How to greet your interviewer online: Do’s and Don’ts

What you say to your interviewer online, before or after your interview, counts as part of your interview.

Your greeting is often the first impression you make, so it's important to get it right.

I’ll give you some useful tips and examples for greeting people online, providing you with the language you need to make a positive first impression.

So let's dive in and explore the art of greeting people online.

Basic greetings

You can say "Hi" (informal) or "Hello" (formal).

You can add "How are you?" or "Nice to meet you."

You can also add their name to these if you want: "Hi Jennifer," "Hello Jennifer," or "Nice to meet you Jennifer."

If you want to be more formal you can say "Ms. Scupi" instead of Jennifer: "Hello Ms. Scupi."

So a good basic greeting for your interviewer is “Hi Jennifer. Nice to meet you.”

Nicknames

Don’t use nicknames with someone the first time you meet them.

“Hi J”

"J" is a nickname. Nicknames are for friends.

"Hey"

Don’t use it as a greeting. "Hey" means the same thing as "hi" but is more informal.

Miss/Ms./Mrs.

Miss (for unmarried women) / is old fashioned

Mrs. (for married women)

Ms. (does not show marital status – many women, including me, prefer it because of this)

If you don't know which one a woman prefers, choose Ms. 

Use title with last name

Don’t say “Hello Mrs. Jennifer”

"Mrs. Jennifer” is not okay because the title Mrs. should be followed by my last name, not my first name.

The proper way to greet me is "Hello Jennifer" (informal) or "Hello Ms. Scupi" (formal).

Sir or Ma'am/Miss

Don’t call me "sir" - I know sometimes it’s hard to know what gender goes with names from another culture, but this is something that is insulting if you get it wrong.

“Hello sir, could you accept my request?”

"Sir" is for men only. You can call me "Miss" or "Ma'am." Miss is for younger and unmarried women and Ma'am is for older or married women.

If you don't know my gender, use my full name like this - "Hello Jennifer.”

Names

Make sure you spell my name right.

Double check the spelling before you send your message.

Capitalization

The first letter of first and last names should be capitalized. My name is Ms. Jennifer Scupi (all the first letters capped - M, J, and S).

Proper Use of "Dear"

There is only one way to use "Dear" properly - in a formal business letter.

This is the correct greeting: "Dear Ms. Scupi," - this is how you would address a formal business letter or email to me.

It is only appropriate at the beginning of a long form communication document like a business letter or business email.

Improper Use of "Dear"

I added this section because I see this a lot.

• Hello Dear

• Hi my dear friend

• Hello dear teacher

• Dear teacher?

• Dear beautiful lady

"Hello dear" is what you would say to someone you love. In this case you’re using "dear" in the same way you would use "sweetheart" or "darling." We have a professional relationship, so it's not appropriate. Especially if you are a man and I am a woman.

It can also be a term of affection that you would use for a friend. But if you use it for someone you don’t know well, it makes you seem old-fashioned.

"Hi my dear friend." You would say this to someone who is in fact a very good friend of yours. We aren't friends, we are professional contacts, so it's inappropriate.

"Hello dear teacher." Here you are using two greetings in one phrase and one of them (dear) is used for formal letters only.

"Dear teacher?" Again you are using the greeting used for formal letters.

"Dear beautiful lady." You are using the greeting for formal letters and also talking about my personal appearance, which is not appropriate.

Hello Teacher, Hello Lawyer

When I was an English teacher, many of my students would call me "Teacher" during our first class. They would often say, "Hello Teacher."

This is not how to address teachers or other professionals in America.

Imagine you go into a lawyer's office. Would you say, "Hello Lawyer"? No, you wouldn't. You would say, "Hello Ms. Scupi." What if you didn't know her name? What would you call her? You wouldn't call her anything, you would just say, "Hello."

When in doubt, just say "Hello."

Hello Interview - Get some practice to warm up your English

Fine-tuning your English before a job interview can be an essential part of the preparation process. Not only can it improve your fluency and grammar, but it can also help you feel more confident and relaxed during the interview.

By practicing your language before your interview, you can ensure that you're presenting your best self and giving yourself the best chance of success. With the right amount of practice and preparation, you can impress your interviewer and secure your dream job.