Quick answer
'Dear Recruitment Manager' is more common in British and Commonwealth English than in American job applications, where 'Dear Recruiting Manager' or 'Dear Talent Acquisition Manager' appears more often. Functionally, it addresses the HR professional managing the search — not the line manager who will be your boss. It is acceptable when no individual name is available and the application goes through a centralized recruitment team. American recruiters may find it slightly formal or dated, but it will not disqualify you. The bigger risk is using any generic title when the recruiter's name is one click away on LinkedIn.
When “Dear Recruitment Manager” is acceptable
Appropriate for applications to UK, EU, or APAC headquarters where 'Recruitment Manager' is a standard job title. Also fine for global companies that use British English in their careers materials. Use when the careers portal routes all applications through a recruitment team without naming individuals.
When to avoid this salutation
Avoid when applying to US startups or tech companies where 'Recruiting Manager' or 'Talent Partner' is the norm — matching the company's language signals cultural fit. Never use when the posting names a specific recruiter. If you are sending a direct email to bypass the ATS, find the hiring manager or recruiter by name rather than using a title salutation.
Why addressing someone by name works better
Recruitment managers often use applicant tracking dashboards that strip formatting but preserve text. Your salutation is the first human-readable line after the template fields. A name breaks the pattern of anonymous applications and can trigger a recruiter to read one more paragraph. In competitive markets, that extra paragraph is the difference between a phone screen and a rejection email. Regional nuance matters too: candidates who mirror the company's communication style — British vs American English, formal vs startup-casual — demonstrate attention to detail from line one.
How to find the recipient's name
Match the company's regional language
Check whether the job posting uses 'Recruitment,' 'Recruiting,' or 'Talent Acquisition.' Mirror that vocabulary in your salutation and throughout the letter — consistency suggests you read carefully.
Search the company's talent team on LinkedIn
Filter employees by 'Recruitment Manager' or 'Talent Acquisition' at the target company. The person associated with your job's location or department is your best addressee.
Look up the hiring manager instead
If the recruitment manager is just a gatekeeper, finding the line manager's name makes a stronger impression. Paste the job URL into DearHiringManager.io to identify who owns the requisition beyond the HR layer.
Example openings for your cover letter
Dear Recruitment Manager,
I wish to apply for the Financial Controller position advertised on your website. I am a ACCA-qualified accountant with eight years of post-qualified experience in manufacturing, including three years leading month-end close for a £200M division.Dear Emma Richardson,
I noticed your team is hiring a Customer Success Manager for the EMEA region. Having scaled CS operations across 12 markets in my current role, I am particularly drawn to your expansion plans outlined in last quarter's investor update.FAQ
Is 'Recruitment Manager' the same as 'Recruiting Manager'?
In practice, yes — both refer to HR professionals who manage hiring processes. 'Recruitment Manager' is more common in British English; 'Recruiting Manager' in American English.
Should I use this for internship applications?
Yes, if no name is available. Internship programs often have dedicated recruitment coordinators — naming them when possible is still better.
Can I use 'Dear Recruitment Team'?
It is acceptable but even less personal. Use it only when the application explicitly says 'send to the recruitment team' with no individual contact.
Does this salutation work in cover emails?
For portal cover letters, yes. For direct outreach emails, invest the time to find a specific name — the ROI on personalization is highest in direct channels.
Related cover letter guides
- Dear Recruiting Manager in a cover letter
- Dear Human Resources in a cover letter
- Dear HR Manager in a cover letter
- Dear Talent Acquisition in a cover letter
- Dear Hiring Manager in a cover letter
- To Whom It May Concern in a cover letter
- No name available in a cover letter
- Unknown recipient name in a cover letter
From our job search guides
- How to Find an HR Email Address at Any Company
- How to Find a Recruiter's Email on LinkedIn (3 Methods)
- How to Find Any Hiring Manager's Email Address (In 60 Seconds)
Already applied and heard nothing back? See our follow-up guide after applying.
Try it free — 1 lookup per day
Paste any job URL on DearHiringManager.io to find the hiring manager's name and verified work email — so your next cover letter opens with a real name instead of a generic greeting.