When wirting a covering letter, what if you have a name but dont have a title???

Question

I am writing a covering letter. There is the name of the person i need to write to, but not her title (i.e. Ms, Mrs, etc)

Since i have her name, but do not know her and have not met her, i would like to address her as Mrs/Ms...... and then her last name.

Thing is, i dont know her title - or whether she is married - so how should i address her?

Is "Ms" rude and unprofessional? Or would "Mrs" be too if she isnt married!??

Help required please!!

Answer 1

Always use Ms. if you are unsure. Its not rude or unprofessional. Quite the opposite.

Answer 2

this could be part of the test to get the job. (if i'm understanding you correctly).
Phone the company up. and ask how should you address her, does she prefer Miss. , Mrs. or Ms.
though as others have said if you have a full name and not initials. you should write:
F.A.O Carole Christmas (whatever her name is)
now proceed with the the address etc as normal until you get to the start of the content of the letter. You then start with Dear Madam.
blah blah blah.

yours faithfully
(leave five blank lines)
your name.

(assuming you are typing this ready to be printed. if you are emailing this the blank lines after your faithfully can be ommited).

only use the Miss. Mrs or Ms in person face to face. and only then after she introduces herself to you. If she prefers to be called by her first name that is how she will ingtroduce herself.
if she wants to be business like then she will intruduce herslef as Miss. Mrs or Ms Christmas (using the example i used above.

i have no formal training in this just years of lifes experiances.

Remember that a job interview starts the moment you apply for an application form. some employers use tests like this to see how resourceful you are in finding out a persons title or even job title for example. So Phone the company concerned and ask the reception desk how the woman in question likes to be addressed on a letter. phone on three seperate occasions Monday morning, any lunch time (12 noon to 2pm) and on a weekend. that way you will get a consistant two out of three (at least) correct answers to your question.

No Ms is not rude, but i know a few older women 30+ who object to that term. so you could be in the wrong and so not even get an interview. (assuming i have understood the reason for you asking)

Answer 3

Ms covers a multitude of sins without offending Maiden Ladies of a Certain Age or the ubiquitous 'Partners' cohabiting without benefit of marriage.

However, as a Married Lady of a Certain Age, I find it difficult NOT to be offended when I am addressed as Ms when I have already told whoever is writing to me that I am married! Today I phoned an Insurance Company who I suspect already had knowledge of my being married, to ask them to change 'Ms' to 'Mrs'. I'm proud of being married. What's more, we're becoming a rare breed! As you do not know the lady's status, you should be perfectly safe addressing her as Ms (and perhaps you could add a post-script inviting her clarification?)

Answer 4

Ms would be acceptable, it basically means (Mrs or Miss), if it is for a job application, then why not ring the company and ask the receptionist how the lady prefers to be addressed.

Answer 5

Soul Asylum: sometime to return somebody to Shove deliver of Fools ill of That track Stranger Spinnin' some thing Out of not something solar do not Shine status interior the entrance close Down String of Pearls so long get up and Be stable

Answer 6

Hello.. after 3 years at college learning to be a PA I would go with Ms. Its not unprofessional.. It would be worse if you called her Mrs (and she was never married - Imagine if she was shunted at the alter and had a terrible greivance with being called mrs...ooooo no no)...or if you called her Miss (and she had spent £60,000 on a wedding.. she would be miffed..)
Go for Ms!!!!

Answer 7

You should not put Mrs. or Miss
You can put Ms.
I have always found it more comfortable and a little more friendly to put the first and last name if you know them
'Dear Lisa Smith'
Hope it helps

Answer 8

if was me id likely to use ms or nothing just her name if you have it in full,another option is to maybe ring where this woman is and ask if its in a work environment.to be honest i wouldn't of thought the lady in question would take offence to either.x

Answer 9

I would say use Ms.
I work for a solicitors firm, and if we are writing to woman and we dont know her title we use Ms.

Answer 10

I would suggest that you write

Dear Ms then her surname,

End

Yours sincerely



Your name