Addressing A Person In An Email For A Job Application.

[joko]

i know in most job applications the standard is Dear Mr Bloggs,

but i work in the media where there is a quick crew turnover, and people send out many many emails and CVs every week, and most communication is semi formal - they would never call me 'miss surname'.
I have recruited myself and almost all addressed me by my first name.

I often address an email with simply -

hello John,

because Dear Mr Bloggs sounds too formal, and Dear John Bloggs sounds odd, as does Hello John Bloggs, Dear Mr John Bloggs etc etc

I also hate Mrs Alison Bloggs, because I have no idea if to say Mrs, Miss or Ms.
I know they know i don't know, so wouldn't judge on it, but what is best to play it safe?

so what do you think?

I am considering starting to go more formal - just because I figure you can't go wrong with that - its an informal industry really but you never know their age and whether the informality bothers them

what would you suggest?

thanks

[Peter Pedant]

I cant stand Hi Petey ! - but I am over 60

[Maydup]

I consider Dear Alison to be perfectly acceptable.

We NEVER address anything to Dear Mrs Bloggs these days unless we have no idea of her first name. Dear Mrs Alison Bloggs is as bad.

Dear Alison Bloggs is OK if a bit informal but has a cool feel and approach.

As long as you say Dear and not Hi, and write well, just as you'd write if it were a letter, you can't go wrong. Good luck.

[overthetop]

I'd say it depends on the status of the person you're addressing. If it's somebody in a recruiting position, "Hello John" would be fine. If you were responding directly to, say, Richard Branson, or an American producer (they love formality), I'd go the "Dear Mr. Branson" route.

[boxtops]

If it's an internal application, I'd go for

Dear John

If it's external, Dear Mr Bloggs

[Buenchico]

In formal emails I generally dispense with any form of greeting. So I'd either start with
"I am writing to apply for the position of Deputy Head Cook and Bottle Washer . . "
or
"Fao: Fred Bloggs, Head of Human Resources

I am writing to apply for the position of Deputy Head Cook and Bottle Washer . . "

[joko]

buenchico - but then i'd think that was kind of rude or blunt ...