How to End a Cover Letter

It pays to put thought into your cover letter ending.

Why?

As the last part of your cover letter that the employer reads, your closing statement will often determine the final impression they form of you — if you write it well.

Your cover letter ending summarises why you’re the right candidate for the job and lets the employer know how they can get in touch with you.

You’re concluding everything you’ve said in your cover letter so far. So anything you choose to highlight in this final section is more likely to be remembered by the employer.

When writing the ending of your cover letter, you should:

• summarise your value to the employer and your enthusiasm for the job
• thank the employer for their time
• request a job interview
• let the employer know how they can contact you
• let the employer know you’ve enclosed your carefully written CV

Build My Cover Letter

Follow these tips to write a powerful cover letter ending that signs off effectively:

How to end a cover letter (4 writing tips)

There are four things you should do when writing a cover letter ending:

1. Include a strong concluding paragraph
2. Connect your experience to the company’s goals
3. Remember to thank the employer
4. Write a compelling CTA

1. Include a strong concluding paragraph

The key to writing the perfect conclusion is to summarise the contents of your cover letter without repeating yourself.

Create a strong concluding paragraph by injecting fresh language to make yourself sound interesting and creative.

Use a thesaurus to find varied vocabulary to describe your work history and experience in a new way.

Here’s an example of a concluding paragraph using diverse vocabulary in a cover letter:

Though your cover letter conclusion summarises why you’re a great candidate, you should avoid repeating yourself word-for-word (because it appears lazy).

Instead, write this final paragraph with the same flair and originality as the rest of the cover letter.

Also, avoid terms like ‘In conclusion’ and ‘To conclude’. These terms are dull and make your cover letter ending weaker because you end up sounding like every other applicant.

2. Connect your experience to the company’s goals

Conclude your cover letter by connecting your work history to the company’s objectives and talk about what you can do for the company should you be selected for the position.

To highlight personal benefits that the employer will be truly interested in, read the job description carefully, and ask yourself, ‘What does this company want most from its next hire?’

Then emphasise skills that match those requirements.

Here’s an example of how to directly connect your experience to the company you’re applying at:

Before writing your cover letter conclusion, read through the rest of your letter as if you were the recruiter and think what parts would stand out to them most. Use those standout elements to craft a compelling final paragraph.

3. Remember to thank the employer

Use your cover letter’s conclusion to thank the employer for the opportunity and for taking the time to read your cover letter.

Showing politeness is key to closing a cover letter because it shows you’re a professional with strong people skills.

Be clear about what you’re thanking them for by personalising your thank you.

Here’s an example of how to thank an employer in a cover letter:

Thank you for taking the time to learn about me. I appreciate the time it took you to review my application for Dash Doors Ltd.

4. Write a compelling CTA

When ending a cover letter, provide a clear call to action (CTA) by inviting the employer to contact you for a job interview.

Directly providing your contact details demonstrates confidence and shows you’re ready to move to the next step.

A compelling CTA includes your email address and phone number.

Repeat your phone number and email address in your CTA to make it easy for the recruiter to contact you.

Here’s an example of a CTA being used effectively in a cover letter conclusion:

If you require any more information or would like to discuss the role further, please don’t hesitate to call me at 07456 127 264 or email me at jamesbeck2@gmail.com. I’ve attached my CV for your reference.

The CTA above is compelling because it tells the recruiter why they should contact the applicant and exactly how to contact them. It also points to the CV being attached to the email in case the employers fails to look for it.

Because the applicant has made it easy for the recruiter to get in touch, they’re more likely to reach out after reading the application.

5 Great Cover Letter Endings

Need a little inspiration for your cover letter ending? Here are a few examples of standout cover letter endings that compelled employers to get in touch when they read them.

1. Teaching Assistant Cover Letter

In this cover letter example, the applicant made a lasting impression on the employer by demonstrating her enthusiasm and outlining her interest in the specific school.

It’s clear that she’s taken the time to research the school thoroughly and identify its core values. Because she’s put in the extra effort, the employer can see that she’s serious about this job opportunity and will likely make a great addition to the team.

2. Graphic Designer Cover Letter

This aspiring graphic designer makes a strong argument for why she should be hired when she relates her design skills to an important employer objective — launching a new website.

This cover letter closing would work well for either a full-time or freelance job application because the applicant highlights how their skills can make a valuable contribution to the hiring team.

3. Assistant Accountant Cover Letter

This confident yet professional cover letter closing quickly summarises the applicant’s experience. By specifying when they’ll be available to speak over the phone, they show consideration for the employer’s likely busy schedule and come across as a well-organised candidate.

4. HR Administrator Cover Letter

This applicant’s succinct cover letter conclusion reaffirms their suitability for the available position.

They also let the employer know they will contact them in a week’s time to follow up on the application. It’s generally a good idea to let employers know in advance if you’re planning to send a follow-up email, so you don’t come across as impatient.

5. Sales Associate Cover Letter

This is a perfect cover letter conclusion for a big retailer where there’s plenty of opportunity for upward mobility. The employer will appreciate the applicant’s eagerness to grow with the company and see them as a good investment of company resources.

Best Sign-Offs for a Cover Letter

Your cover letter sign-off is your last chance to leave a good impression on employers, so use professional vocabulary to close your letter appropriately.

The appropriate sign-off changes depending on the circumstances of the job application.

For instance, use ‘Yours sincerely’ if you addressed the recipient by name and ‘Yours faithfully’ if you addressed the employer by their department or team.

Here are more appropriate sign-offs for your cover letter ending:

Don’t make a cover letter that ends with any of these sign-offs:

These closings are too casual for a cover letter, so write your sign-off carefully and show employers you know how to write a professional cover letter from start to finish.

Frequently asked questions about ending a cover letter

Looking for a job on LinkedIn? Here are three of the most commonly asked questions about uploading documents to the platform.

1. What is the best last sentence for a cover letter?
2. What is the correct sign-off for Dear Sir or Madam?
3. Is it OK to use ‘Please do not hesitate to contact me’ in a cover letter?

 

 

More FAQs to help you with your cover letter

Here are the answers to a few more common cover letter questions you might have:

• How do you address a cover letter with or without a name?
• What should a cover letter include?
• What does ‘Mx’ stand for?