You’re sitting there, staring at a blank screen, trying to figure out how to start an email to someone whose name you don’t actually know. It’s frustrating. You’ve checked LinkedIn, you’ve scoured the company "About Us" page, and you’ve even tried guessing their email format to see if a name pops up in the "To" field. Nothing. So, you gravitate toward that old standby: to whom it may concern.
It feels a bit like wearing a tuxedo to a backyard barbecue—stiff, slightly outdated, and maybe a little too formal for 2026. But honestly? It isn't dead. Despite what every career coach on TikTok tells you, there are times when this phrase is the only thing that actually makes sense.
The problem is that most people use it as a crutch because they're being lazy, not because they have to. If you’re applying for a job at a 5-person startup, using "To Whom It May Concern" is basically a signal that you didn't spend thirty seconds looking at their team page. However, if you're filing a formal legal grievance or sending a physical letter to a massive government bureaucracy, it's a different story entirely.
The Grammar of To Whom It May Concern
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way first. You have to use "whom" because it’s the object of the preposition "to." If you say "To Who It May Concern," you're going to look like you skipped middle school English. It sounds pretentious to some, but it's the correct grammatical structure.
Capitalization matters, too.
Most style guides, including the Gregg Reference Manual, suggest capitalizing every word in the salutation when it stands in for a name. You also need a colon at the end, not a comma. A comma is for "Hey Sarah," while a colon is for "To Whom It May Concern:" because the latter is a formal business salutation.
Why the "Whom" actually matters
In a world of "u r" and "lol," being precise with your grammar in a formal setting shows a level of attention to detail. It shows you know the rules of the game. If you're writing to a clerk of courts or a high-level executive assistant, that tiny bit of polish matters. It’s the linguistic equivalent of a firm handshake.
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When you should actually use it
There are specific, legitimate scenarios where this phrase is the gold standard.
- Formal Complaints: If you’re writing to a giant corporation—think airlines or telecommunications—to lodge a formal complaint, you don't always have a specific person's name. You're writing to a department.
- Letters of Recommendation: Sometimes a professor or a former boss writes a general letter of recommendation that you keep in a "dossier." Since they don't know who will eventually read it, this salutation is standard.
- Verification of Employment: If a bank needs to verify your income for a mortgage, your HR department might issue a letter. They aren't going to address it to "Dear Mortgage Guy."
- Legal Notices: If you are serving notice or responding to a broad legal inquiry, the formality is required.
Outside of these? It’s risky.
In a job application, it can feel cold. Hiring managers today generally want to feel a "culture fit." Using a phrase that dates back to the 1800s doesn't exactly scream "innovative team player." But look, if the job posting is for a massive insurance firm with a "Black Hole" application portal, they probably won't care.
Better alternatives for the modern world
If you feel like "To Whom It May Concern" is too stuffy, you have options. You don't have to be a robot.
Dear Hiring Manager is the most common replacement. It’s specific enough to show you know who you’re talking to, but broad enough to cover your bases. It’s the "business casual" of the email world.
If you’re writing to a specific department, try Dear [Department Name] Team. For example, "Dear Marketing Department" or "Dear Customer Success Team." This feels much more personal. It suggests you’ve at least identified which part of the building your email is landing in.
Then there’s the "Greetings" or "Hello" approach. This is tricky. In tech or creative industries, it’s fine. In law or finance, it might be seen as too casual. You have to read the room. If the company's website features people in hoodies, "Hello" is great. If they're all wearing suits in their headshots, stick to something more formal.
The "No Salutation" Strategy
Some people just skip it. They start with the first paragraph. I wouldn't recommend this for a formal letter, but for a cold email or a quick inquiry, it’s becoming more common. It gets straight to the point. However, in a formal document, a missing salutation looks like a mistake, not a style choice.
The "Research First" Rule
Before you ever type those five words, do five minutes of digital detective work.
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Check the company’s LinkedIn "People" tab. Search for keywords like "Recruiter," "Talent Acquisition," or the specific manager of the department you’re targeting. If you find a name, use it. "Dear Mr. Henderson" or "Dear Ms. Chen" is 100x more effective than a generic greeting.
Wait—what about gender?
If you find a name like "Jordan Smith," you might not know their gender. Don't guess. Use the full name: "Dear Jordan Smith:" is perfectly acceptable and saves you from the awkwardness of misgendering someone.
Real-world impact on SEO and visibility
If you're a business owner or a job seeker, the way you handle correspondence affects your personal brand. To Whom It May Concern is a safe bet, but safe bets rarely get you noticed.
In a study by CareerBuilder, recruiters noted that personalized cover letters were significantly more likely to get a second look. While "To Whom It May Concern" wasn't a dealbreaker, it certainly didn't help. It's about effort. People like to feel like you are talking to them, not at them.
Think about your own inbox. When you get an email that starts with "Dear Valued Customer," do you read it? Probably not. You delete it. It’s spam. "To Whom It May Concern" is the professional version of "Dear Valued Customer." It tells the reader that this message could have been sent to anyone.
Actionable steps for your next letter
Stop overthinking it, but don't be lazy.
First, try to find a name. Spend 300 seconds on LinkedIn or the company website. If you find a likely candidate but aren't 100% sure they are the right person, you can use "Dear [Name] and the [Department] Team." It covers your bases.
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Second, check the industry. If you are writing to a government agency, a law firm, or a traditional bank, To Whom It May Concern is perfectly fine. In fact, being too casual can hurt you there. They value protocol.
Third, if you must use it, format it correctly. Capitalize it. Use a colon. Make sure the rest of the letter is equally formal. Don't start with "To Whom It May Concern:" and then use slang in the second paragraph. Consistency is what makes the formality work.
If you’re still unsure, "Dear Hiring Manager" is the safest middle ground in 2026. It's polite, it's professional, and it doesn't sound like it was written by a 19th-century chimney sweep.
Move forward by auditing your current templates. If your standard cover letter or inquiry email still uses the old-school "Whom," try swapping it out for a department-specific greeting and see if your response rate improves. Often, the smallest change in tone is what finally gets a human to reply.