How to Find a Name for Your Cover Letter Greeting

How to Find a Name for Your Cover Letter GreetingHow to Find a Name for Your Cover Letter GreetingHow to Find a Name for Your Cover Letter GreetingIts best to address a cover letter to the hiring manager by name. But employers rarely give explicit submission instructions, such as Email your resume and cover letter to Mr. Manny McManager. Some do, but theyre the exception. If you have a name, consider yourself lucky, and by all means use it But if you dont know the recipients name, it shouldnt be too hard to find it.Many job postings state who the location reports to by job title, not by name. For example This position reports directly to the Operations Manager. If thats the case, follow these instructions. (Not so internet-savvy? Skip to 4 and pick up the phone.)Go to the companys web site and look around for a listing of their executives or managers. If you find it, see who holds that job title. (In our example, that would be Operations Manager.) HINT Look for a page titled Manageme nt Team, Who We Are, or something along those lines. It might be part of the About Us or Contact Us section.If that doesnt work, search the Press Releases, News, In the News, or Media section of the web site for the job title.If that doesnt pan out, Google the company name along with the job title (e.g., XYZ Industries Operations Manager) to see if anything comes up indicating the persons name.Still no luck? Time to go low-tech. Pick up the phone and call the company. Be honest. Just say youre applying for the ___position and would like to find out the hiring managers name so you can address your cover letter properly. Best-case scenario, theyll give it to you Worst-case scenario, they say no. Oh well. Tried everything and just cant find a name? Dont worry. To Whom It May Concern or something equally impersonal is not that terrible. It just doesnt make you stand out.At the end of the day, your cover letter greeting wont make or break your chances, as long as you dont make a glaring error such as spelling the name wrong or calling someone Mr. instead of Ms. (or vice versa).The way you address your cover letter is a small detail, but if you can successfully find the hiring managers name and use it correctly, youve immediately proven your attention to detail is well above average.