Writing a letter to someone you do not know can be quite a task. Using the format for a to whom it may concern letter given in this article will enable you to write a proper letter to a person unknown to you.
Do you need to send a letter to someone you do not know? If this is the case, then you will need to substitute the addressee’s name with to whom it may concern. Writing a letter to someone you are unfamiliar with can seem like a difficult thing to do, because in most cases, you will probably be unsure of how to address them. As is the case with most types of business writing, while drafting a to whom it may concern letter, you need to maintain a professional tone. Ensure that you do not write a letter to someone whom you may need to ask for a favor, as it may be considered rude and inconsiderate. These letters are best addressed to government officials.
If you are sending out a cover letter or a job application, then it is advisable to address the person concerned with a Respected Sir/Ma’am salutation. Always remember to give a reference that will state the purpose of the letter in brief. It is always advisable to avoid using a salutation of to whom it may concern and to try to find out if you can the name of person you can address the letter to. This effort on your part will create a good impression but in case there is no way to find out the name of a person to address the letter to, you can address it as to whom it may concern. Given below is a format for a letter that you can refer to while drafting a letter to be sent out to someone you are unacquainted with.
Template
It is difficult to give a proper format of a to whom it may concern letter, because the content of the letter varies depending on the reason for which the letter is written. The only thing that remains constant while writing business letters of this type is that the addressee is unknown. In the format for a to whom it may concern letter given below, we have tried to give you a template with broad guidelines that can be suitably modified to fulfill individual needs.
| Your Name Your Organization Your Address Date Department Reference: State the purpose of the letter in a precise and concise manner. Salutations/Greetings: The salutation in a to whom it may concern letter will obviously not be addressed to a specific person. The reason that you write a letter with no specific addressee is because you do not have a contact person for the letter. Introduction: The introductory paragraph of any letter in which you are not sure about who the addressee should be, will start with a brief introduction to the person writing the letter, that is you, and the reason for which you are sending out this letter. Paragraph 2: The next paragraph will have a summary of whatever it is you want to convey to the addressee. In case it is a letter of intent, then this paragraph will have information regarding your business intents. In case it is a cover letter, then this paragraph will detail out your qualifications and experience that make you suitable for the post you are applying for. In case important, you can add a third paragraph with additional details, depending on the type of letter you are writing. Summary: The last paragraph of the letter will need you to thank the addressee for the time that he has given your letter. You will also need to provide the addressee with your contact details, in order to ensure, that he can get in touch with you, as and when necessary. Also in case you are enclosing any documents with the letter, you need to mention it in this paragraph. Enclosures: In case you do not want to add a sentence about the enclosures in the paragraph before, then you can add a line after the closing which will list out all the documents attached with the letter. Valediction/Goodbye |
Writing a letter to an unknown person for a professional reason tends to be difficult for most people as it is the first impression that the addressee has of the individual writing the letter. Hopefully this format has helped allay some of the fears by giving you a generic format for the next time you need to draft a letter addressed to someone you are unfamiliar with.
