Addressing and Proper Salutation on Cover Letter

• If you don't have a name to whom you should address your cover letter, the greeting could be, "Dear Executive:". Similarly, if instructed to send the information to the Personnel Director, without a name, your salutation should read, "Dear Personnel Director:".
• You'll see ads asking you to respond to a name such as "M. Jones". Address your letter as:
  M. Jones
  XYZ Company
  Anytown, ND 58701
  The salutation would read "Dear M. Jones:.
• For names that could belong to either a man or a woman (Pat, Chris, etc.) begin your letter Dear Chris Jones:.
• Use appropriate titles when they are known. If you are asked to respond to Mary Smith, Ph.D., the salutation should be "Dear Dr. Smith:".
• If you are asked to respond to a medical doctor, address the letter and envelope to Edward Smith M.D., but the salutation should read, "Dear Dr. Smith".
• Always make sure you have spelled the recipient's name properly. Check to see if the name is spelled "Smith" or "Smyth," "Louis" or "Lewis".