Written by Meg Prater @Meg_Prater
"To
Whom It May Concern" is kind of like that favorite old sweatshirt you pull
on when you just can’t — or don’t want to — consider wearing anything else.
It’s easy, it covers a multitude of sins, and it gets the job done. But is it
doing more harm than good for you in business settings? That answer is a hard
"Yes" when it comes to your sweatshirt and a little more
nuanced for "To Whom It May Concern."
It’s
largely considered an outdated and lazy way to approach correspondence. The
internet gives us almost infinite ability to search for the names and contact
information of the people we need to reach — and honing good communication skills is
crucial to success.
So,
before you slap another "To Whom It May Concern" on your outreach
email or cover letter, read through this simple guide to determine when to use
it, how to use it, and which alternatives to consider instead.
To Whom It May Concern
"To Whom It May Concern" is a broad way to address
professional or formal correspondence. It’s widely used when the recipient’s
name or title is unknown, such as when you are providing a recommendation for a
former colleague and do not know the name of the hiring manager.
When to Use "To Whom It May Concern"
Before
each piece of correspondence you send, ask yourself, "Who is the
intended recipient of this message?"
If
the answer is, "Anyone," you should be safe to use, "To
Whom It May Concern." If, however, your end reader is someone with a
specific role or title, keep digging to find their name. It can be difficult to
know when it’s appropriate to use "To Whom It May Concern," so here
are a few scenarios where it’s usually alright:
1. Reaching out to a large company or new department
If
you are reaching out to a large company with a complex organizational structure
and aren’t sure who the proper point of contact is, you may need to submit a
message through a message form on the company’s website or sending an email to
a general address such as "contact@xyzcompany.com." In this case,
"To Whom It May Concern" may be appropriate. When taking this
approach, we recommend asking for the right point of contact for your request
in the body of your message.
Example:
To
Whom It May Concern:
I
saw your company announced the opening of two new coworking spaces on the east
coast. I work with Levol, a sustainable office furniture company in the Boston
area.
We
are coming out with a new line of pieces that coincide with the opening of your
new space. I’d love to contact the team member in charge of furnishing your
locations to discuss the possibility of working together.
Regards,
Gia
2. Recommendations/reference checks
If
you’re providing a reference or recommendation for a former colleague or
employee, the request might come through an automated system that doesn’t
include any information about the hiring manager.
They
don’t expect you to research them or their company, they just want your
thoughts on the candidate they’re about to hire. This would be an acceptable
time to address your audience with, "To Whom It May Concern."
Example:
To
Whom It May Concern:
Dwight
was an excellent employee during his three years at Dunder Mifflin.
He
took his work very seriously, volunteered for projects outside his regular
duties (i.e., volunteer floor fire warden and safety officer), and was our
top-performing salesperson all three years. I would highly recommend him for
this position.
Regards,
Michael
Scott
3. Company complaints
Lodging
a formal complaint with a company? It likely doesn’t matter if that complaint
reaches an administrator, customer service associate, or the CEO — you simply
want your complaint to be heard and addressed.
Example:
To
Whom It May Concern:
I
was extremely disappointed the cat poster I ordered only has three jazz-playing
cats instead of the four depicted on your website. I would like a full refund
and the correct poster as soon as possible.
Thank
you,
Angela
Martin
4. Introductions
If
you are introducing yourself to someone you’ve never met, it could be
appropriate to use, "To Whom It May Concern." For example, if you
received a request for a quote, or information regarding your business, from a
generic company inbox or feedback form, you might address your response,
"To Whom It May Concern." Just make sure to ask for their name in
your message.
Example:
To
Whom It May Concern:
I
received your request for a price quote on 50 reams of paper from Dunder
Mifflin. I’ve attached the quote to this email and would be happy to answer any
questions you have.
Also,
I’d love to know your name and a little more about your business!
Kind
Regards,
Phyllis
Vance
5. Prospecting
This
is acceptable but not ideal. If you’re a salesperson conducting outreach — it’s
your job to put in the time and research to know exactly who you’re contacting.
Ideally,
you should build rapport with them over LinkedIn or Twitter — or reaching out
via a mutual connection — first. If there seems to be no way to find their
personal information, you might reach for "To Whom It May Concern,"
but don’t expect a high response rate.
Example:
To
Whom It May Concern:
I
noticed your company recently parted ways with its paper supplier. I work with
Dunder Mifflin, a local Scranton paper supplier, and would like to speak with
the person in charge of paper ordering at your company.
We
pride ourselves on personalized customer service and fast delivery, and I’d
love to see if we’re the right fit for you.
Best,
Jim
Halpert
How To Write "To Whom It May Concern"
If
you’re using a formal greeting like "To Whom It May Concern," it’s
important to format it correctly. Here's how to write "To Whom It May
Concern:"
·
Capitalize the first letter of each word
·
Always use "Whom" instead of "Who" or
"Whomever" (In the case of "To Whom It May Concern,"
"Whom" is the object of a verb or preposition and is appropriate to
use in this context)
·
Use a colon after "To Whom It May Concern" rather than a
comma
·
Add a double space before beginning the body of your message
As
we’ve identified above, if you’re using "To Whom It May Concern"
you’re likely approaching a business formal conversation. Don’t let sloppy
formatting muddle your first impression. These tips should always set you up
for success.
When Not To Use "To Whom It May Concern"
Whenever
possible, avoid "To Whom It May Concern." It’s largely outdated,
stuffy, and lazy. With our access to the internet today, it’s fairly simple to
find the name and even email address of the person with whom we wish to speak.
Because
of this, "To Whom It May Concern" can demonstrate a lack of effort in
correspondence which doesn’t set a positive tone for the rest of your business
relationship.
Here
are a few tips for finding almost anyone’s name:
1.
Ask your HR rep or recruiter - If
you’re writing a cover letter or email to a hiring manager, ask your recruiter
or HR rep for the correct name.
2.
Visit the company’s LinkedIn profile - At
the top of their profile, you’ll see a hyperlinked prompt that says, "See
all [number of employees] on Linkedin." Click that prompt to see a list of
all employees. You should be able to skim the list until you find the person,
role, or title you’re hoping to connect with.
3.
Visit the company’s "About Us" page
- Smaller companies might list all employees and their titles
on their "About Us" or "Team" page. At the very least,
you’ll find a general company inbox where you can send a request to learn the
name of the person you’re trying to reach.
4.
Pick up the phone - Call
the company where your prospect works and ask the receptionist or administrator
for that person’s name, contact information, or advice on how best to reach
them.
It
might take a few extra minutes, but finding the name of the person you’re
reaching out to is important. Show your email recipient their name matters to
you and find it before resorting to "To Whom It May Concern."
If
you happen to find your contact’s name from doing your own research, you’ll
want to be honest with them about how you found their information.
Example:
Hi
Kayla,
We
have some mutual connections on LinkedIn, and I saw your recent post requesting
introductions to sales automation specialists.
This
is an area of expertise for my organization. Would you like to schedule an
introductory phone call? I would be happy to answer any questions you have.
Regards,
Tyler
Thompson
Sometimes it’s just not possible to find a contact’s name. In these cases, here are a few alternatives.
To Whom It May Concern
Alternatives
1.
Dear Hiring Manager
2.
Dear Recruiter
3.
Greetings
4.
Dear Recruiting Department
5.
Dear [Name of department you’re interested in]
6.
Dear [Name of the title or role of the person you’re pursuing]
7.
Dear Customer Service Manager
8.
Hello
9.
Dear Search Committee
10.
Dear [Name]
11.
Hi Friend
12.
Season’s Greetings
13.
Hello There [Name]
14.
Good Morning
15.
Good Day
1. "Dear Hiring Manager"
When
applying to a new position, it's not always possible to know the name of the
hiring manager. If you can, figure it out with some good-old-fashioned LinkedIn
sleuthing. If not, this greeting is an appropriate choice.
2. "Dear Recruiter"
Similarly,
if you're unable to identify the recruiter or gatekeeper for the role you're
applying for, "Dear Recruiter" is a widely used greeting.
3. "Greetings"
Save
this for colleagues or business associates you already have open and casual
correspondence with. It's friendly and familiar, so leave it behind for more
formal introductions.
4. "Dear Recruiting Department"
If
you're applying for a job with a larger company, your application may be
directed to a broad recruiting inbox. In this case, you're not writing to a
specific person and might need the approval of several recruiters. This
greeting ensures you're casting a broad net.
5. "Dear [Name of department you’re interested in]"
If
you're selling to a specific company department and are unsure who your target
buyer is, addressing your email to the department alias is best. It's not ideal
but if you can't identify the right contact person, don't be afraid to send
this greeting.
6. "Dear [Name of the title or role of the person you’re
pursuing]"
Know
the title of the person you're writing to? Great! Hopefully you can use that
information to find their actual name — if not, addressing them by their title
(i.e., "Dear Marketing Director") is an acceptable, if not slightly
distant, way to reach out.
7. "Dear Customer Service Manager"
Whether
you're addressing a message to a business contact or reaching out to customer
support for a personal matter, it's smart to put your best foot forward. A more
formal, respectful greeting is sure to be appreciated.
8. "Hello"
Already
mid-conversation with the person on the other end of your email? Open with a
casual "Hello" and continue your message thread.
9. "Dear Search Committee"
Perhaps
you find yourself addressing an email to a final panel of buyers, or maybe
you've made it to the final round of interviews for a new job. Regardless, if
you need to send an email to a group of people in one of these scenarios, this
greeting works well.
10. "Dear [Name]"
An
oldie but a goodie. This greeting is almost always appropriate. When in doubt,
pull this one out.
11. "Hi Friend"
Reserve
this familiar greeting for non-professional email correspondence — think happy
hour plans and weekend BBQs.
12. "Season's Greetings"
Looking
for a way to give your emails some inclusive, work-appropriate holiday cheer?
Dust off "Season's Greetings" — just don't forget that apostrophe
's.'
13. "Hello There [Name]"
This
is another less formal way to open your correspondence. Save it for peers,
colleagues, and business associates with whom you already enjoy open rapport.
14. "Good Morning"
Sending
an email you know will be read right away? Alluding to the time of day with a
"Good Morning" or "Good Evening" is suitable for all
audiences.
15. "Good Day"
Feeling
international? "Good Day" isn't a common greeting in the United
States, but it might just enliven your next Monday morning email.
The
internet removes many excuses for using "To Whom It May Concern."
Before you slap it in an email, consider the recommendations in this post. And
wipe a few other outdated or lazy phrases from your vocabulary, including
"Looking Forward to Hearing From
You," "Best Regards vs. Kind Regards,"
and "Dear Sir or Madam."
Originally published Dec 30, 2019 12:07:00 PM, updated December
30 2019
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