So, do I put my address on my cover letter ?” Listing your address is a bit different from putting the company address on your letter, but not as much as you think. Again, it won’t hurt you to include your full street address in your cover letter, but do you need it and what are the downsides? 

The first step is to consider what information it conveys to your reader. Does where you live enhance your prospects? It may if it’s important for you to be able to get to work quickly in case of an emergency and you live nearby. On the other hand, your full street address may hurt your chances if you have a long, congested commute.

Consider whether your neighborhood has a reputation—good or bad—and that where you live may predispose a recruiter to make judgements before even reading your letter. The less extraneous information you provide, the more likely your application package will be judged on its merits alone.

Looking to relocate?

If you live in another city or state and the job is not remote or they are looking for local candidates and you list your address, you will have to explain how you are going to make the job work if you receive an offer. 

Especially if you have a common name, an address will help distinguish your file from another candidate’s and may be necessary when completing online applications. The Applicant Tracking System can be rigid and refuse to allow you to move to the next screen until you fill in all the address boxes. In that case, whether or not you put your address on your cover letter is simply a matter of space, since HR already knows where you live.

The most important information you can put on your cover letter (aside from the actual written portion—more on that here ) is the best way to reach you to schedule an interview. No one is going to snail mail you an invitation to meet with HR. Definitely include:

• Your full name and title
• Your cell phone number
• A professional sounding email address
• Any social media or portfolio URLs

Note that we did not specify your address. Our advice: list your city and state, but only include your house number and street if it adds to your desirability as a candidate.

Key takeaways

• So do you put your address on a cover letter? We vote for erring on the side of less is more.
• Leave it out unless you have a very good reason for putting it in.
• And the only good reason is one that will make you look better in the eyes of those who have the power to grant.

How to Address a Cover Letter in 2024

Yes, how you address your cover letter matters.

After all, this is the first thing the recruiter reads when going through your cover letter, and yes, there is a right and wrong way to do it.

In this article, we’re going to teach you how to address your cover letter in such a way that you leave a positive impression on any recruiter!

• How to address a cover letter to a recruiter? (Casual or formal)
• What title to use when addressing the hiring manager
• How to address a cover letter without a contact person/to a company
• How to address a cover letter without an address
• How to address a cover letter in an email

How to Address a Cover Letter To a Recruiter (Casual or Formal)?

As we already mentioned, the way you address your cover letter is important because it is the very first thing recruiters see upon opening your cover letter. 

A well-formulated cover letter address means that you care enough to research the company (i.e. to find the hiring manager’s name and title) and that you show attention to detail. 

As such, you should always put some research into who you’re addressing your cover letter to and do so in a formal way.  

And yes, the formal part is important too. The recruiter isn’t your best friend - you want to maintain a sense of professionalism.

If this is how you address the recruiter in your cover letter:

• What’s up Hiring Manager
• Hi there Hiring Team

Then you say goodbye to the job.

Now, you’re probably wondering, how can I find out whom to address my cover letter to?

That’s what we’re about to teach you:

Who Am I Addressing My Cover Letter To?

Here are some tricks to find the full name of the hiring manager: 

• Check the job listing. The job listing may have information about the recruiter or the department doing the hiring. Make sure to read through the entire job listing, as it might not be at an entirely obvious place.
• Check the company website. Some websites feature the names of the hiring managers or heads of departments that may go through your cover letter. Alternatively, LinkedIn is another place where you can look for this information.
• Check the company’s LinkedIn. You can look up who works in the company you’re applying for on their LinkedIn page.
• Ask around. Do you have friends that work for the company? They could provide you with valuable inside info.

To avoid making a bad impression, head over to our guide on cover letter mistakes to learn about what NOT to do when writing your cover letter.  

Addressing a Cover Letter With a Name

By now, you have probably found the hiring manager’s full name and gender. With this information available, it’s best to address the hiring manager formally, as follows: 

• Dear Mr. Brown,
• Dear Miss Fitzpatrick,
• Dear Mrs. Lockhart,
• Dear Ms. Walters,

If, for some reason, you are unsure about the person’s title, gender, marital status, or preferred pronouns, just address them using their entire name to avoid any mistakes. For example:

• Dear Alex Brown, 
• Dear Blair Fitzpatrick,
• Dear Jesse Lockhart,
• Dear Madison Walters,

Addressing someone with a title 

Now, if you found out that the hiring manager has a professional or academic title, then it’s more appropriate to address them using that title. If, for example, the hiring manager has a Ph.D., then it’s more respectful to address them as “Dr. Last Name,” instead of “Mr. Last Name.”  

Here are some professional titles and how they’re abbreviated: 

• A professor is Prof. 
• A reverend is Rev. 
• A sergeant is Sgt. 
• Honorable is Hon. 

If, however, you are uncertain about how a title is abbreviated, then avoid it altogether. 

Here are a few examples to give you an idea: 

• Dear Prof. Welsch,
• Dear Director Smith,
• Dear Rev. Owen,

Dear Dr. Leonard,

When addressing women and you don’t know their marital status, always go with Ms., because it doesn’t comment on marital status. Some women prefer not to be addressed with Miss or Mrs. even when they’re married, so sticking with Ms. is the best choice. 

Want to learn more cover letter tips ? Our guide has all you need to ace your cover letter!  

How to Address a Cover Letter Without a Contact Person

It might happen that, no matter how hard you search, you can’t find the name of the hiring manager or department head that will read your cover letter.

In that case, you can address your cover letter to the department, faculty, or the company.

• Dear Software Development Hiring Team,
• Dear Customer Service Department Hiring Team,
• Dear Head of the Literature Faculty,
• Dear Director of Marketing,
• Dear Human Resources Recruitment Team,

Alternatively, if you don’t have enough information either about the department or the team, you can opt for addressing the cover letter directly to the company’s hiring staff, as follows: 

Dear [Company Name] Hiring Team 

Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Staff

If all else fails (meaning, you don’t know the name of the department head or even the exact department, in addition to the recruiter) then you can use one of the good, old-fashioned:

Dear Hiring Manager,

...but NOT the impersonal and way outdated “To whom it may concern” and “Dear Sir/Madam.” 

Starting a cover letter can be challenging. Our guide can show you how to start a cover letter that will get you results from the get-go. 

How to Format the Company’s Address

Before you reach the salutation, you have to make sure that the header with the recipient’s contact information is formatted correctly. 

It might not be the deciding point of whether you’ll secure an interview or not, but it will cost you points if it’s off. 

So, the first thing you want to do is add your name and surname on the upper left side of the cover letter. Underneath, you should write your professional title (if applicable), your email , and your phone number . 

Now, after you’ve also added the date, you should leave one more space and add the recipient’s contact information and, most importantly, the company’s address. 

It should look something like this on your cover letter: 

When You Can’t Find the Company’s Address 

Some companies might have several addresses listed (as per their branches, for example), or even none at all. 

Since an application that doesn’t have an address line could end up lost or misplaced, make sure you do one of the following before skipping the company’s address completely:

• Check all your resources, (pretty much like when you were looking for the hiring manager’s name) to find the company’s address. 
• Use the company’s headquarter address. This is sometimes easier to find, especially if the company has several branches. 
• Use the P.O. Box number for the company. This is not as specific as an actual address line, but if all else fails, it’s still something. 

Frequently, you’ll be asked to submit your job application (including your cover letter) electronically, or by email. In those cases, you can skip the address line altogether. 

Here’s how you’d go about addressing a cover letter in an email.

How to Address an Email Cover Letter

If you’re sending your job application through email, chances are you’ll need to format your cover letter in the body of the email, or as an attachment along with your resume.

First and foremost when you’re addressing a cover letter in an email is the subject line, which should be between 6-10 words long. 

Considering that hiring managers receive countless emails daily, you want to make sure that yours is a job application immediately. And the way to do that is straight through the subject line, which should indicate exactly the position you’re applying for and your name so that it’s easier to find through the recruiter’s swarmed mailbox. 

Here’ what we mean by that:

• Subject Line:   John Doe - Software Development Job Application 
• Subject Line: John Doe - Job Application for Marketing Manager Position   
• Subject Line: John Doe - Stock Manager Job Application 

Afterward, if you’re including your cover letter in the body of the email (as opposed to attaching it as a document), begin by using a salutation, add space, and start your letter. 

If someone referred you for the position, make sure to mention that in the subject line of your email as well as in your opening paragraph.  

So, let’s see how all the above plays out in practice: 

Subject Line: John Doe - Carl Jacob’s Referral for Software Developer

I was very glad that Mr. Jacobs, a long-time partner at your firm who also happens to be my mentor from college, referred me for the Software Developer position. 

Do you want your style, personality, and overall personal brand to shine through your application? With Novorésumé, you can match your cover letter with your resume to make a lasting impression! 

Key Takeaways 

And that’s all there is when it comes to addressing a cover letter! You should feel much more confident in doing so by now. 

Either way, let’s go over the main points we covered throughout the article: 

• Your cover letter address should be formal and well-researched. Don’t address the hiring manager with “hey,” “what’s up,” “hi there,” or even the old-fashioned “Dear Sir/Madam” and “To Whom It May Concern.”
• Always try to find the hiring manager’s full name and professional title through the company’s website, LinkedIn, by calling, or by asking someone who works there.
• If you know the hiring manager’s name, go with “Dear Mr./Miss Last Name,” but if you’re unsure about their gender, marital status, or preferred pronoun, just address them using their full name.
• If the recruiter has a professional or academic title, it’s more appropriate to address them using their title.
• If you can’t find the contact person’s name, then address the department, faculty, or company (i.e. Dear Microsoft Hiring Team , or Dear Software Development Recruitment Team ).

Related Readings: 

• Do I Need a Cover Letter in 2024
• Entry-Level Cover Letter
• Cover Letter for Internship
• How to Write a Cover Letter in 2024

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How to Address a Cover Letter: Tips + Examples for Every Type

Learn how to address a cover letter under different circumstances and how to find a contact to send the letter to when you don’t have a name.

When you're applying for a job or contacting an employer speculatively, the format of your cover letter will vary depending on whether you have a named contact and the reason for your letter. It's important that you address a cover letter properly as it's the first thing the reader will see, so you should strive to make a good first impression with it.

In this article, you'll learn what a cover letter is and why it's important along with tips on how to address different recipients for various types of cover letters.

What is a cover letter and why is it important?

A cover letter is a document sent in conjunction with your resume or application for a job opening. A great cover letter expresses your reason for applying and pulls together all the main evidence supporting why you're the best person for the job, as outlined in your resume, application, and any other supporting documents.

Each cover letter you write is highly tailored to the position you’re applying for and the hiring company. It should address essential criteria and elaborate on important points in your resume. Consider your cover letter to be your sales pitch. A great cover letter will be an invitation for a recruiter to read your resume or application.

Who do you address a cover letter to?

Your cover letter should be addressed to the person responsible for recruitment. If you don’t know the name of the person, there are ways to find out. Getting this can be the difference between your letter being read or lost in the pile, so follow the guidelines below to make sure you address your cover letter most effectively.

Addressing a cover letter with a name

If you have a name for your recipient, this is the best start. It means the letter will likely be delivered to the appropriate person, rather than get lost or sent to someone without the decision-making power you require.

A cover letter is a formal document, and so it should be addressed as such. The most professional way to do this is with “Dear.” For example:

Dear Mr. Miller,

Dear Ms. Jones,

Dear Dr. Lopez,

If you don’t know the person’s gender or preferred pronouns, you can use their first name. For example: “Dear James Miller.” Follow the salutation with a comma. 

What about "Mrs."?

Traditionally, "Mrs." was used to address married women who took their partner's surname after they tied the knot. Today, though, it's less common in professional settings and likely best to avoid, unless your recipient has explicitly used it to refer to themselves in their correspondence with you.

For female identifying recruiters, u se "Ms." instead of "Mrs." in most cases. This will help ensure that you don't inadvertently offend your recipient, who may be unmarried or who is married but didn't adopt their partner's last name.

Addressing a cover letter to a recipient with a professional title

If the recipient of your cover letter has a professional title, always include it. Someone with a PhD will be "Dr." rather than "Mr./Ms." This also makes things easier if you are unsure of which personal pronoun to use.

Addressing a cover letter without a named recipient

When you're uncertain what the name of your recipient is, it’s definitely worth taking the time to find it. This is covered in more detail in our "First steps in determining a recipient" section below.

But, if you absolutely can’t find a name, address your cover letter to the appropriate department within the company or organization. For example: “Dear [Department] Hiring Team.” If you know the job title of the person you need to send your letter to and it’s just their actual name that eludes you, address their position instead. For instance: “Dear Head of [Department]” or “Dear Director of [Department].”

Addressing a speculative cover letter

When writing a speculative cover letter—one that isn't in response to a job posting—the principles are much like the above. You may or may not know the name of the person you're trying to reach. If you do, so much the better. Include the name.

The difference with a speculative letter is that you may have been given the name of the appropriate recipient by a mutual connection. If this is the case, mention that connection in your introduction. For example:

Dear Mr. Morris, 

I was given your details by my former employer, Jenny Lee, of Brandenburg and Associates following news of the development of your new customer service department.

Addressing a cover letter sent by email

Addressing a cover letter to send via email is slightly different from a printed letter. A printed letter would include the address of the recipient and the date, which is not necessary in an email, as the letter will simply be the body of the email.

However, your email still needs to be as professional as a traditional cover letter. Use a formal way of addressing the letter, just as you would in a printed cover letter. 

The subject line is all-important with an email cover letter in order to be noticed amid the hundreds of emails a recruiter might receive. Include your name, the job title you’re applying for or reason for contact, and what is included in the documents you're sending. An example of an appropriate email subject line might be:

Helen Williams – Marketing Manager Position – resume and cover letter

If you have a recipient’s name but you're sending your email to an ‘info’ address, you can include ‘ FAO ’ (For the attention of) in your title:

FAO Mark Booth – Helen Williams – Marketing Manager Position

How to find the right recipient

If you don’t have a recipient for your cover letter, you'll need to do some research. It might even be the case that you have a name, but not an email address. Here are some tips for hunting down elusive contacts and their addresses.

1. Research websites

Check out the company website and social media sites. Use Google to piece together what you know and find details on lesser-known websites, such as About pages. For example, if you know the desired department to contact, you can search for, “Head of Marketing for [Department]” and see what it brings up.

If you have a name but no contact address, you can search your contact: “Mr Jones, Head of Marketing at [Company].” You may be lucky enough to find a social media page this way, if not a contact email address.

2. Call the company

The good old-fashioned telephone is an excellent way to find out a contact for your cover letter. Call the company, explain why you are calling, and ask them to whom you should send your cover letter and resume.

3. Check LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great tool for finding people thanks to its built-in and highly effective search function. You can search by the person's name if you have one, and for more advanced searches, you can even add in the company and location. If you find the person you’re looking for, you will see a ‘Contact info’ link on their profile under their name, so you can attempt to message them and ask. 

If you don’t have a name, you can search the company and see who is listed as an employee. If the person you want isn’t listed, you may be able to contact someone in a related department, such as HR, and ask for assistance. You may even be able to get an introduction from a mutual connection.

Read more: Letter of Introduction Writing Guide + Samples

Formatting your cover letter

The format of your letter is as important as who you send it to. When you’ve put in the effort of tracking down the most appropriate recipient, you’re going to want the rest of the letter to stand out, too.

Address and date

Your letter should be professionally formatted with your name, address, phone number, and email address in the top left. On the next line down, add the date, followed by the name and address of the recipient. As with any document, you begin writing the cover letter with ‘Dear [Name]’ on the left of the page.

If you are sending your letter digitally, which is far more common these days, your letter should be in the body of the text and you need to include the date, your city/state, phone number and email address at the top, but not the recipient's name and address. 

Cover letter template

Using a cover letter template can be very helpful. Generally, cover letters follow the same format (aside from the address at the top) and should ideally be no longer than a page, whether they are printed or emailed. Feel free to download this cover letter template for your use.

Get started

When deciding how to address a cover letter and who to send it to, your efforts in finding the right person and formatting your cover letter professionally can help you get the interview you're looking for. For further help on crafting cover letters that get you noticed, you can check out the Writing Winning Resumes and Cover Letters course offered by the University of Maryland on Coursera. 

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How to Address a Cover Letter to Recruiter or Hiring Manager

5 min read · Updated on November 24, 2021

Knowing how to effectively address a cover letter makes you a very visible and appealing candidate.

Did you know that the cardinal rule of cover letters is personalization? It impresses a hiring manager or recruiter because it tells them you took time to research the specific information for the letter rather than sending a generic version.

What many people forget, however, is that the greeting or salutation in a cover letter must also be personalized with the hiring professional's first and last name whenever possible.

There are several effective ways to find the hiring manager's name for your greeting — and some acceptable back-up strategies when you can't. Either way, knowing how to address a cover letter effectively can prevent you from ending your hiring chances before they even begin. 

When you know the hiring manager's name

More often than not, you'll be given the name of the hiring professional or the manager that you'll work for. Whoever it is, use their full name (first and last name) in the greeting. 

If you cannot definitively tell the gender of the hiring person, do not use a gender-based title such as “Mr.” or “Ms.” in the greeting. Instead just use the person's full name.

For example, Alex Johnson could be male or female. To avoid a gender mistake, use Dear Alex Johnson, Hello Alex Johnson, or simply Alex Johnson .

However, professional titles such as “Professor” or “Dr.” are definitely acceptable as a cover letter salutation and should be used as a sign of respect. Be on the lookout for these and other titles to include.

How to find a hiring manager's name for your cover letter

If you're not given the name of the hiring manager, here are some effective ways to discover their name by using:

The job description: Check this document for the hiring manager's name. While it's not generally listed, you never know. If it's not obvious, there's also a trick to quickly discover an email in the job description that might contain the name; while in the document, press Ctrl +F or run Command + F and search for the @ symbol.

An email address: If you discover an email address, it may not have a full name but rather a first initial and last name or just a first name like [email protected] or [email protected] . A Google search combining the person's name as shown in the email and the company name might find you the person's full name.

 A LinkedIn post: A name connected to the LinkedIn job posting is probably that of the hiring professional who posted it, so use that name in your greeting.

The supervisor's title: It's more likely that a job description will list who the new hire will report to — such as the director of accounting — without listing a name. In this case, there are several search options:

Search the company's website for listings of staff members by title.

Run an advanced LinkedIn or Google search for all directors of accounting at that specific company.

Check with your network for someone who might know the person's name or search the appropriate professional networking sites.

Contact the company by phone or email. Tell them you're applying for [job title] and want to address your cover letter to the right person.

In the end, this research can be the difference between making a great first impression and getting noticed for the position — or getting totally ignored by the hiring manager. 

Acceptable options in lieu of a name

If you try the steps above and come up empty, there are still some alternative greeting options that will put you in a professional light.

The idea is to show that you've read the job description and tailored your greeting based on the company department where the job is located, the hiring manager's title, or the team with which you'll potentially work.

Some good examples include:

Dear Head of Design

Hello IT Department

Dear Accounting Manager

To Company ABC Recruiter/Hiring Professional

Hello Marketing Hiring Team

Dear Customer Support Hiring Group

Dear Human Resources

If you still can't find any specific name or department information, go with “Dear Hiring Manager.” It sounds professional and it's not gender-specific. In fact, a recent survey of over 2000 companies by Saddleback College showed that 40 percent preferred “Dear Hiring Manager” as the best greeting when a manager's name can't be found. 

“Dear Sir or Madam” is another option that works because it's gender-neutral and respectful. However, it sounds a bit old-fashioned and may signal a hiring professional that you're an older worker or just not aware of other greeting options. It's perfectly acceptable, but the better choice is “Dear Hiring Manager.” 

In the end, an actual name or any of the alternative examples will let you stand out from the crowd, so do your best to find and use those whenever you can.

Never leave the greeting blank

Whatever information you may or may not find, it's important to never leave your greeting line blank.

A blank greeting line can make you come across as lazy or rude, or imply that you simply don't understand how to write a cover letter — all of which will immediately put you out of contention for the job. There's no reason to leave the greeting blank when there are so many options that can be used effectively.

When you spend the time and effort to personalize your cover letter, you don't want to come across as “just another candidate” by using a generic greeting or no greeting at all.

A personalized greeting will impress any hiring professional, increasing the chance they'll read your entire cover letter — and ask you for an interview.

Not sure if your cover letter is cutting it? Our writers don't just help you with your resume . 

Recommended Reading:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

5 Things to Say in Your Cover Letter If You Want to Get the Job

How To Write a Cover Letter (With Example)

Related Articles:

How to Create a Resume With No Education

From Bland to Beautiful: How We Made This Professional's Resume Shine

See how your resume stacks up.

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How to Address a Cover Letter With Examples

Options for Addressing a Cover Letter

• Letter Without a Contact Person
• Non-Gender-Specific Names

What Title to Use

• Address an Email Cover Letter
• Review a Sample Cover Letter

Before You Send Your Letter

One of the trickiest parts of writing a cover letter comes at the very beginning. Much of the time, you won’t know exactly who will read your letter. How do you address your cover letter when you don’t have the contact person’s name and/or gender ?

First of all, try to find out the name of the contact person. Some employers will think poorly of an applicant who does not take the time to learn the hiring manager’s name. Also, take care not to assume that you know the gender of the recipient based on the name. Many names are gender-neutral, and some hiring managers may identify as a gender other than male or female.

It’s also possible that you’ll do your research and still be unable to figure out to whom you are addressing your letter. In that case, it's better to be safe and use a generic greeting . It's also acceptable to start a letter without a greeting and start with the first paragraph of your letter .

You have a lot of options when addressing your letter. Learn more about the possibilities before you make your choice.

How to Address a Cover Letter Without a Contact Person

There are a variety of general cover letter salutations you can use to address your letter. These general cover letter salutations do not require you to know the name of the hiring manager.

In a survey of more than 2,000 companies, Saddleback College found that employers preferred the following greetings:  

• Dear Sir/Madam (27%)
• To Whom It May Concern  (17%)
• Dear Human Resources Director (6%)
• Leave it blank (8%)

Do keep in mind that terms like "To Whom It May Concern" may seem dated, so the best options may be either to use "Dear Hiring Manager" or not to include a greeting at all. Simply start with the first paragraph of your letter.

How to Address a Cover Letter for a Non-Gender-Specific Name

If you do have a name but aren't sure of the person's gender, one option is to include both the first name and the last name in your salutation, without a title that reveals gender:

• Dear Sydney Doe
• Dear Taylor Smith
• Dear Jamie Brown

With these types of gender-ambiguous names,  LinkedIn  can be a helpful resource. Since many people include a photo with their profile, a simple search of the person's name and company within LinkedIn could potentially turn up the contact's photograph.

Again, you can also check the company website or call the company’s administrative assistant to get more information as well.

Even if you know the name and gender of the person to whom you are writing, think carefully about what title you will use in your salutation.

For example, if the person is a doctor or holds a Ph.D., you might want to address your letter to “Dr. Lastname” rather than “Ms. Lastname” or “Mr. Lastname.” Other titles might be “Prof.,” “Rev.,” or “Sgt.,” among others.

When you address a letter to a female employer, use the title “Ms.” unless you know for certain that she prefers another title (such as “Miss” or “Mrs.”).

“Ms.” is a general title that does not denote marital status, so it works for any female employer.

How to Address an Email Cover Letter

Hiring managers get a lot of emails each day. Make it easy for them to scan your email and follow up by including a clear subject line and a signature with your contact information. It's important to address the email cover letter correctly, including the name of the person hiring for the position if you have a contact, to ensure that your letter gets noticed.

Subject Line of Email Message

Never leave the subject line blank. There is a good chance that if a hiring manager receives an email with no subject line, they’ll delete it without even bothering to open it, or it could end up in their spam mailbox. Instead, write a clear subject indicating your intentions.

List the job you are applying for in the  subject line of your email message , so the employer knows what job you are interested in. They may be hiring for multiple positions, and you will want them to identify the position you’re interested in easily.

How to Address the Contact Person

There are a variety of  cover letter salutations  you can use to address your email message. If you have a contact person at the company, address the letter to Ms. or Mr. Lastname. If you aren’t given a contact person, check to see if you can  determine the email recipient's name .

If you can’t find a contact person at the company, you can either leave off the salutation from your cover letter and  start with the first paragraph  of your letter or use a  general salutation .

How to Format the Salutation

Once you have chosen a salutation, follow it with a colon or comma, a space, and then start the first paragraph of your letter. For example:

Dear Hiring Manager:

First paragraph of the letter.

Body of Email Cover Letter

The body of your cover letter  lets the employer know what position you are applying for, and why the employer should select you for an interview. This is where you'll sell yourself as a candidate. Review the job posting and include examples of your attributes that closely match the ones they are looking for.

When you're sending an  email cover letter , it's important to follow the employer's instructions on how to submit your cover letter and resume.

Make sure that your email cover letters are as well-written as any other documents you send.

If you have attached your resume, mention this as part of your conclusion. Then finish your cover letter by thanking the employer for considering you for the position. Include information on how you will follow up. Include a closing, then list your name and your  email signature .

Your email signature should include your name, full address, phone number, email address, and  LinkedIn Profile URL  (if you have one) so it is easy for hiring managers to get in touch.

Firstname Lastname  Street Address  (optional) City, State Zip Code  Email  Phone  LinkedIn

Sample Cover Letter

This is a cover letter example. Download the cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Sample Cover Letter (Text Version)

Mary Garcia 12 Rogers Avenue Townville, New Hampshire 03060 555-555-5555 mary.garcia@email.com

February 17, 2021

Franklin Lee

CBI Industries 39 Main Street Townville, New Hampshire 03060

Dear Mr. Lee:

I was excited to see your ad for the operations assistant position in your Townville offices.

I have five years of experience as an operations assistant/associate. In my most recent role at ABC Corp., I fulfilled orders, resolved customer issues, ordered supplies, and prepared reports. In previous roles, I’ve done bookkeeping, data entry, and sales support. Basically, anything your department needs to run smoothly, I can do – and most likely, I already have experience doing it.

My other skills include:

• Strong communication skills, in person, in writing, and on the phone
• Excellent attention to detail and organization skills
• Top-notch customer service
• Experience in the industry and passion for the product
• Adept at all the usual professional software, including Microsoft Office Suite

I’ve included my resume for your review. Please contact me if you have questions or would like to schedule an interview. Thank you for your consideration.

Signature (hard copy letter)

Mary Garcia

Review Cover Letter Samples: It’s hard to write cover letters from scratch. To make life easier – and to make sure you don’t forget any of those pesky formatting rules —start by reviewing cover letter samples . Sending an email version instead? Look at a few examples of email cover letters to get started.

Customize Your Cover Letter: Why personalize your cover letter every time you apply for a job? Because even similar job titles have different requirements. The goal of a cover letter is to show the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for this particular job. Customizing your cover letter will help you emphasize your skills and experience and how they fit with the job requirements .

Spell-Check Names: Before sending your cover letter, make absolutely sure that you have spelled the hiring manager’s name correctly. That is the kind of small error that can cost you a job interview.

Carefully Proofread Your Letter: Whether you're sending an email or uploading or attaching a printable cover letter, it's important to make sure that your cover letter and resume are written as well as any other business correspondence. If you can, have a friend proofread before you hit send, to pick up any typos or grammatical errors.

Saddleback College. " Your Resume is Your 1st Interview ," Page 14. Accessed Feb. 17, 2021.

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• Careers & Jobs

How to Address a Cover Letter: From Heading to Date to Salutation + More

We’ll discuss how to address a cover letter with examples, and then we’ll look at specific parts of each cover letter address area in detail..

Writing a cover letter might be one of those things that make you want to bang your head on your keyboard.

Fortunately, though, addressing a cover letter is a piece of cake (we’ll help you with the other bits in a different article).

In this short article, we’ll walk you through how to address a cover letter effectively and easily, with examples, and then we’ll guide you through the specific parts of each cover letter address area in more detail.

Let’s get to it!

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How to Address a Cover Letter

Here’s an example of how to address a cover letter:

Your First & Last Name Your Address Line 1 Your Address Line 2 January 1, 2021 Jessica Schwartz Human Resources Manager Name of Prospective Company Prospective Company Address Line 1 Prospective Company Address Line 2 Dear Jessica:

And there you have it! 

As you can see from the cover letter address sample above, it’s really quite simple. Feel free to copy and paste that into your cover letter opening and tweak to your needs!

Next, we’ll go into detail about each of the various subsections of the cover letter address area.

Related Read : 10+ Cover Letter Tips & Tricks Sure to Score Interviews

Structure of a Cover Letter Address Section

1. cover letter heading (sender’s information).

At the very top of your cover letter, in what’s called the cover letter header, you’ll place your contact details. 

As we showed you above, it’s quite simple:

Your First & Last Name Your Address Line 1 Your Address Line 2

If you want, you can include your phone number or email address, as well.

Cover letters follow a business letter or formal letter format, but, you don’t have to necessarily stick to the styling of the example above. If you have a stylized heading with your name and contact details from your resume contact information section, feel free to use the same heading here!

However, for the remainder of the cover letter, stick as close to the business letter format as possible.

2. The Date

The entirety of addressing a cover letter is quite simple, and that’s true for the date as well.

Here’s how to add a date on a cover letter:

January 31, 2022

Just remember to leave a line break space both above and below the date to keep things looking neat and organized.

Related Read : Career Glossary: 45+ Job Terms, HR Vocab & Employment Words to Know

3. Inside Address (Recipient’s Information)

After the date, it’s time to add the recipient’s information, also known in formal letter writing as the “inside address.”

As we showed you above, here’s how to write the company’s info:

Jessica Schwartz Human Resources Manager Name of Prospective Company Prospective Company Address Line 1 Prospective Company Address Line 2

We start with the name of the person you are addressing the cover letter to, usually the HR manager or hiring supervisor, followed by their official title at the company. Do your best to find someone’s name so it is tailored by researching the company and its LinkedIn profile.

If you still can’t find someone’s name, simply put “Hiring Manager” or “ATTN: Hiring Manager” above the company name and address.

4. Salutation

The last part of the cover letter address section before reaching the body is the salutation. 

And here’s how simple that is:

Dear Jessica:

Easy as that! 

You can tweak that a bit, if you prefer not to use “dear,” for example. You could also choose to use their last name (“Dear Ms. Schwartz”) or their full name. However, in most cases, I think the first name is most powerful (and we’re in the 2020s now, as well).

Finally, use a colon after the name and you’re through!

Related Read : Resume Sections: 10+ Things to Include on a Resume to Land Interviews

Well, that’s it for our guide on how to address a cover letter, and we hope it helps answer all your questions about addressing cover letters right. Got any further questions or feedback about how to format the address on a cover letter? Let us know below in the comments, and thanks for reading!

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thank you for this article, Goodwall! It’s easy, simple, and so useful for me, because I search for a job right now and have to send out many cover letters. Wish me luck 🙂

Thanks for your comment, Anastasia, and for stopping by! I’m so happy if it helped, and I wish you the best of luck on your job search!

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How to address a cover letter?

I'm sure that you had to create a cover letter at some point in your job search. And like most other job seekers, you probably came across this problem: "How to address a cover letter?"

Most of the time, you have no idea who is going to read the cover letter.

So, how to address a cover letter without a name?

Hiring managers get roughly 100-200 resumes every day. And, they are already under a lot of pressure to sort the resumes.

On top of that, if they get cover letters that do not have proper formatting and do not address the hiring manager in the cover letter header, mark my words; they will surely throw your resume away.

In a resume cover letter, minute details make or break your chance of being hired.

So, you need to make sure that you know how to address cover letter correctly.

Don't worry!

In this blog, we will tell you everything you need to know about:

• Who to address cover letter to?
• How to address a cover letter without a name?
• How to find out who to address a cover letter to?
• How to address an email cover letter?
• How to address a cover letter for internal position?
• What should you not do when addressing a cover letter?
• Example of Proper Cover letter address format?
• Some common question about how to address cover letter

Who to Address a Cover Letter To?

Ideally, you need to address your cover letter to hiring managers , not the recruiters .

In many job postings, the name or email address of the hiring manager is given.

If you are lucky enough to find such job listings, then you are sorted. You can write a personalized cover letter addressing the hiring manager directly.

Unfortunately, not many job listing sites give the name and email address of the contact person.

Do not quit and send the cover letter without a name.

Go to the company website/about page and see if it has the list of staff.

That way, you can probably get the hiring manager's name or someone from the talent acquisition department to whom you need to address your cover letter.

The critical aspect is to do a lot of research .

Suppose you still don't find any name or contact information of anyone in the hiring department. In that case, you can also address your cover letter to someone in authority in other departments, such as the senior manager or the head of the department you are applying for.

It is a hundred times better to address your cover letter to someone in the organization than not addressing it at all.

At least, this way, they will understand that you are not throwing rocks in the dark. You have done your research and have good ideas about the organization.

Also Read: How to write a stellar cover letter in 2022?

How to Address a Cover letter Without a Name?

There are plenty of generic cover letter salutations you can use in your cover letter. These generic cover letter salutations eliminate the need to know the name of the contact person.

The only drawback is that you have no option to personalize your cover letter.

A survey conducted by Saddleback College has seen that only 8% of hiring managers are ok with a cover letter without name. But 92% of hiring managers prefer to have some address in the cover letter.

• Dear Hiring Manager (40%)
• Dear Sir/Madam (27%)
• To Whom It May Concern (17%)
• Dear Human Resources Director (6%)

However, we don't recommend you to use to whom it may concern in your cover letter address.

Instead, the best general salutation can be "Dear Hiring Manager."

If you want to personalize the address, you can address your cover letter to the specific department you are applying for. For example, "Dear Digital Marketing Department."

How to Address Cover Letter When You Don't Know Hiring Manager's Gender?

There will be times when you will find the gender-neutral name of the hiring manager. In that case, altogether avoid using gender-specific cover letter addresses. Instead, address with their both name and last name in the salutation like this:

• Dear John Doe,
• Dear Charlie Brown ,
• Dear Taylor Paisley,

Hiration Pro Tip : In this type of gender-neutral name, you can search for the person on Linkedin to find out their gender. Alternatively, you can search on the company page or call the company reception to get more information about the hiring manager.

How to Address Cover Letter When You Know Hiring Manager's Gender?

If you know the hiring manager's gender, things will be much easier for you. For men, you can address the hiring manager with "Mr.," but things get a bit tricky for female hiring managers.

Imagine this,

You have addressed the hiring manager with "Miss.," and if she turns out to be married, it will not look good on your part. You definitely do not want to offend your hiring manager.

Instead of "Miss" or "Mrs.," use " Ms.," which does not focus on their marital status.

• Dear. Ms. Moore,
• Dear Miss Jane,
• Dear Mrs. Black,

Should You Address the Hiring Manager With Only Their First Name?

If you know the hiring manager personally, only then can you use their first name to address the cover letter. Else, address the letter with their full name.

How to Use Professional Titles When Addressing a Cover Letter?

If the hiring manager has a professional or academic title, don't forget to address them by their title. You can write the full title like this:

• "Dear Doctor Taylor,"

Or you can use the abbreviated form like this:

• Dear Dr. Taylor ,
• Dear Sgt. Park,
• Dear Prof. Hoverman,
• Dear Principal Fury,

Also Read: How long should a cover letter be?

How Do You Find Out Who to Address a Cover Letter To?

If you don't find the hiring manager's name and contact information on the job description, don't just leave it like that! Do some research and put some effort into finding the name and email id of the hiring manager.

It may take some extra effort, but it shows that you are interested in this job. This section will tell you everything you need to know about finding the hiring manager's name and to who you address a cover letter.

Call the Company

Calling the company to ask for a hiring manager's details is the best way to accurately determine the hiring manager's name and number.

• Call the company desk
• State who you are and why you are calling
• Tell that you are applying for a job position and confirm who the hiring manager is for addressing in the cover letter.
• Most of the time, the hiring manager will happily give you the information you need.

Tip : When taking their name, ask for the spelling of the hiring manager's name. You do not want to screw up the spelling.

If the company desk refuses to give information for any reason, don't worry; we have four other ways in our arsenal.

Network With People Working With Prospective Employer

The second best way to get the hiring manager's name and contact information is to connect with your prospective employer's employees.

This way, you can ask your connection to refer you to the hiring manager or ask for the hiring manager's contact information when a job becomes available.

It is easier than you think.

Just do a quick Linkedin search and see the employers active on Linkedin.

Now, slowly start engaging with the person you want to connect with.

After a couple of days, send them a personalized connection request and slowly build a rapport.

You do not want to ask right out for reference after introducing yourself. Instead, add some value to the conversation, and show genuine interest in them.

This process takes some time, but the connection you will make with these people will take you a long way in your professional journey.

Read the Job Description Carefully

It is a sad truth that most job seekers do not read the job description carefully. In this way, they miss vital information and potentially the hiring manager's contact name and details.

Most of the job descriptions contain the email address of the hiring manager at the end. And you can easily find the name of the contact person with the email address.

Most professional email ids contain the name of the person and the company name. For example, [email protected] has two parts- Judy.M and hiraiton.com.

And if you search on Google by the first part of the email address "Judy.M" and the company name, there is a high chance that you will find the Linkedin profile of the respective person. And you can get to know other information about them as well.

Find Out Who Will Become Your Superior or Manager

Many job descriptions include the details about the reporting manager. In such cases, you need to address your cover letter to the reporting manager.

You can find more information about the reporting manager by a quick Linkedin search with the reporting manager's job title and the company.

If the company is larger, there may be multiple individuals with the same job title. In that case, you can further narrow down your search by location.

Do an Online Search

Another easy way to search for the hiring manager is by simply doing a Google search. Google will show you the most relevant results for your search query. Example: See in this example how the first result itself answered your question.

Also Read: How to address a cover letter without name?

How to Address a Email Cover Letter?

We live in a digital age now.

Nowadays, most candidates send email cover letters to the hiring managers. And hiring managers get 100s of email cover letters daily.

To stand out from these 100s of email cover letters, you need to make sure your email cover address is perfect.

1. Subject Line of Email Cover Letter

The first thing the hiring manager will see is your email cover letter subject line. So, never leave the subject line blank.

Hiring managers sort the email cover letters by the job title. And if your cover letter does not have a subject line, it will not show in the hiring manager's list.

Here is an example cover letter subject line :

Subject line: Job Application for Video Editor Position, Ref: Hanna Moore

2. Address the Cover Letter in the Correct Way

The rules of a formal cover letter and an email cover letter salutation are similar. You can refer to the previous section of this blog to know more about it. Here is an example of an email cover letter address

• "Dear Mr. Doe,"

Note : Recent trends have seen many job seekers do not include "Dear" in the salutation. You can do that too. There is nothing wrong with it.

Also Read: How to start a cover letter for maximum impact?

How to Address a Cover Letter for Internal Position?

If you address the cover letter to higher management or hiring manager, always use their name to address in the cover letter.

luckily, since it's an internal position, you can easily find the name of the person by asking your colleagues.

What Not to Do When Addressing a Cover Letter

Even if you did everything right on your resume and cover letter, starting it wrong may cost you a chance to get a call for an interview.

Let's see what you should not do when addressing a cover letter.

Do Not Address the Cover Letter to the Recruiter

" Recruiters do not read cover letters. "

Recruiters only sort the resumes by keywords and forward the same to the hiring managers.

This is the golden rule you need to keep in mind when addressing a cover letter. Always address the cover letter to the hiring manager.

Do Not Address the Cover Letter to an Ex. Hiring Manager

Company websites do not get updated regularly. If a hiring manager leaves the company, you may still find their name and contact information on the website or other third-party websites. So, be extra careful when addressing a cover letter.

Spelling the Hiring Manager or Company Name Wrong

Do not sabotage your first impression by making a spelling mistake on the hiring manager's name or the company name. It demonstrates a lack of attention to detail.

Do Not Start With a Bland Greeting

Avoid using to whom it may concern cover letter address. It is very generic and shows utter laziness on your part. It projects that you did not put much effort into writing the cover letter.

Example of a Cover Letter Address Format

Here is an example of a proper cover letter address format:

Frequently Asked Questions

How to address a cover letter to a large company.

If you have to address a cover letter to a large company, and you don't know the hiring manager's name, you can always address the cover letter to the department you are applying job to. For example:

• Dear Finance Department
• Dear Marketing Team
• Dear Customer Service Department

Can I get creative with my cover letter address?

There is no restriction on being creative with addressing a cover letter. It is essential to research and understand who your audience is and if he/she will appreciate your creativity.

For example, if you do something creative with your cover letter salutation to apply in a creative field, it will get the hiring manager's attention.

On the other hand, if you apply for a technical position, you might hold off from showing your creativity on the cover letter address.

Should a cover letter address the company location?

It is a traditional practice to include the company address in the cover letter. Primary because it is a formal document, it would be better to add the company address before starting your cover letter.

Should a cover letter header include the candidate's address?

The candidate's address is an essential part of the cover letter. If not the whole address, at least City, Country should be mentioned in the cover letter. Example:

• "Pine Bluff, AR"

This helps the hiring manager sort the candidates based on location.

Also, the Application Tracking Softwares sort the resumes and cover letters based on their locations. And if your location is not mentioned in the cover letter, it might get unnoticed by the ATS software.

Should a cover letter header, and resume header be the same?

Ideally, your cover letter header should be the name of the role you are applying for. And resume heading should be your current job title. For example, if you are currently working as a data analyst, your Resume headline should be something like:

• "Jr. Data Analyst."

And you are applying for a Data Scientist position, then your cover letter heading should be,

• "Data Scientist"

There is no hard and fast rule, but this is the approach we at Hiration follow, and it has been working for our clients.

You can also write the same heading for the cover letter and resume if you like. It has some added advantages. If the cover letter gets misplaced, it will be a lot easier to trace it back to the resume.

How to write the intro to a cover letter?

If you want to hook the hiring manager to read your cover letter, you need to write a professional intro explaining why you are applying and what role you are applying for.

You need to remember that hiring managers are often dealing with recruitment for more than one position. And it will help them if you specifically mention what role you are applying for.

Key Takeaways

With that, we have come to the end of this blog. By now, you should get all of your questions answered. But still, if you have any questions regarding how to address a cover letter and who to address a cover letter, let's go over the key takeaways of the blog:

• Do not send the cover letter without addressing someone.
• If you do not know who to address, call the company desk or go to LinkedIn to search the hiring manager's name.
• If you do not know the name, you can address the cover letter with "Dear Hiring Manager,"
• Alternatively, you can address the cover letter to the head of the department you are applying for. For example: "Dear Sr. Marketing Manager,"
• Make sure to use accurate professional and academic titles with the name of hiring managers.
• Do not use "To whom it may concern." It is old-fashioned and does not impress the hiring manager nowadays.

Go to Hiration career platform which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries. You can also write to us at [email protected] and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.

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How to write a cover letter

Best practices to show why you're the best fit!

Cover letters are a place for you to tell your story outside of strictly formatted documents or question-and-answers that might be part of an application. They serve as a writing sample, giving a clear example of your written communication skills. You absolutely need a unique cover letter for every application, rather than just changing the name of the position you’re applying to.

What's included in a cover letter?

The goal of a cover letter is to convince the reader that you are genuinely interested in a specific position at a specific organization and highlight that you (due to your most relevant skills/experiences) are a good fit for the position, the organization and the industry.

Your cover letter should provide insight into how you are uniquely suited for the position. Read the job description a few times—what skills are being highlighted?

Use a formal letter format. Include your address, the date, the contact’s name and address. Whenever possible, address the letter to a (relevant) specific person. If not known, a phrase like “Hiring Manager” is acceptable.

Cover letters are typically three short paragraphs:

• Opening paragraph . State why you are writing, what you’re applying for/type of work you’re looking for, and (if relevant) how you heard about this position. Overall, this paragraph should introduce why this letter exists and why you're interested in the position.
• Middle paragraph . Explain why you are interested in working for this employer and in this kind of position. Relevant past experience can be helpful, but they’ll see your resume. Only include past experience if there’s something specific you want to say about it (like, the course you took being your motivation for this kind of work). Highlight your skills or abilities that are relevant to this job. Avoid words like “try,” “somewhat,” etc. when describing your experience. Stay factual, optimistic and confident. That’s who recruiters are trying to hire.
• Closing paragraph . Reiterate your interest in the position and your enthusiasm to join this organization. Thank them for their consideration of your application, and state that you look forward to hearing from them, and to the opportunity to discuss the position further, etc.

What are some other tips for cover letters?

Cover letters should most often be a single, one-sided page. Keep it short and to the point! It’s ok if your first draft is longer. Editing it down from a longer draft helps you keep the best bits, making a stronger letter overall.

If you're not sure what a good cover should look like, research examples from reputable sources. There are hundreds of resources from job-finding websites to university career services that can help you find examples of good cover letters.

Another tip is to put the cover letter down for a few weeks, then pick it up and pretend you’re the hiring manager. Would you hire the letter writer? As with everything, get as many people (roommate, college career counselors, your undergraduate advisor) to review your documents and give their insight. Is it well-written? Would they hire you? Does it sound like you?

A few don’ts for cover letter writing

• Don't apologize for skills you don’t have. Instead highlight why you are qualified.
• Don't use one cover letter to cover all of your bases. Be sure your cover letter is targeted to each position you apply for.
• Don't strictly reference your resume, which focuses on your list of accomplishments. In a professional, conversational manner, discuss the relevant info in your resume, providing further insight into how you’re a good fit.

When and How To Include a Picture on Your Resume

Consider Your Goals

When to include a picture on your resume, how to take a professional picture, frequently asked questions.

Many modern resume templates let you easily add your picture. But should you? Below we’ll discuss this question and review cases where including your photo is appropriate.

Most job seekers in the U.S. should not include a picture because it’s simply not relevant to the focus of a modern resume or job search.

Remember your resume’s sole purpose: to get interviews for your target job. With few exceptions , your document’s information should serve that purpose by centering on how you’re qualified in your field. The details a picture reveals about you – such as your appearance, race, or gender – have no real bearing on those qualifications or how well you can perform. They don’t need to be part of your resume. In many cases, the photo is actually a distraction that can end up exposing you to a hiring manager’s (conscious or unconscious) biases. Avoid this problem by keeping a strict focus on your pertinent skills.

There are two main scenarios where you’ll be expected or required to include a photo:

1. You’re applying to work in a foreign country

Hiring practices vary by region. In some countries, you’ll actually need to include a photo on your international resume or curriculum vitae (CV) . Many job postings specify whether you should send a photograph, but when in doubt, look up the country’s general hiring standards and ensure your document follows them. Below are some countries and world regions where it’s customary to send a photo with your job application:

• Philippines
• South America
• South Korea
• The Middle East

2. You're applying for jobs in the performing arts

It’s also acceptable to include your picture on a resume for jobs where physical appearance is relevant, such as acting, modeling, or TV broadcasting. Since you’ll already include a professional headshot in your application, the photo won’t trigger any negative implications for HR departments. Casting and modeling agencies look for certain types of builds and appearances for individual roles, so adding a picture at the top of your resume can enhance your document in these cases.

Similarly, you may choose to include your photo for jobs in outside sales, marketing, or real estate, where you’d be expected to make a polished impression on clients and prospects.

Whenever you need to include a photo on your resume, follow these best practices:

• Apply filters as needed to improve brightness
• Ensure your face comprises the majority of the frame
• Feature a friendly smile and demeanor
• Use a high-resolution image
• Utilize a plain background
• Use natural, soft lighting
• Wear professional business attire

(Note: Consider hiring a professional photographer if you’re struggling to get an image that meets these standards.)

When do I include a picture on my cover letter? -

Follow the same general guidance as for your resume above. On many resume templates, the photo appears as part of your contact header, making it easy to carry over the same presentation on your cover letter and other job search documents.

Should I include a picture on my LinkedIn profile? -

Yes. Typically, your LinkedIn profile should be slightly less formal than your resume. Adding a photo strikes a more casual and personable tone that helps you connect with others and find opportunities on the site.

Should I put my address on my resume? -

In most cases, yes . But you don't need to give your street address; you can just your current city, state, and zip code.

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Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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The organizers behind the Paris Olympics apologized to anyone who was offended by a tableau that evoked Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" during Friday's opening ceremony and provoked outrage by religious conservatives around the world. The organizers, however, defended the concept behind it.

Da Vinci's painting depicts the moment when Jesus Christ declared that an apostle would betray him. The  scene during Friday's ceremony  on the Debilly Bridge featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch — an LGBTQ+ icon who calls herself a "love activist." Butch was wearing a silver headdress that looked like a halo as she got the party going on a footbridge across the Seine. Drag artists, dancers and others flanked Butch on both sides.

As CBS News correspondent Elaine Cobbe reports, the specific part of the ceremony that caused the offense was, in fact, a scene depicting Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. It was reportedly based on  The Feast of the Gods,  a 17th century painting by Dutch artist Jan Harmensz van Biljert that hangs in the Magnin Museum, in Dijon, eastern France. The painting depicts an assembly of Greek gods on Mount Olympus for a banquet to celebrate the marriage of Thetis and Peleus. The figure seated at the table in the center has a halo of light behind his head.

Thomas Jolly, the opening ceremony director, insisted in an interview with France's BFMTV that "The Last Supper" was not the inspiration behind the scene, explaining that "Dionysus arrives at the table because he is the Greek God of celebration," adding that the particular sequence was entitled "festivity."

"The idea was to create a big pagan party in link with the God of Mount Olympus — and you will never find in me, or in my work, any desire of mocking anyone," Jolly said.

The "interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings," a  post on the official social media  account of the Olympic Games said by way of explanation. 

But religious conservatives from around the world decried the segment, with the French Catholic Church's conference of bishops deploring "scenes of derision" that they said made a mockery of Christianity — a sentiment echoed by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. The Anglican Communion in Egypt expressed its "deep regret" Sunday, saying the ceremony could cause the IOC to "lose its distinctive sporting identity and its humanitarian message."

Prominent French far-right politician Marion Maréchal denounced the performance on social media.

"To all the Christians of the world who are watching the Paris 2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation," she posted on the social platform X, a sentiment that was echoed by religious conservatives internationally.

In Romania, controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate were part of a protest against the Olympics next to the French embassy in Bucharest on Sunday. The Tate brothers criticized the Olympic Games for mocking Christianity during the opening ceremony and called on athletes to boycott.

Andrew Tate is awaiting trial in Romania on charges of allegedly forming an organized crime group, human trafficking and rape.

The ceremony's artistic director Thomas Jolly distanced his scene from any "Last Supper" parallels after the ceremony, saying it was meant to celebrate diversity and pay tribute to feasting and French gastronomy. Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps was asked about the outcry during an International Olympic Committee news conference on Sunday.

"Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think (with) Thomas Jolly, we really did try to celebrate community tolerance," Descamps said. "Looking at the result of the polls that we shared, we believe that this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry."

Jolly explained his intentions to The Associated Press after the ceremony.

"My wish isn't to be subversive, nor to mock or to shock," Jolly said. "Most of all, I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide."

• Andrew Tate
• Leonardo da Vinci

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FACT SHEET: President   Biden Announces Bold Plan to Reform the Supreme Court and Ensure No President Is Above the   Law

From his first day in office—and every day since then—President Biden has taken action to strengthen American democracy and protect the rule of law.

In recent years, the Supreme Court has overturned long-established legal precedents protecting fundamental rights. This Court has gutted civil rights protections, taken away a woman’s right to choose, and now granted Presidents broad immunity from prosecution for crimes they commit in office.

At the same time, recent ethics scandals involving some Justices have caused the public to question the fairness and independence that are essential for the Court to faithfully carry out its mission to deliver justice for all Americans.

President Biden believes that no one—neither the President nor the Supreme Court—is above the law.

In the face of this crisis of confidence in America’s democratic institutions, President Biden is calling for three bold reforms to restore trust and accountability:

• No Immunity for Crimes a Former President Committed in Office: President Biden shares the Founders’ belief that the President’s power is limited—not absolute—and must ultimately reside with the people. He is calling for a constitutional amendment that makes clear no President is above the law or immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office. This No One Is Above the Law Amendment will state that the Constitution does not confer any immunity from federal criminal indictment, trial, conviction, or sentencing by virtue of previously serving as President.
• Term Limits for Supreme Court Justices: Congress approved term limits for the Presidency over 75 years ago, and President Biden believes they should do the same for the Supreme Court. The United States is the only major constitutional democracy that gives lifetime seats to its high court Justices. Term limits would help ensure that the Court’s membership changes with some regularity; make timing for Court nominations more predictable and less arbitrary; and reduce the chance that any single Presidency imposes undue influence for generations to come. President Biden supports a system in which the President would appoint a Justice every two years to spend eighteen years in active service on the Supreme Court.
• Binding Code of Conduct for the Supreme Court: President Biden believes that Congress should pass binding, enforceable conduct and ethics rules that require Justices to disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity, and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest. Supreme Court Justices should not be exempt from the enforceable code of conduct that applies to every other federal judge.

President Biden and Vice President Harris look forward to working with Congress and empowering the American people to prevent the abuse of Presidential power, restore faith in the Supreme Court, and strengthen the guardrails of democracy. President Biden thanks the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States for its insightful analysis of Supreme Court reform proposals. The Administration will continue its work to ensure that no one is above the law – and in America, the people rule.

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