sir/madam

BexInLondon

shikoku wrote: »

I always use 'Dear Sirs' I think it's totally generic rather than assuming the sex of the recipient, and 'Yours faithfully' of course.

Have to confess I'd be a bit put off someone if I received this. To me it DOES assume the sex of the recipient. Obviously you think not so it's a matter of opinion, but I'd err on the side of caution and get the Madam in there too in case you're writing to someone like me. I do like the "Madam / Sir" suggestion ... that would pique my curiosity about a candidate.

To the OP - one thing that could make your letter stand out is to call the company and ask who you should address it to. At worst they'll say "no-one in particular" but at best you get a name and you look that teensy bit better than the other candidates!

westv

BexInLondon wrote: »

Have to confess I'd be a bit put off someone if I received this. To me it DOES assume the sex of the recipient. Obviously you think not so it's a matter of opinion, but I'd err on the side of caution and get the Madam in there too in case you're writing to someone like me. I do like the "Madam / Sir" suggestion ... that would pique my curiosity about a candidate.

With "Sirs" you are addressing your letter to the company and not to any one individual - male or female.

BexInLondon

westv wrote: »

With "Sirs" you are addressing your letter to the company and not to any one individual - male or female.

That might be so but it's not generally known IME, and therefore could cause unintended offence. It's only a few more nano-seconds of typing to add in the madam and worth it to save offending rabid feminists like me Perhaps it's a generational thing, in that the generic meaning was more widely known previously?

scubaangel

BexInLondon wrote: »

That might be so but it's not generally known IME, and therefore could cause unintended offence. It's only a few more nano-seconds of typing to add in the madam and worth it to save offending rabid feminists like me Perhaps it's a generational thing, in that the generic meaning was more widely known previously?

It was how I was taught to address things to a company or persons unknown while I was at school and I'm only 25, so I can't see it being a generational thing, unless my school was particularly unusual in its teaching.

juno

scubaangel wrote: »

It was how I was taught to address things to a company or persons unknown while I was at school and I'm only 25, so I can't see it being a generational thing, unless my school was particularly unusual in its teaching.

I'm younger than you and I knew it

Lil306

When I read it up if you don't know the name, it's suggest to use "Dear Hiring Manager" because Dear Sir/Madam suggests you haven't bothered researching the contact, where as Dear Hiring Manager is more generic and more specific

lucylucky

Lil306 wrote: »

When I read it up if you don't know the name, it's suggest to use "Dear Hiring Manager" because Dear Sir/Madam suggests you haven't bothered researching the contact, where as Dear Hiring Manager is more generic and more specific

I would hate to have received a letter with "Dear Hiring Manager"

Personally I think it sounds dreadful.

Something cannot be generic and specific

westv

BexInLondon wrote: »

That might be so but it's not generally known IME, and therefore could cause unintended offence. It's only a few more nano-seconds of typing to add in the madam and worth it to save offending rabid feminists like me Perhaps it's a generational thing, in that the generic meaning was more widely known previously?

scubaangel wrote: »

It was how I was taught to address things to a company or persons unknown while I was at school and I'm only 25, so I can't see it being a generational thing, unless my school was particularly unusual in its teaching.

juno wrote: »

I'm younger than you and I knew it

Perhaps when BexinLondon said generational maybe she meant that she thought she was older than everybody else, not younger.

Lil306

lucylucky wrote: »

I would hate to have received a letter with "Dear Hiring Manager"

Personally I think it sounds dreadful.

Something cannot be generic and specific

Sorry, that meant to say it's more specific to the person your applying to

paulwf

If you actually write a covering letter you'd be doing better than 50% of the applicants I recently received. If you actually put a greeting, use correct spelling punctuation and grammar then use a closing you'd be doing better than 80% of applicants. If you managed to use "yours faithfully" in the correct context you'd be almost automatically guaranteed an interview

I'm glad so many people on this thread give covering letters the respect they deserve!