How To End A Cover Letter (With Examples)

Writing the body of your cover letter can be hard enough, but somehow figuring out how to end it can cause intense writer’s block for even the most verbose.

In this article, we’ll show you how to end a cover letter, complete with example closing paragraphs and sign-offs. We’ll also talk about what closings to avoid, how to end with a P.S., and the basic structure of a cover letter.

Key Takeaways

• The last paragraph of your cover letter should include a call to action, your enthusiasm for the role, and a thank you to the reader.

• You can’t go wrong with “Sincerely,” when you’re signing off on your cover letter.

• Using a P.S. effectively can be a great way to make your cover letter stand out.

How to End a Cover Letter

When you’re writing a cover letter, you want to tie up your body paragraphs with a bow, not fizzle out into mediocrity, and the best way to do this is with a brief concluding paragraph.

This paragraph doesn’t need to be long — even one or two lines will do — but it needs to have these elements:

1. A call to action

2. Your enthusiasm for the position

3. A thank you

Usually, your call to action for your cover letter will be a request to discuss the position further or an offer to answer any questions the reader may have. Your goal with this is to remind the reader why you’re writing and to put the ball in their court.

As you write this section, be enthusiastic about the prospect of getting the position and working for the company. Hiring managers want to know you care about the job, so show them that you do.

Finally, thank the reader for their time and attention. This simple addition will go a long way toward strengthening your good rapport with the hiring manager.

Examples of How to End Your Cover Letter

Closing statements in cover letters are important, but try not to overthink it. You want to sound confident and qualified, not insecure and nervous.

Here’s a list of fail-proof ways to end your cover letter:

1. I look forward to the chance to learn more about this opportunity and share with you how I would be a great fit for your company.

   A strong closing like this will show that you’re confident and excited for the opportunity. Ending your cover letter this way will show that you can fit into their company’s culture and that your work ethic is what they’re looking for in an employee.

2. I am excited to offer my strengths, skills, and expertise in this industry to benefit your company.

   Employers want to know what you can bring to the table and how you can help their company succeed. With a statement like this, you can show them that you’re committed to becoming part of their company and leading them toward success.

3. If I am offered a position with your company, I will be immediately ready to start working with your company to exceed your expectations for success.

   Adding a statement like this to closing of your cover letter will show your enthusiasm for working with the company. Employers look for people who are excited about their work, and mentioning that you can help them succeed is never a bad move.

4. I am thrilled for the opportunity to meet with you and further discuss how my qualifications will be beneficial to your company’s success.

   Employers want to know how your experience and qualifications will help their company succeed. It’s important to let them know that your ultimate goal is to help their company grow and flourish, not that they’ll be a minor checkpoint on the road to your own personal success.

   Keep in mind that the purpose of your cover letter is to land an interview with the employer. Explain to your reader how you will be beneficial to their company and what you hope to gain from meeting with them.

How to Sign Off on a Cover Letter

Just as it’s important to include a confident closing statement, it’s equally important to sign off your cover letter in a professional manner. It’s a big part of the format of your cover letter.

For your convenience, here’s a list of common sign-offs that are great to use for cover letters and other professional correspondences:

• Sincerely/Sincerely yours/Most sincerely

• Regards/Best/Best regards/With best regards

• Respectfully/Respectfully yours

• Yours truly

• Thank you for your consideration

Follow the closing of your choice with a comma, and on a new line, write your name. If you’re sending an email, you can add your contact information below your name. For example:

Make sure to include a professional email address. While your beloved middle school email address “[email protected]” is fun and quirky, it’s probably not going to help you land any jobs.

The Best Closing for a Cover Letter

I know, it seems a little odd for a job seeker, but a study by Boomerang indicates that it’s got the best response rate. Of course, that’s for all email closings, not just job applications.

And because of that, we feel that the “in advance” part may come off as a little presumptuous — but the gratitude part is always appreciated. So drop the advance and just say thank you.

Everyone likes to be appreciated.

Mistakes to Avoid: How Not to Close a Cover Letter

When it comes to cover letters, there are definitely mistakes that you need to steer clear of. In this case — if you’re too casual in your sign-off, your cover letter is probably going to spend the rest of its lifespan in the garbage.

Because we care about you and want you to get a job, here’s a list of sign-offs to avoid at all costs so you can prevent yourself from looking unprofessional:

• Affectionately

• Best wishes

• Cheers!

• Have a great day

• Take it easy

• Warm regards

• Fondly

• Love you

• Smiles :~)

• XOXO

• Yours/Yours faithfully

• Thx bro/Pls respond

• Eagerly waiting for a response

• Bye

• Sent from my iPhone

This is a professional document — you want your cover letter to give off the vibe of a firm handshake, not a casual fist bump.

Avoid ghosting/the Irish goodbye/the French exit/etc. The point is — don’t just end your cover letter without a concluding statement or signing off.

Even though writing a cover letter is stressful and you might just want to end it as quickly as possible, it’s still important to come full circle and close it out.

Ending a Cover Letter With P.S.

One extra tip for ending your cover letter like a pro is using the postscript (P.S.). When hiring managers and recruiters skim through cover letters all day, their eyes are naturally drawn to small changes, like having an extra line or two after your signature.

It’s probably the first thing they’ll read, so if you can use your P.S. to intrigue them enough to read the rest of your cover letter, you’re in good shape.

If you have an extra ace up your sleeve, consider using it in a postscript. Don’t use the same information as the body of your cover letter; otherwise, you’re just wasting space. Anything that makes you a unique candidate but doesn’t quite fit with the rest of your cover letter is a great option for a postscript.

The great thing about a P.S. is that you can bring up something outside of your job qualifications that nevertheless shows your initiative, problem-solving, and values. Bonus points if those values align with the company you’re applying to.

1. P.S. — I’d be thrilled at the opportunity to discuss how my sustainability initiative reduced CO2 emissions at my office by 17% and learn more about your mission for environmental stewardship.

2. P.S. — In my 6+ years of teaching, I’ve educated students from the ages of 5-18 and from diverse racial, socioeconomic, and regional backgrounds, much like the community your institution serves.

3. P.S. — I’d love the chance to apply my proven marketing tactics to XYZ Inc. and achieve even better results than the 213% increase in website traffic I saw with my former clients.

To be clear, we’re not suggesting that a P.S. is the ultimate way to end your cover letter for everyone. But if you can think of an impactful one that grabs the hiring manager’s attention, you’re in good shape.

What Is a Cover Letter For?

Cover letters are a way for candidates to draw connections between their resumes and the job they hope to land.

They’re used to show off your best skills, qualifications, and achievements in a more fleshed-out way than your resume can. They also indicate that you weren’t just shotgun blasting your applications across the whole wide internet, because they’re more personalized than a resume.

If you’re interviewing for a position in a writing-heavy creative industry like marketing, content creation, or public relations then your cover letter and its ending serve to illustrate your communication skills, how your qualifications match the job requirements, and how you can be reached to discuss your availability.

Cover Letter Format

1. Greeting. Use “Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name]” if you can find the recipient’s name (which we recommend you do). If you can’t find that, here are a few more options other than “Dear Hiring Manager.”

2. Opening paragaph. Open with an introduction, a bit of your professional backgrond, why you’re enthusiastic about the opportunity, and possibly how you heard about the job opening (especially if you were referred by a current employee). This should be around three sentences.

3. Second paragraph. Match up your professional experiences with the job description. Think of your most impressive accomplishments that align with similar responsibilities you’d have at the new job.

   Always use numbers when possible — hiring managers and recruiters like to see results. Your second paragraph is your longest, but still keep it to under six sentences.

4. Third paragraph. Now talk about why you’re the perfect fit for the company (and vice versa). You can mention values you share, unique problems they face that you’re equipped to handle, or simply compliment the company’s track record.

5. Concluding paragraph. This is what this article is all about. A call-to-action and a thank-you are the primary parts to consider here.

6. The sign-off. “Sincerely” works most of the time, but we have more options below.

7. The P.S. The postscript is a secret weapon you can use if you have a great extra detail to add that didn’t fit with the rest of your cover letter.

Ideally, your cover letter should be between 200-300 words, but the absolute maximum is 400. Don’t worry if it looks short at 200 words — embrace white space because many hiring managers and recruiters prefer half-page cover letters.

Final Thoughts

Cover letters are always the first impression you’ll leave on a potential employer – and you want to make sure it’s a good one. The closing of your cover letter is an important factor in helping you land your next interview. By writing an enthusiastic and confident closing paragraph, you’ll help your reader see that you’re the best person for the job.

Writing cover letters can be stressful — if you want to reap the benefits of writing one, make sure you’re that you’re giving it your best effort from start to finish.

Author

Maddie Lloyd

Maddie Lloyd was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog focused on researching tips for interview, resume, and cover letter preparation. She's currently a graduate student at North Carolina State University's department of English concentrating in Film and Media Studies.

Expert

Matt Warzel, CPRW, CIR

Matt Warzel a President of a resume writing firm (MJW Careers, LLC) with 15+ years of recruitment, outplacement, career coaching and resume writing experience. Matt is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing Focus) from John Carroll University.