How to End a Cover Letter (According to 16 Managers and HR Professionals)

A lot of job seekers today feel pressure when writing a cover letter. After all, the words and phrases you choose will make a difference.

So the question is, how should you properly end a cover letter so that it leaves a lasting impression?

End with a call to action

“May we connect and chat about your open position? I would welcome a chance to share more about how my dedication for donor development and business leadership can support your organization with achieving donor priorities and accelerating revenue growth. I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

“I’d welcome an opportunity to further discuss how my skills and your requirements intersect. Let’s arrange a time to connect and chat soon.”

“I am confident that my level of leadership and initiative matches your role requirements. I will follow-up next week to ensure my application was received in good order and to answer any questions that you might have. Thank you for your consideration.”

End by addressing a potential question that the employer may have

This can be for questions about the reason for a job change or employment gap.

“Looking to leverage my recent MBA – which I focused on exclusively for the past year – I am seeking a new challenge in strategic, change leadership within a private healthcare company to complement my skills across corporate strategy, process optimization, stakeholder engagement, and project management. Your open position is an exact match for my requirements so it is with great interest that I send in my application for consideration.”

“In 2018, I was laid off from ConocoPhillips, and after spending the last year enjoying time with family, I am eager to return to the work that I enjoy. I would welcome an opportunity to connect in person and further discuss how my skills and your requirements intersect. Thank you for your consideration.”

End by reiterating interest, enthusiasm, or fit for the position

“Your open position is exactly the type of role that I have been searching for! I will be waiting by the phone for your call – so please don’t delay – because I am extremely interested in talking more about the value I can offer your organization.”

“When I saw in the news your initiative to help street kids, I knew that your socially responsible organization was exactly the right fit for my advocacy skills. I’m anxious to connect and further discuss your role requirements. I hope to hear from you soon.”

End by emphasizing your ability to move

“Although currently situated in the UK, I am open to relocating for the right role and I possess a Tier 4 Work Permit.”

“After completing my MBA and spending the past 6+ years fast-tracking my HR career, I am focused on partnering with a company seeking to maximize people potential as I look to transition my career to Canada.”

End by re-emphasizing value in relation to the role

“Highly-respected for my dedication and ability to motivate others to excellence, I am focused on end-results and rarely miss a target. I have a great deal of passion for the communications industry and my personal mandate is to be bold in the workplace while keeping stakeholder requirements top of mind. I would like to put my leadership, energy, and expertise to work for your team.”

End with an untraditional reference

“P.S. I have been responsible for P&L up to $4M, employee populations of 23,000+, and a customer base of 9 million. To learn more please visit my LinkedIn profile.”

“Who knew that all of the years I spent watching TV would launch me into a top media relations role. As I look to take my career to the next level your open position at Channel 7 News is exactly where I can continue to pair my passion with my work!”

Related: How Long Should a Cover Letter Be (According to 24 Managers and HR Experts)

Wrap up by summarizing the highlights in your closing paragraphs

After you have introduced yourself and told the employer why your skills are perfectly aligned with their opportunity, wrap your cover letter up by summarizing the highlights in your closing paragraphs.

It’s no secret that employers like to know that you have read their job posting thoroughly, but go the extra mile and do some research about their company and its vision, too, so you can include a line about how your goals and skills align with the company’s mission.

Then thank them for their time, include a call to action, and repeat your phone number and email address. You can ask them to call you or let them know you’ll reach out.

Here is an example of the closing paragraphs from a cover letter for a school administrator that follows these rules:

“Personally, I am hardworking, genuine, and adaptable. I’m excited to hit the ground running an make immediate contributions to your school and district and help build your vision of a safe and positive learning environment for the students and staff.

I welcome an opportunity to discuss how my background, work ethic, and drive can be used to secure the objectives at [Company Name]. To this end, I will contact you the week of [April 22] to schedule a time for us to speak. In the interim, should you have any questions about my qualifications, I can be best contacted at 555-555-5555 or via email: yourname@gmail.com.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to speaking with you.”

Keep it brief

While it’s important to make sure your closing statement resonates with hiring managers, it’s critical that you avoid something lengthy or cumbersome. A direct and concise closing paragraph is ideal for standing out.

Demonstrate that you did your research

The ending of a cover letter is a great chance to show that you researched the organization and that you’re a good fit for the role culturally. Of course, keep in mind the first tip above, but it helps your case if you allude to the company’s mission or philosophy as well.

Convey confidence

Mentioning that you’re looking forward to the next steps in the process shows hiring managers that you’re committed to moving forward while still being mindful of their time.

Keep it professional

Don’t get too casual here! Maintain a professional tone and demeanor. Even with more casual-seeming companies, it’s always better to be overly-formal than not formal enough.

End cover letters by keeping the onus on the job seeker

I always advise ending cover letters by keeping the onus on the job seeker “Thank you for your time and consideration. I will call your office next week to follow up.” This approach keeps you in control of the process and timeline as the one calling his/her office to follow up.

Once the letter or email is sent, we can’t control whether or not the person on the receiving end will pick up the phone to follow up and don’t want to leave that to chance. He/she is presumably already busy. Don’t add to their to-do list.

This is why I always discourage job seekers from ending cover letters with any version of “I can be contacted at (000) 000-0000 to schedule an interview or for additional information.”

Stay in the driver’s seat and in control of following up! 

Show your confidence and seriousness about the position

The last paragraph of a cover letter shows the recruiter or hiring manager that you’re humble.

Thank them for taking the time to look over your application materials. It is helpful to always restate the name of the position that you’re applying for and to name drop the company as well.

You don’t want the employer thinking that you’re using the same cover letter for every job that you apply for. You can also say something like, “I would welcome an interview at your convenience. Looking forward to hearing from you.”

This shows your confidence and your seriousness about the position that you’re applying for.

Include a direct reference to the role and position

If a cover letter is going to add value, it has to be specific to your “value add” for the role and answer “What’s in it for them?”

For the last section of a cover letter, I typically craft something along the lines of:

“Due to my comprehensive 15 years of leadership roles, CPG industry savvy, professional drive, and interest in contributing to the founder’s beliefs, I know I will immediately contribute to the success of X. I shall follow up with you next Friday, May 10th to confirm receipt of my information and provide any additional information.“

As a hiring manager, I’m interested to see if you truly follow up. I appreciate the direct reference to the role and position vs. “I’d be a great fit for the posted role at your company.” I shall also notice the reference to the company’s philosophy or mission statement.

Provide simple, clear, and professional closure

Before explaining how to end a cover letter, a few words about the point of a cover letter itself are:

• A cover letter is most often written as an addition to your resume.
• Your resume will most likely get you the job but a good cover letter can sometimes bring out a detail that is not seen on your resume – just make sure the detail you add is also relevant to the position.
• A cover letter should be short — not a summary of your resume. It should add in a line or two why your experience and skills would be a good fit for the position. If you are familiar with the company, you can include that too.

With all that in mind, an ending to a cover letter should give simple, clear, and professional closure, like:

• “I have attached my resume for your review, and I look forward to speaking to you further about the position.”
• “Please see my attached resume. I would welcome the chance to speak with you further about this role and how my experience could help your department.”  
• “In closing, I am attaching my resume for your consideration. I would be happy to speak with you further about what I could bring to the role at XYZ Company.”

To sign off, there are many standard closings online, such as “Best regards;” “All the best;” “Regards,” “Best regards,” and more. This is generally not the time to show your creativity or originality.

Please remember that an ending is not a time to bring up new ideas — you should save those thoughts for the interview (if appropriate), or, hopefully, once you have the job!

There are two ways of ending a cover letter, they should be used to serve different purposes:

Close with a short paragraph

When addressing an employer with whom there’s already an agreement, it’s best to stick to the classic layout. Aim to close with a short paragraph that thanks for the opportunity inviting to move to the next stage.

This is the case whenever the applicant and the employer have already been in touch so the cover letter is more of a formality than a self-promotional pitch.

Stay away from overly formal and ready-made templates

In every other case, the cover letter simply needs to stand out and the ending contributes to it. Stay away from overly formal and ready-made templates.

Crafting a good cover letter means doing research and putting in the work to tailor it to the employer, but it’s not just about the employer, it’s about who the applicant is and how he can contribute to the success of the company.

The most important factor here is to keep it relevant to the “application persona” as hiring managers call it, iterating one final time the leitmotif of the letter in a solid, short paragraph.

Every applicant should fall into a specific persona and – whether it is the “I provide value and solutions“, the “I deeply care about the topic the company addresses“, or the “I’m the perfect fit for the role” – the ending should reinforce the message conveyed through the whole cover letter.

A loose guideline is to state clearly one last time the reason that drives the applicant to submit the application in four to five sentences, adding a quick “I would be thankful for the opportunity to interview and discuss the role further” at the very end.

The closing statement should reiterate your enthusiasm for the position

Employers are always looking for what an applicant can do for their company and not what they can do for him or her. A cover letter is a value proposition so you should focus on how you will add more value to the company than the next applicant.

Closing your cover letter on a strong note is important because your closing is the last thing that the employer will read before going to your resume.

An effective closing statement should be short, confident and reiterate your enthusiasm for the position. You should demonstrate your confidence that your experience and qualifications meet (or exceed) the requirements of the position and you should ask for the opportunity to convey that in person and answer any questions the employer may have.

For example, you may end your cover letter like this:

“I am excited to learn more about this position and would love to meet you and share what I can bring to your company.

This statement is sure to make an impression on the employer because it showcases your enthusiasm for the position and leaves the employer wanting to learn more about you and your qualities that will drive their business forward.“

Create a call to action for yourself and them

Indicate that you will be following up in a few days. Instead of waiting for them to contact you, close with a statement like:

“I will follow up with you in a few days to answer any questions you may have. In the meantime, you can reach me at XXX-XXXX.”

This leaves things on an active note, for you and for them. Be sure to follow through on the action that you outlined. If you say, “I will call you next Thursday to follow up.” Mark your calendar and be sure to give them a call.

This illustrates your commitment to the job and your ability to complete tasks and promises made.

It’s important to assume the interview

I always have my clients end their cover letters with the following template:

“I would very much appreciate the opportunity to discuss my application further. If you would like to contact me for any reason, feel free to email me at [your email] or call me at [your phone number]. I look forward to the opportunity to interview with [company name]! Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]“

The single most important thing is to assume the interview. A confident frame is a powerful thing. 

It should always end with a suggested call to action for the recipient

Please note the word suggested. If the cover letter is impressive, the recipient will anyway have the next steps in their mind. In such cases, a directive is inappropriate. I prefer to end my cover letters with “May I request for an interview/meeting to discuss my suitability“.

Sometimes, I go with a generic “Look forward to a positive response from your side” when I have suggested a meeting earlier in the letter.

State why you’re passionately interested in the opportunity

Assuming you nailed the intro, provided great personal stories, and explained any gaps in your resume, the end of your cover letter is a place for you to really drive home why you are passionately interested in this opportunity.

I know you can work (or, at least, hopefully, your resume will deliver that information). What I want to know is why.

What drives you? What motivated you to reach out to me? What about our company inspires me? Where do you see this opportunity taking you in the future? Connect with me as a human!

Point out how you can help the organization grow

Close your cover letter with a quick recap on how you can help the organization grow and succeed. Next, thank the recruiter for their time. And finally, if applicable, add a link to your online portfolio.

During your cover letter, you discussed your accomplishments and skills. Use the last sentence of your conclusion to lead the recruiter to your portfolio so they can see real examples of your best work.

Show the recruiter that you are the right person for this position

You should always end your cover letter confidently. You should show the recruiter that you know that you are the right person for this position. After all, why would you apply otherwise?

The final couple of sentences of your cover letter are your last chance to grab or retain the attention of the recruiter and make him/her want to schedule an interview with you.

The end is what the recruiter will remember the most after finishing your cover letter, so it should be something that will make you stand out from the crowd.