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green_beanie · Newbie Joined: 28 Oct 2008 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

I've kind of been put into a sticky corner regarding my covering letter for a job on offer. It was advertised through an alumni network by a former student who did the same course I've just completed. I e-mailed asking a few questions which he answered and offered to pass on my covering letter and CV if I send them to him. He isn't part of HR, but it's a small company so I am sure he can pass it on to the right person. I sent him another e-mail asking who I should address my cover letter to. His reply was that I should address it as "Dear sir or madam"

I don't know if I'm overreacting about this but I don't know what to do. I've been told that it is a bad idea to not at least try and find out who the letter should be addressed to. "Dear sir or madam" letters come across a impersonal and I've been told letters get thrown away off the bat if they start like that.

On the one hand I can send it to him addressed as he has said and he passes the letter on, or try find out who is responsible for hiring without his knowledge and have no chance of sending the letter through him. I'm not comfortable with the idea of going behind his back but I don't know what to do.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Pauloz · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:06 pm Post subject:

green beanie

Yes, on principle, you should have the name of an addressee.

I see a flaw, however, in your reasoning.

"Dear Sir or Madam" is actually standard practice, in these cold canvassing situations. A lot of people send CVs in that form, and it really is quite normal.

The added possibility is that the chances are that he'll see the addressee, either before or after you send it. That would create an unnecessary situation, if this person wants to make a case out of it.

Bear in mind there are no guarantees of a job, and in theory the guy's doing you a favor. I'd let it go, and just use "Dear Sir or Madam", which after all does have the advantage of being neutral, and doesn't look like you're doing much more than sending a normal resume without any prior spadework.

Small companies, by the way, sometimes have more complex internal relationships, and he probably doesn't want to look like he told you to send in a resume, etc. There's almost certainly a local reason he wants to handle it like this.

He might want to look neutral, himself. If he walks in with a targeted resume, someone might think he's doing the hiring, and take offense. If he wants to walk in with "Look what I found, this looks good", it's likely he's dealing with a specific person, and that's how this person is handled.

It's a yes/no, in terms of any followup on the resume, so I'd go along with him at this stage, because he has the local knowledge.

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