The Technology Diet

Dear Sirs?

by Guest Blogger, Lena West

Maybe I should get over it. Maybe it's petty and I need to be able to "see the silver lining" as is said. But, I just can't do it!

What am I talking about?

Well, every year we bring in a fresh crop of interns.  Last year, we did a lot of work with design interns and this year, since we've shifted our business focus, we're looking for internal marketing and PR interns.  So, of course, we write the internship description and distribute it blindly. This means that we don't give any identifying information except an email address.

Invariably, the inquiries and resumes that we receive from the US (whether from male or female), are addressed to: "To Whom It May Concern".  But, oh boy, the responses from males overseas INVARIABLY are addressed to: "Dear Sirs".  That just burns my hide!

At risk of sounding totally insensitive and US-centric (which, if you know anything about me, I'm certainly NOT) but, when is someone going to tell the young men in the rest of the world that women rule the roost?  We are starting and growing well over half of all new businesses! We are in the boardrooms in record numbers (although not as much as *I* would like to see)!  We are in power positions and a key decision-makers! Over 25% of women earn more money than their husbands!

And, with all this power, I invariably send the "Dear Sirs" emails to the ol' virtual round file.   I know that I'm powerful and I know the "Dear Sirs" epidemic might be considered a small thing considering all that I have to do to run a growing company. But, I also know that I am incapable of reading any further once I have been addressed as a sir - I don't care what your resume looks like.

To those who say, "If it's a blind ad, how do you expect them to know?" My answer is: I DON'T.  I also don't expect them to assume...because you know what they say about assuming...

What does this have to do with technology?  I'm not sure...other than, just because you're sending an email doesn't mean that you don't have to have the same level of tact and respect as you do in person. Most people "get" that.  It's too bad our international youth are still struggling with this concept.

Comments

[Lena L. West]

Hi Kerch:

You're absolutely right, one doesn't want to err on the side of being too informal. I can say that I would rather be greeted in a very formal way than addressed as a Sir :)

You can always open an email to an undisclosed party by saying:

Good day, I read your post...

Hello, my name is...

Any of these is fine in my book and infinitely better than Dear Sirs.

--Lena L. West
Guest Blogger, http://www.LipSticking.com
Creator, http://www.TechnologyDiet.com
CEO, http://www.xynoMedia.com

[Kerch McConlogue]

You make an excellent point about the "Dear Sir" problem. I've often wondered how other people react to the salutation. But here's the greater question: What's the right way to open an email to a blind address?

"To whom it may concern" seems pretty old fashioned and more formal than email. I'm thinking "Yo, wassup?" wouldn't be too good.

So what's proper, in your opinion?

thanks
kerch