Never start an email with this greeting

Michael Timmermann | June 6th, 2018

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From scouring online postings to tedious applications and questionnaires, the process of looking for a new job can be a nerve-wracking hassle.

After a few weeks or months with no leads, you may be wondering if you’re doing something wrong.

Looking for a job? The #1 email mistake to avoid

According to Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas, it may have something to do with your email etiquette.

As you apply for jobs, you may not think twice about the email greeting, but you really should.

Gottsman tells Clark.com that there’s one widely-used greeting in particular that you want to avoid at all costs: “To Whom It May Concern.”

Instead, try your best to find someone to address the email to.

“”˜To Whom It May Concern’ feels lazy to the person opening it. It feels as if you didn’t do your homework because it’s easy to go online and find out who you need to speak to,” Gottsman said. “When in doubt, you can make a phone call to the office or you can send it to the person in charge who will ultimately make a decision. It still might trickle down to someone else.”

If you’ve put in a good effort and still can’t find a name, Gottsman says “Dear Hiring Manager” is a better email greeting than “To Whom It May Concern.”

In the video below, Gottsman shared a few other tips with the Clark.com audience:

Subject line: Make sure it’s filled out and pertains specifically to what the email will include.
Concise email: Keep it short, sweet and to the point.
Check your spelling: Nothing is worse than receiving an email with typos, grammar issues and misspelled names.
Be professional: Avoid any quotes, scripture and political preferences.

By following these tips, hopefully you’ll land an interview for your next job in no time at all.

When that happens, Gottsman explains on her blog that you should send a thank you email the same day of your interview, followed by a handwritten note in the mail.