{"id":697,"date":"2022-04-22T07:29:42","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T07:29:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/?p=697"},"modified":"2023-06-26T08:42:49","modified_gmt":"2023-06-26T08:42:49","slug":"to-whom-it-may-concern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/","title":{"rendered":"To Whom It May Concern: When And How To Use"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.7px;\">What do you do if you need to write an email but don\u2019t know the name of the recipient? <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.7px;\">In this case, you may turn to the once-popular \u201c<strong>To Whom It May Concern<\/strong>\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, we are looking into how and when to use this phrase and even provide a sample cover letter starting with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus, we will <strong>give you several alternative greetings<\/strong> if you find \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d old-fashioned.<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <div class=\"builder-button\">  \n        <a href=\"\/goapp\/new-cover-letter\" class=\"builder-banner__a\">Create your cover letter<\/a>\n    <\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img width=\"384\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/To-Whom-It-May-Concern.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"To Whom It May Concern: When And How To Use\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/To-Whom-It-May-Concern.png 384w, https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/To-Whom-It-May-Concern-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/To-Whom-It-May-Concern-50x34.png 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e5da7edbe1a\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #2c1e39;color:#2c1e39\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #2c1e39;color:#2c1e39\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e5da7edbe1a\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#How_to_write_a_To_Whom_It_May_Concern_cover_letter_%E2%80%93_example\" >How to write a To Whom It May Concern cover letter \u2013 example<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#When_to_use_%E2%80%9CTo_Whom_It_May_Concern%E2%80%9D\" >When to use \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#Cover_letter\" >Cover letter<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#Reaching_out_to_a_new_client\" >Reaching out to a new client<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#Project_or_company_feedback\" >Project or company feedback<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#Filing_a_complaint\" >Filing a complaint<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#Letter_of_introduction\" >Letter of introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#Prospecting_emails\" >Prospecting emails<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#How_to_avoid_using_%E2%80%9CTo_Whom_It_May_Concern%E2%80%9D\" >How to avoid using \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#1_Look_through_the_job_listing\" >1. Look through the job listing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#2_Check_the_website\" >2. Check the website<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#3_Ask_your_employer\" >3. Ask your employer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#How_to_use_%E2%80%9CTo_Whom_It_May_Concern%E2%80%9D\" >How to use \u201cTo Whom It May Concern?\u201d<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#To_Whom_It_May_Concern_Alternatives\" >To Whom It May Concern Alternatives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/to-whom-it-may-concern\/#Summing_things_up\" >Summing things up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_write_a_To_Whom_It_May_Concern_cover_letter_%E2%80%93_example\"><\/span>How to write a To Whom It May Concern cover letter \u2013 example<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An email starting with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d is not particularly different from any other email you write.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The one small difference to note may be a difference in tone \u2014 an email that starts with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d will typically be more formal than an email starting with \u201cHi\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, when you start your email with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d, you admit that you don\u2019t know the person you are addressing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means that your email will probably include more general information and no personal references.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a quick example of how to use \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d in an email.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cover letter using \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d as a greeting:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\" style=\"font-size:17px\"><p><em>To Whom It May Concern:<\/em><\/p><p><em>My name is John and I am writing in response to a job listing for Senior Sales Manager posted on your company\u2019s website. As a professional sales manager with over five years of experience and a solid portfolio of big contracts and resultative marketing campaigns, I believe that I could be a suitable candidate for this position.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Your job listing mentions that you are looking for someone with experience in IT sales and marketing \u2014 and this is the area I specialize in exclusively. Over the past three years, I\u2019ve headed several big digital marketing campaigns for my current employer that have resulted in the rise of online engagement among our clients by over 50%. I have also raised the conversion rate for our promotional listings by 20% over the past six months.<\/em><\/p><p><em>I believe that my proven track record of successful marketing projects, professional commitment and work ethic make me a candidate worth considering. I am sure that I can become a valuable asset in your current marketing initiatives and would love to contribute to your company\u2019s success.<\/em><\/p><p><em>I am looking forward to your feedback on my application for the Senior Marketing Manager position. Please let me know if you have any further questions or would like to see my marketing portfolio. Please find my resume attached to this email.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Thank you for your time and for considering my application,<\/em><\/p><p><em>Sincerely,<\/em><\/p><p><em>Mark Rivers<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-cover-letter\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to write a cover letter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"builder-banner-top\">\n        <div class=\"builder-banner-top__title\">\n            You'll Never Find a Good Job\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"builder-banner-top__text\">\n            It\u2019s a job hunter\u2019s common fear, but we can help boost your chances!\n        <\/div>    \n        <a href=\"\/goapp\/new-cover-letter\" class=\"builder-banner-top__a\">Click to build your cover letter<\/a>\n    <\/div><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_to_use_%E2%80%9CTo_Whom_It_May_Concern%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>When to use \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d may sound a bit outdated and the phrase is used much less often now than before. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, according to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resumecompanion.com\/cover-letter-help\/to-whom-it-may-concern-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a 2020 survey of over 1,000 hiring managers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 83% of them say that addressing a cover letter with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d will have no impact on their hiring decision.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some typical instances for when you might want to turn to \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cover_letter\"><\/span>Cover letter<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cover letter is typically read by a number of people: from HR managers to heads of departments and even the company director. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you may not be able to \u201cpredict\u201d who will be reading your email, you may want to start your email with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>To Whom It May Concern:<\/em><\/p><p><em>I know that one of Company X&#8217;s current goals is to create a centralized hub for all things medical-related online. So this is an incredible opportunity to build a one-of-a-kind online database for patients and healthcare providers. And it&#8217;s an excellent fit for my professional and personal interests.<br>To make an impact, I&#8217;d like to apply everything I&#8217;ve learned about internet growth marketing and search engine optimization to this effort.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out our post on<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/what-is-the-purpose-of-a-cover-letter\/\">What is the purpose of a cover letter<\/a>?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reaching_out_to_a_new_client\"><\/span>Reaching out to a new client<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you send an email to a new client you may want to start it with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, make sure to use this opportunity to find out the client&#8217;s name for future correspondence.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>To Whom It May Concern<\/em><\/p><p><em>My name is Martha Stuart, and I&#8217;m a sales representative at MailDuck, a company that makes it simple to mail customized postcards from a mobile device.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Since you recently showed an interest in finding out more about MailDuck, we thought we&#8217;d provide you with further details about what we do and why we&#8217;re the best service.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Please find attached our products and competitive prices. If you sign up before the end of the month, you can save 40% on your first purchase!<\/em><\/p><p><em>I hope to get a response from you soon!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Project_or_company_feedback\"><\/span>Project or company feedback<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the purpose of your email is to get feedback that might be read by multiple people or departments it makes sense to use a generic phrase like \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d to start your email<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>To Whom It May Concern<\/em><\/p><p><em>Thank you for staying over the weekend to assist customers with the billing issue we faced. Our engineers are working around the clock to make sure it doesn\u2019t happen again. Thank you for standing with us in these times of trouble.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Your commitment is duly noted. Company X will never forget your contribution to its growth, and we\u2019ll surely compensate you accordingly.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Filing_a_complaint\"><\/span>Filing a complaint<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are writing an email to complain about a product, service or somebody\u2019s work you may want to use \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d to avoid pinpointing a specific person.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>To Whom It May Concern<\/em><\/p><p><em>This letter is to inform you that on November 5, 2018, I purchased spoiled goods. I was assured that the ordered items would arrive in good condition at the time of my purchase. Unfortunately, they arrived spoiled instead.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Please find the attached photo and the confirmation of delivery. Do investigate this and either issue a refund or resend the product.<\/em><\/p><p><em>I appreciate your time and consideration on this matter.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Sincerely,<br>Matha Stuart<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Letter_of_introduction\"><\/span>Letter of introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re writing a <a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/what-is-a-letter-of-introduction\/\">letter of introduction<\/a> to someone you don\u2019t yet know you may use to address your email.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once again, make sure to ask for the person\u2019s name so that you can address them by the proper name and your next email.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>To Whom It May Concern<\/p><p><em>I&#8217;m writing to introduce you to Matha Stuart, who I\u2019ve worked with at Company X. As you may already know, I serve as the organization&#8217;s Managing Director and collaborated with Matha on many projects.<br>She has more than ten years of experience in the industry and is a fantastic manager. Matha hopes to relocate to Los Angeles. And she would be grateful for any advice you could give her regarding how to look for a job, as well as any assistance you could offer.<\/em><\/p><p><em>Please find her resume attached here, and feel free to reach out to her at mathastuart@email.com or (555) 231-6587 with any questions.<\/em><\/p><p><em>I appreciate your help in advance.<br>Sincerely,<br>John Brady<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Prospecting_emails\"><\/span>Prospecting emails<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of businesses send out prospects and emails and letters to get in touch with new clients. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you don\u2019t know the name of the person you are right into, it\u2019s acceptable to use \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d in this case.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if it is at all possible, do your best to find out the name of the person who will be reading your email. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will make a much better impression and increase your chances of landing a contract with this client.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>To Whom It May Concern<\/em><\/p><p><em>I can see from your website that you\u2019re trying to get more traffic to your website. Without knowing the specifics of your business strategy, I am confident our SEO strategy can be integral to your success.<\/em><\/p><p><em>I have been following your company for a while now. But you might not be familiar with Company X. Our services focus on three primary objectives:<\/em><\/p><p><em>Benefit 1<br>Benefit 2<br>Benefit 3<\/em><\/p><p><em>When would you be available for a quick conversation to discuss the future of MailDuck and how we might help?<\/em><\/p><p><em>Best,<br>Signature<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-professional-email\/\">How to Write a Professional Email<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_avoid_using_%E2%80%9CTo_Whom_It_May_Concern%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>How to avoid using \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s best to only use the generic \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d if you <a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/address-cover-letter-without-name\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3008\">can\u2019t find the name<\/a> of the person you are writing to.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best possible way to address the email is by using the name of the person you are writing to. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, if you are sending a job application, do your best to learn the name of the hiring manager. Here are just a few ideas on how to do that:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Look_through_the_job_listing\"><\/span>1. Look through the job listing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quite often, you will be able to find the name of the hiring manager or employer in the job description or job listing itself.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Check_the_website\"><\/span>2. Check the website<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can\u2019t find the name of the contact in the job description, check the company website. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often, companies will have a page dedicated to their team where you will easily find the name of the hiring manager.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Ask_your_employer\"><\/span>3. Ask your employer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you still haven\u2019t found the name of the person you should be addressing, consider calling the company and checking with the reception.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can try to explain your situation and say you are looking for the name of the hiring manager.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve tried all of this and you still don\u2019t know who you should be addressing, you may have to turn to \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d or a similar generic greeting.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_use_%E2%80%9CTo_Whom_It_May_Concern%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>How to use \u201cTo Whom It May Concern?\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use the phrase \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d at the beginning of a letter or email \u2013 or other forms of correspondence \u2014 when you are not sure about the name of the person you should be addressing.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This might happen at many points in your job search. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you might be sending a cover letter, letter of recommendation, or other job search materials to someone whose name you do not know.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note that when you address a letter or email with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d, the phrase should be capitalized and followed by a colon.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we\u2019ve mentioned above, \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d is a rather outdated expression. <\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you can still use it, there are also more modern alternatives that you may want to consider. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please find some options below.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"To_Whom_It_May_Concern_Alternatives\"><\/span>To Whom It May Concern Alternatives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are just a few ideas of greeting that you can use instead of \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here are some options:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Hi<\/li><li>Hello<\/li><li>Greetings<\/li><li>Dear Hiring Committee<\/li><li>Dear Hiring Team<\/li><li>Dear HR manager<\/li><li>Dear HR representative<\/li><li>Dear Human Resources Team<\/li><li>Dear Recruiting Manager<\/li><li>Dear Recruiting Team<\/li><li>Dear (name of department) Manager<\/li><li>Dear (name of department) Team<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also use a general greeting that is meant for a group of people. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, if you are reaching out to someone in your network for help with the job search, you can start your letter or email with \u201cDear Friends and Former Colleagues\u201d or \u201cDear Friends and Family\u201d and so on. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summing_things_up\"><\/span>Summing things up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, here are a few key take-aways about using \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d in emails:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can address an email with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d when you don&#8217;t know the name of the person you are writing to: for instance when applying for a job.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In most cases, you should do your best to find out the name of the person who will be reading your email. This will let you avoid the more generic and outdated \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d. Try checking the website of the company you are emailing, their social media pages or even consider calling the reception.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are alternatives to using \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d. Start your email with a simple \u201cHello\u201d or a more specific \u201cDear Hiring Manager\u201d \u2014 and so on.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may also want to start an email with \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d when you don\u2019t want to address a specific person \u2014 for instance, when filing a formal complaint.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use \u201cTo Whom It May Concern\u201d when writing an email to a group of people instead of a specific individual \u2014 for instance, when giving feedback.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n    <div class=\"builder-banner\">\n        <div class=\"builder-banner__title\">\n            Build your perfect resume in&nbsp;a&nbsp;snap\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"builder-banner__text\">\n            Use templates created by HR pros to make your resume and cover letter catch the recruiter's eye.\n        <\/div>    \n        <a href=\"\/goapp\/new-cover-letter\" class=\"builder-banner__a\">Create your cover letter<\/a>\n    <\/div><div style='text-align:left' class='yasr-auto-insert-visitor'><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What do you do if you need to write an email but don\u2019t know the name of the recipient? In this case, you may turn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":699,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":""},"categories":[4,3,8],"tags":[],"table_tags":[],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0,"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=697"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6313,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697\/revisions\/6313"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=697"},{"taxonomy":"table_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/table_tags?post=697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}