Once the CV – https://resumegets.com/ – has been written and laid out, once the cover letter has been written and the supporting documents have been prepared, it is time to send our application file to the desired company. We will not hide it, sometimes, knowing who should be the recipient of our cover letter can be more complicated than expected.

However, different cases can arise. you when you send your application file, whether by email or by post. We have grouped for you the various possibilities available to you to see a little more clearly.

Responding directly to an ad

In most cases, when you apply to an ad directly, the entire process is structured and detailed. In any case, you must absolutely follow the process requested by the company’s human resources to the letter, otherwise, you will not receive a response from them.

Different processes may be requested by the recruiter:

• Sending your letter and your file by mail
• Sending your letter and your file by email
• Uploading your file via an online recruitment platform
• Applying via professional social networks, such as LinkedIn for example.

Regarding these multiple possibilities, it may be that the name of the recipient is mentioned and in this case, you know who you are talking to. If the name is not indicated, the email address is generic such as “rh@ company.com” for example, you have the possibility to send your cover letter as well as your complete file without knowing your recipient, simply by mentioning in your letter “for the attention of Human Resources”. However, to personalize your cover letter, we recommend that you search for the name of your recipient, either through professional social networks or by contacting the company directly. Finally, when you know if your recipient is a woman or a man, don’t forget to change the courtesies in your cover letter.

But why the personalization cover letter so important? By researching the name of your recipient, you improve the presentation of your cover letter, you demonstrate your genuine interest in the company in question, but you also demonstrate keen attention to detail. These are real pluses in the eyes of employers.

The little extra of writing: whether your cover letter is sent by email or by post, always add the address of the recipient of the company, even if you do not have the name of the recipient itself. A careless error can quickly occur by forgetting to change the address noted in the document and this is clearly a disqualifying fault.

You are making an unsolicited application in a large company

When it comes to a large company or even a multinational, there is no point in sending your cover letter to the CEO. Indeed, he will send your file directly to the human resources department and this will be a waste of time for you and him. Often large corporations have their own online recruiting portal. Be sure to inquire because if this is the case, you will have to go through this process and follow the instructions given, even in the context of a spontaneous application.

We, therefore, recommend two optimal options here.

• Address your letter to the head of the department

If you want a position within, For example, a Marketing department and you know the name of the person responsible for that department, you could very well address your letter in their name. If, however, you do not know the name of the Manager, you can of course search for it, but never send your letter indicating only “for the attention of the Marketing Manager”. In fact, if you’ve known his name through a story, article, or if you’ve met him before, mention him at the start of your letter so that he gets his full attention. This will put the odds in your favor.

• Address your letter to the person responsible for human resources

If you have not managed to find the name of the head of the department you want, you can certainly send your cover letter to the human resources department. As with the first option, always try to search for the name of the manager to provide maximum personalization of your application. This effort will be particularly appreciated by the recruiter rather than sending him a generic email which will be much less impactful.

You are applying spontaneously in a small company

When you want to apply to a small company, things are a little different. Sometimes these companies do not have an HR department and the CEO takes care of the commitments himself. You must therefore first inquire to obtain this information.

If a human resources manager exists, as for large companies, try to find his name and indicate him as the recipient in your cover letter. If, on the other hand, the HR department is non-existent, you can in this case address your letter to the General Manager directly.