How you address female recruiters/bankers in an email?

Miss?
Mrs.?
Full name?

Formal Greetings and Salutations

When it comes to business emails, context is important. If you haven’t met the person before or don’t know them very well, it’s always safest to go with Ms. Last Name. After a few emails back and forth, you can use their first name or look to how they sign their emails for guidance. While some WSO members go straight for first names, there’s never usually any harm in being more formal at first.

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51 Comments
 

Assuming it's a cold email and you're still in school or a recent graduate:

If they're older than ~35: use Ms. If they're a director or above: use Ms.

95% of the time, they'll say call them by their first name (either directly or by closing their email with their first name), so then feel free to switch over.

 

Shawtie

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

I always go with Ms. regardless, i don't think you can go wrong unless its someone very close in age to yourself

"I must create a system or be enslaved by another man's." William Blake
 

You really should be using Mr./Ms. until you are on a first name basis with someone, aka spoken to them a few times/met them. If some college kid emailed me "Crunch," I would first be shocked that they knew my username on WSO and secondly think it is a bit presumptuous to not call me Mr. Crunch.

This to all my hatin' folks seeing me getting guac right now..
 
Going Concern

Hey boo

also acceptable:

Hey bitty

Can't go wrong with either.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

Have always emailed by first name. Most women I've spoken to seem to prefer that...

Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

Quick, serious question here: Of the people who have given actual answers here, who is east coast-based?

Perhaps it's a cultural thing by region, but the idea of addressing anyone as Ms. or Mr., even an MD or C-Level executive is absolutely mind-blowing to me, I thought you guys were actually kidding. Can someone confirm that this is regional, or am I just super fucking unprofessional?

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 

Basically anyone over 40ish that I haven't met or worked with before I will address as Ms. or Mr. in an email. If I am giving them a call I won't, just first name. My boss laid down that rule pretty early on and I have been following it ever since. It's no skin off my back to do it and as stupid as it sounds a couple people have told me that they appreciate it. Better to be safe and sound like a nerd than a prick.

This to all my hatin' folks seeing me getting guac right now..
 
Nouveau Richie

Quick, serious question here: Of the people who have given actual answers here, who is east coast-based?

Perhaps it's a cultural thing by region, but the idea of addressing anyone as Ms. or Mr., even an MD or C-Level executive is absolutely mind-blowing to me, I thought you guys were actually kidding. Can someone confirm that this is regional, or am I just super fucking unprofessional?

East Coast here. Not sure if it's a regional thing... I would assume most of the more "progressive" cities (NYC, SF, LA, etc.) wouldn't mind as much, but hey, I've never really lived in a "traditionalist" city either. Maybe in Dallas they would get offended if you used their first name. Who knows.
Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

I don't know about the first name part, but steer away from Miss at all costs. I'm only an undergrad but even so, I really dislike being called Miss and a lot of others do too. Some people are particular about being called Mrs instead of Ms and may get annoyed if you don't call them Mrs, so see if you can find anything on the internet, but Ms is generally the safer option if you really don't know.

 

hey shawty. lemme holla at you right quick ya know what im sayin. checkin you out over there you lookin kinda good, ya know what im sayin. so i was wondering ya know how about you and me go back to the place, get comfortable, probably sip on some of this henney, you know what im sayin, and after that, you know what im... sayin, we can do the grownup and you can let me clap on dem cheeks, ya hear me?

 

I don't think someone who actually writes like this would even bother with commas, periods, and question marks, or even be able to spell "wondering," "comfortably," or "probably" without screwing it up somehow.

 
"SF_G"

I don't think someone who actually writes like this would even bother with commas, periods, and question marks, or even be able to spell "wondering," "comfortably," or "probably" without screwing it up somehow.

"undefined"

Sup.

Me and my homies were in the hood looking for work. U hiring ?

Hollander back if you do,

Yours faithfully,

Really glad you two revived this year old thread with such enlightening additions to the conversation.

"My name's Ralph Cox, and I'm from where ever's not gonna get me hit"
 

I think you should address her as Ms. CDs.

When she looks at you strange and says "CDs?"

Respond with "See deez nuts in yo bank Ms. ____!"

Trust me.

 
ArcanneSince I have no clue as to whether she's married or not, how should I address her? Mrs? Ms? Ms/Mrs? Should I go with her first name? Probably not right?

A. Well you can find out if she's married if she has a huge rock on her hand.

B. Use her first name. She's not your gf/bf's parents, so her shit stinks just like everyone else's.

EDIT: If this is a cover letter use Ms.

 
ArcanneSince I have no clue as to whether she's married or not, how should I address her? Mrs? Ms? Ms/Mrs? Should I go with her first name? Probably not right?

You must be really nervous if this is an interview, have you never spoken with an older woman before? :)

Good luck with your interview !

 

Dear sir/madam:.....?

then you avoid the whole ms/mrs mess.

"We are lawyers! We sue people! Occasionally, we get aggressive and garnish wages, but WE DO NOT ABDUCT!" -Boston Legal-
 

Glad to see the caliber in this thread is high. Some of the best people I've worked for are women (probably due to the need to constantly put up with crap like this).

I use Ms/Mrs interchangeably and only the most ardent feminist will correct you. Do whatever you're comfortable with. And for the love of god treat her like anyone else.

 

Do NOT use Mrs. Use Ms. I'm not married but don't plan to change my name, I'd be pissed if someone called me Mrs. So-and-So as that would be my mother. Also, I'm sure a good number of female VPs are single/divorced so they wouldn't appreciate being reminded of their non-married status by accidentally being called Mrs.

 

I got a reply from a contact. Can someone please tell me how to address a former banker, that's now a professor?

We have pingponged emails about 4 times and it's getting awkward starting "Dear Professor Smith" when she's gone "Dear Alexander" and "Hi Alex" in the subsequent emails.

She's ~ 30 and I'm 25, which makes it even weirder as some of my drinking buddies are 35+.

I have no problems calling someone male 45+ "Dear Sir" out of habit but it's a bit unnerving writing out "Dear Madam"?!?! (ladies no disrespect intended I'm just ignorant)

Gut tells me to just go "Dear Christina". And for male contacts in similar age group to just go "Dear John".

Thanks in advance.

 

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If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

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