How to End a Cover Letter

You’ve been working on your cover letter for a few hours, and you are confident that the body of the letter exemplifies your achievements. However, you’re unsure how to end your cover letter and may be wondering what to say in your closing paragraph.

The cover letter is one of the first opportunities you have to make a good impression and you want to end it off on a high note. You don’t want to seem overly confident, but you also don’t want to appear too formal or impersonal.

In this guide, we’re going to walk you through three different ways in which you can end your cover letter, complete with handy examples. All of the approaches we discuss will help you end your cover letter with a bang so that you can position yourself as a good candidate to interview.

Discuss why you are interested in the business

If you have not done so already, the closing paragraph of your cover letter is a good place to explain why you are interested in working for the business.

Do you think that the business’ goals align closely with yours? Do you like the company’s approach to employee training and career advancement? Whatever the reason, consider mentioning it in your closing paragraph.

Explaining why you are interested in a business is a good way to show that you have researched the company in-depth and considered what makes you a good fit for the role. 

“Your business’ firm commitment to providing a pleasurable customer experience is something that closely aligns with me. My favorite part of my last job was interacting with customers, getting to know their needs, and helping to meet those needs. I am excited to explore how this position would allow me to use my customer relations skills to help you grow.”

End on a confident note

Confidence is the key to writing a successful cover letter. If you think you are the right candidate for a job, don’t hide that fact: be open and confident.

You could use your closing paragraph as an opportunity to mention one of your core accomplishments and how it prepares you for the job for which you are applying.

Ending with an example of your past work will help keep an employer engaged as they get toward the end of your cover letter. You’ll also be able to present yourself as someone who is self-aware enough to know their core strengths.

“In my last position, I developed extensive experience managing sales associates. In my first quarter as a sales manager, I managed to boost sales by 7%, which I believe is attributable to my coaching leadership style. If I am offered this position, I will be able to immediately apply my management and subject matter skills to help your business achieve its goals.”

Relate your skills to the job

Whereas a resume is a list of your experience and skills, a cover letter allows you to explore how your skills and experience qualify you for the job. You could use the final sentences of your cover letter to link your skills to the specific position for which you are applying.

This approach will allow you to demonstrate how your skills transfer over to the position, thereby making it easier for a hiring manager to evaluate whether you have the skills required to do the job.

“I am excited for the opportunity to apply my experience as a marketing executive to help you develop a new social media strategy that connects with more youthful audiences. I look forward to hearing back from your organization about your needs and how I can help you achieve your goals.”

After the Closing Paragraph: Your Complimentary Close

At the very end of your cover letter, you should write a complimentary close. Cover letters, like resumes, are formal documents, and so it is expected that you will close your letter in a certain way.

Here are a few complimentary closes you could use to end your cover letter:

• Sincerely
• Best regards
• Kind regards
• Respectfully

You should avoid informal closes such as “Thanks” or “Cheers.” You should also avoid using a sentence such as “I look forward to hearing from you” as your close. This information should be written into your closing paragraph, rather than your complimentary close.

Conclusion

How you close your cover letter will have a great impact on whether an employer decides to reach out to you.

If an employer has read down to your conclusion, they are likely interested in you. However, if your conclusion doesn’t use the right tone, they may decide to move on to another cover letter.

By writing a cover letter that expresses confidence and conveys your interest in the position, you’ll be able to make an employer feel like you are the right person for the job.