# What's a better opening than "To Whom it May Concern"?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 6, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189 "2007-09-06T00:15:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/1 "2007-09-06T00:15:10Z")
When you’re writing a cover letter and you cannot get the name of an individual, is there a better opening than “To Whom it May Concern”?
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/2 "2007-09-06T00:28:13Z")
If forced into that situation, I usually write “Greetings:” and then explain in the first sentence who I want to contact.
Someone’s got to have a better solution, though.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/3 "2007-09-06T00:29:02Z")
“To Whom it May Concern” sucks if you are addressing something in regards to a job or anything else somewhat generic to a company or school.
Dear “Company Name” is much better choice for most circumstances.
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### Author:  [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/4 "2007-09-06T00:29:21Z")
Cover letter for what? A résumé? Do your darnedest to find the name and position of the person who you’re addressing.
But if you can’t and it’s a formal situation, “Dear sir or madam” is the standard form.
I sometimes use “Dear folks” in a less formal situation (i.e. to a company I’m buying something from) or when addressing a number of people I know personally.
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### Author:  [@Public\_Animal\_No.9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Public_Animal_No.9)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/5 "2007-09-06T00:52:13Z")
I had a friend who would open such letters with “Great Corporate Entity”.
I’m not sure it had much effect, but it was definitely more fun.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/6 "2007-09-06T01:01:18Z")
[QUOTE=commasense]
Cover letter for what? A résumé? Do your darnedest to find the name and position of the person who you’re addressing.
[/QUOTE]
Yes. Unfortunately it’s to be addressed to HR and according to my email contact “there’s not a specific individual assigned to filling this particular position”. (It’s been a while since I had to write a “Hail Mary” cover letter.)
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### Author:  [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/7 "2007-09-06T01:10:58Z")
In school we were taught to use _Dear Sir, or Madam_ (or _Dear Sirs_ if writing to the military).
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### Author:  [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/8 "2007-09-06T01:17:18Z")
_Dear Madam or Sir_ is Miss Manners’ choice.
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### Author:  [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/9 "2007-09-06T01:46:37Z")
I would go with Matt’s post- lots of gals in HR and putting Madam first might score you a point.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/10 "2007-09-06T01:49:53Z")
There is no need to use a salutation at all. Just write the letter and don’t waste the space. They won’t care. They won’t even notice.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/11 "2007-09-06T02:54:50Z")
I agree with Exapno. All the other forms sound stilted or too casual to be taken seriously. If you leave off the salutation, no one will notice and you will avoid any problems.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/12 "2007-09-06T03:16:08Z")
“[Darling Facist Bully-Boy](http://youtube.com/watch?v=L8vkkoKj-a0),”
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/13 "2007-09-06T03:50:34Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ]
“[Darling Facist Bully-Boy](http://youtube.com/watch?v=L8vkkoKj-a0),”
[/QUOTE]
Reminds me of Igatius’s letter to Isaac Abelman, a dissatisfied customer who complained that Iggy’s employer, Levy Pants, had messed up an order by sending work pants that were too short:
> [@](#):
>
> ## Mr. I. Abelman, Mongoloid, Esq.: We have received via post your absurd comments about our trousers, the comments revealing, as they did, your total lack of contact with reality. Were you more aware, you would know or realize by now that the offending trousers were dispatched to you with our full knowledge that they were inadequate so far as length was concerned. “Why? Why?” you are in your incomprehensible babble, unable to assimilate stimulating concepts of commerce into your retarded and blighted worldview.
>
> closing:
>
> We do not wish to be bothered in the future by such tedious complaints. Please confine your correspondence to orders only. We are busy and dynamic organization whose mission needless effrontery and harassment can only hinder.
>
> If you molest us again, sir, you may feel the sting of the lash across your pitiful shoulders.
>
> Yours in anger,
>
> Gus Levy, Pres.
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### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/14 "2007-09-06T11:08:34Z")
I prefer Dear Sir or Madam.
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### Author:  [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/15 "2007-09-06T11:22:39Z")
You never know when the person reading your letter is going to be a nitpicker. If you are applying for a job or submitting something for publication, _always_ use a salutation. “Dear Madam or Sir” is pleasant.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/16 "2007-09-06T11:33:22Z")
Yo.
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### Author:  [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/17 "2007-09-06T13:20:00Z")
Dear John,
You’re dumped.
have a nice day
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### Author:  [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/18 "2007-09-06T13:30:19Z")
Like **Exapno** and **Reality** , I can’t imagine any HR Department having a problem with:
Human Resources Department
Megalith Corporation
123 Fake Street
_Re: Position #BJ247_
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/19 "2007-09-06T13:39:25Z")
Gentlemen,
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### Author:  [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)
#### Post date: [September 6, 2007, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-better-opening-than-to-whom-it-may-concern/418189/20 "2007-09-06T13:43:44Z")
I have sometimes used “Dear Hiring Manager.” That’s really who the letter is addressed to, even if it is being screened by HR first. Obviously, it’s much better if you know the name, but sometimes companies keep the name confidential to avoid the person getting overwhelmed with calls and emails.
The no salutation approach may work. I’d say it depends somewhat on the job and the detail-oriented nature of the people doing the hiring. Someone who cares about this kind of thing will assume your cover letter is the kind of letter you would send to a customer. In a field that is heavily relationship-based (sales, fundraising, HR) a no-salutation letter would make a bad impression. If you are in IT where it is traditional to address people by “re: Ticket Number XXXXXXX,” it’s probably a fine approach.
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