Ettiquette - Job Application Letter Salutation

[Crankarm]

Not in my experience Cranky. Yours obviously differs, assuming you are speaking from experience and not just blowing hot air around.

I'm recruiting right now BTW and I certainly wouldn't reject someone for making an effort to check something they weren't sure of. Smartarses, however, don't make it past the phone screen.

I wouldn't work for a boss who was a cantankerous miserable b4st4rd with no sense of humour.

 

[brokenbetty]

I wouldn't work for a boss who was a cantankerous miserable b4st4rd with no sense of humour.

I'm sure no one would. Do you have someone specific in mind?

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Thanks everyone - ended up going with "Ms." - I think, in the context, more formal is probably better than less.

I think that's the best. I tend to use first name correspondence myself as first preference, but to err on the side of caution with someone you don't know it's best to start more formal.
"Dear Ms. Jemima Smythe" also just sounds too long, so if it's too formal for "Dear Jemima" I'd go for "Dear Ms. Smythe".

As a lady myself I always hated in my "Miss" days that men can just get away with "Mr" independent of marital status, where women are "Miss" or "Mrs", so I vastly prefer "Ms" to "Miss" - and if you are unsure I'd definitely stick to "Ms"! Now that I'm married it gets a bit confusing - with the surname change it looks wrong to use Ms with my married surname....

 

[longers]

A friend has found this thread very useful and as it's been a while since they've had to think about such things wonders whether a covering letter should be hand written or typed? Thanks on behalf of someone else entirely.

 

[longers]

P.S - how did you get on John?

 

[longers]

^ hope I'm not being too familiar there.

 

[rich p]

^ hope I'm not being too familiar there.

 

[XmisterIS]

The correct form of address is,

"Oh Most Gracious, Most High Exalted Majesty, Grand Poobah Of The Known Universe And Dark Dominion Beyond, Who's Presence Causes Grown Men To Spontaneously Defecate, Jemima Smythe,"

And proceed with the covering letter.

 

[Fnaar]

Or, forget the letter... compose a rap, and bound into her office to perform it.

(e.g.)
Lady Smythe, Lady Smythe
Come and gimme high five
You lookin' like da most,
You advertisin' for da post
Imma come and get the the job
Ain't gonna act like no slob...etc

 

[661-Pete]

"MADAM,
May it please Your Majesty.."

Oops! wrong person....


Personally, from any complete stranger, "Dear Peter" equates to "Dear Shredder". But that's just a personal thing, you must understand. I loathe it! I hate it! I Hate! Hate! Hate!....

[reaches for meds]

 

[swee'pea99]

'Dear colleague'







You're NOT my &*^%ing colleague!

 

[darth vadar]

It's been a while since I last encountered this quandary.

I have a job application covering letter to complete - the person applied to has given their name, let's say it's "Jemima Smythe" but no other detail.

I'm a bit out of touch with current practice, but in the past, the appropriate salutation would have been "Dear Ms. Smythe", but reading around, some argue that the modern way would be to write "Dear Jemima Smythe," or even "Dear Jemima" (good grief!)

Does anyone working in recruitment, or with more recent experience than I have an opinion on what to use?

Sounds like you can't make up your mind whether you are indecisive or not.

 

[longers]

A friend has found this thread very useful and as it's been a while since they've had to think about such things wonders whether a covering letter should be hand written or typed?

Sorry for the bump but they'd like to know the answer to this please. Even if the answer is "it makes no difference". Ta.

 

[Baggy]

Sorry for the bump but they'd like to know the answer to this please. Even if the answer is "it makes no difference". Ta.

I'd say typed.

 

[John the Monkey]

^ hope I'm not being too familiar there.

Dear Mr. Longers,

Thank you for your kind enquiry of earlier today.

I am pleased to inform you that Mrs Monkey (for it was she I wrote the letter for!), having addressed her (type written) letter to "Ms. Smythe" was successful in her application.

I remain,

Yrs Sincerely,

J. T. Monkey, Barodeur (ret'd)