Time was, you'd use this term when you didn't know the name of the letter recipient.
But "in today's world," Pachter said, "that can get you in trouble." If your kid is applying for an internship, for example, make sure they use a "non-gender-specific, non-sexist term" such as "Dear Hiring Manager."
Instead: Business Insider previously spoke with Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume, on this topic, and she recommended searching on LinkedIn to find the name of the company recruiter or hiring manager who originally posted the job.
Simply writing "Dear Sir" or "Dear Madam" makes you look like you haven't done your homework.