10 Ways to Find the Name of a Hiring Manager (With Examples)

Updated October 23, 2023

When you're looking to add a personalized touch to your job application, addressing the hiring manager by name helps companies recognize you as a detail-oriented person. It also helps you form a connection with a company's human resources department. Whether it's for a cover letter or an emailed job application, it's important to learn how to find the hiring manager's name to improve your chances of being noticed.

In this article, we discuss the role of a hiring manager and learn the best ways to locate the individual's name when this information is missing from job listings.

What is a hiring manager?

Hiring managers work with recruiters to find the best candidates for an open job position. They typically initiate the hiring process once they've determined the need to fill a specific role. While there may be other professionals within the human resources department who help throughout this process, the hiring manager makes the final hiring decision and extends the job offer.

How to find the hiring manager of a company

Follow these steps to learn the name of the hiring manager so you can include it in your job application:

Search social media.
Reach out to the company's employees.
Contact the company directly.
Network with your professional contacts.
Find a trade publication.
Revisit the job listing.
Use the email address.
Check out the recruiting agency's website.
Peruse other job sites.
Reach out to senior management.

1. Search social media

Human resource professionals commonly include their job title and company name on popular social media platforms like Facebook. Start your search by entering the company name and relevant keywords like "hiring manager" or "recruiter" into the search box located at the top of the screen. Once you find the hiring manager's profile, you might consider sending them a personalized message before or after sending your application to increase your chances of getting hired.

Example: Hello, Beth! I'm Allison, a content writer with a direct background in the fashion industry. I've always admired the way Heritage Fashion Hub continues to create new trends for plus-sized women, so when I noticed you were looking for a copywriter for your digital team, I applied right away. I wanted to introduce myself directly because I strongly believe my career experience matches up perfectly with the requirements of your job listing.

2. Reach out to the company's employees

If you searched for the hiring manager on social media but did not see an obvious match, you may choose to connect with someone else in the company who works in the same department. Try to find a personalized connection to this person before sending out a message to increase your chances of a response. You might both be members of a professional industry group or alumni from the same university. Ensure that your message is friendly and directly references the job position. In addition to learning the hiring manager's name, you may even get an introduction.

Example: Nice to meet you, Jonathan! I wanted to reach out because you and I are both members of the American Marketing Association group here on Facebook. I noticed that you're an active member of the digital strategy team at Profitrade. I've been following your company for years and noticed there's an opening for a marketing manager. I have some specific questions about this role. Do you know who the best person is for me to contact regarding this position?

3. Contact the company directly

If you haven't looked at the company's website yet, go online to see if there is additional information that provides the hiring manager's contact information. Some websites even have an employee directory. If they don't have the name listed, contacting the company directly can be a good and simple solution. Consider calling the main office to inquire about the job position and get the hiring manager's name. The secretary will either give you the information or direct you to the appropriate department.

Example: I'm applying for the software developer role and want to make sure I'm sending my application to the right person who oversees hiring in the department. Would you be able to give me the name of the hiring manager or direct me to human resources?

4. Network with your professional contacts

As you build your career, you'll meet people who can connect you with valuable contacts in your industry. Depending on your unique situation, consider reaching out to individuals with similar backgrounds to see if they can help. They might know the hiring manager personally or another team member within that department. You may consider calling them or reaching out through social media. In this case, send a friendly message that revisits your last interaction with them and explains your career goals as well as your interest in the specific company and job position.

Example: Hello, Cindy! How have you been? I really enjoyed talking to you at the banquet last fall, and I'm glad we were able to get seats together. I wanted to reach out because I'm currently seeking a job change and noticed that you have a connection with James Lee, the financial manager for Redding Solutions. I'm putting together my application for the computer systems analyst position and wanted to list the hiring manager's name for a more personalized touch, but I noticed it's not listed in the job description. Would you be willing to ask James the name of this person so that I can address my cover letter appropriately? I would really appreciate it. Let me know. Thank you!

5. Find a trade publication

Another option that people often overlook is trade publications. You don't necessarily need a subscription to access this valuable information. Search through industry-specific publications online to not only read about the latest trends associated with your profession, but also learn the names of important employees within a company.

6. Revisit the job listing

Sometimes when you're limited on time, important details like contact information are easy to look over. That's why you should make time to carefully read the job listing more than once. Doing so can help you feel more confident when you do reach out for the missing information, knowing that you did not scan over the details. Consider having a friend or family member read through the listing as well for a fresh perspective.

7. Use the email address

Job listings commonly contain an email address as a resource for job-related questions and application submissions. To ensure that you address your cover letter and email message properly, consider sending a friendly email inquiry beforehand asking for the hiring manager's name.

If you'd rather keep searching for this information, try to analyze the letters within the email address to see if you can learn the hiring manager's name. If there is an identifiable name, search this name online. You may be surprised by how much you can discover about this person using their email address, including their full name and title.

8. Check out the recruiting agency's website

Recruiting agencies often create job postings for companies. If this is the case for the job you're applying for, go to the agency's website and search individual web pages to see if you can find the names of the recruiters and their biographies. Sometimes their descriptions list the names of specific companies they work with, which can tell you exactly who to contact.

9. Peruse other job sites

Job listings typically appear on multiple job sites, which is why you should copy and paste the text of the job posting into your preferred search engine to see what results appear. Put quotation marks around the text before you hit the search button to target your specific content. You'll likely find the original job posting this way, which should include the hiring manager's name and email address.

10. Reach out to senior management

When you feel like you've tried everything to find the hiring manager's name, there is one more resource to consider. The executives of a company tend to be fantastic networkers and often welcome communication from people outside of the company. You may get an enthusiastic response from the chief information officer (CIO) or the head of the department related to the job position, as they're typically involved in seeking top talent.