Cover Letter Dear Name Surname. The formal salutation/greeting comes next: Dear contact person's name. if you have a contact person for your letter, include their personal title and name in the salutation (i.e. Everyone understands that job applications are formal;
Dear mr/ms (first name) (last name) is less respectful and it is also used in informal situation. If you are unable to find the name of the person to address the cover letter to, the next best option is to either address the reader as 'dear hiring manager' or 'dear sir/madam.' i always recommend selecting the salutation based on your comfort level and also the feel you get for the company. First names are too informal, unless you and steve have already been corresponding and he has clearly set the standard of using first names only.
Gallery of Cover Letter Dear Name Surname
The most important part is having the actual name. You can hardly be too formal, but you certainly can be too informal. When you write to someone who is much older than you or highly esteemed, use a title and a last name. However, in some cases it's better to use the hiring manager's full name.