Suppose you were the hiring manager, your desk piled high with cover letters and resumes to sort through. Which of the following cover letter greetings would grab your attention?

Example #1:

Dear Sirs: Dear Sir/Madam: Dear Gentlemen: To whom it may concern:

Example #2:

Dear Manager: Dear HR Director: Dear Human Resources:

Example #3:

Dear Mrs. Thomas: Dear Mr. Friedman: Dear Sally Williams:

Clearly Example #3 is the best of the bunch because the job-seeker has taken time to find out your name and to spell it correctly.

Consider how you'd feel if you received a cover letter that said Dear Sir or Madam, or worse yet, 'To whom it may concern.' No one will be concerned if you address your cover letter to no one in particular!

Remember, there is nothing as sweet to the ear as the sound of ones name.

Exercise this simple secret and your cover letter will rise to the top of the pile!

"But I don't know who to address my cover letter to!"

If you don't have this information, take time to get it. Call the company. For jobs posted online this may be a challenge. But still, go the extra mile. Then at the very least address your letter to the appropriate entity. Example: Hiring manager; HR Director; etc.

Secret Tip For Emergency Situations

If the name is unavailable, use one of the greetings in Example #2 and add this personal note.

Please Note: I'm sorry for this impersonal greeting on my cover letter. I was unable to get your name online. However, I look forward to the opportunity to meet you in person so I can address you by name and discuss this job opening. I am highly interested in working for {company name}.

This one-two punch would surely grab someone's attention. You are showing your respect and more important, that you care.

This secret tip alone quickly turns a potential negative into a positive that could make the difference between acceptance and rejection.

The bottom line: When you target your cover letter to a specific person by name, you greatly increase your chances of landing the interview, and ultimately the job you desire.

So before you write your next cover letter, ask yourself this essential question: Who, specifically, will be concerned about what I have to say in this cover letter? That person has a name and it sure isn't, "To whom it may concern!"