How to End a Cover Letter (With Examples)

The ending of your cover letter matters more than you think

You've spent twenty minutes crafting the perfect opening paragraph. You've matched your experience to the job requirements. You've told a compelling story about why you're the right person for this role. And then you write "Thank you for your time and consideration" and call it done.

That ending is costing you interviews. The way you end a cover letter determines whether the hiring manager takes action -- scheduling that phone screen, forwarding your application to the team, or moving you into the "yes" pile. A weak closing is like a salesperson who delivers a flawless pitch and then forgets to ask for the sale.

This guide covers exactly how to write a closing paragraph that gets results, with specific examples for different situations. If you haven't nailed the rest of your cover letter yet, start with our guide on writing a cover letter that actually gets read, then come back here for the finish.

What your closing paragraph needs to accomplish

The closing paragraph of a cover letter has three jobs, and it needs to do all three in two to four sentences:

• Reinforce your value. Briefly connect your strongest qualification back to the employer's biggest need. Not a summary of everything you wrote above -- one sharp reminder of why you matter.
• Express genuine interest. Show that you want this specific role at this specific company, not just any job. Generic enthusiasm ("I'm excited about this opportunity") doesn't cut it. Specific enthusiasm ("I'm drawn to your team's work on X") does.
• Include a call to action. Tell the reader what you want to happen next. This doesn't mean being pushy. It means being clear. "I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience in supply chain optimization could support your Q3 expansion" is a call to action wrapped in value.

Most cover letter closings fail because they accomplish zero of these three things. They default to passive gratitude and hope the reader does the work of figuring out what comes next.

The anatomy of a strong closing paragraph

Here's the structure that works consistently across industries and roles:

Sentence 1: Value bridge. Connect a specific skill or achievement to a specific company need.

Sentence 2: Specific interest. Reference something concrete about the company or role that appeals to you.

Sentence 3: Call to action. State your desired next step clearly.

Let's see this in practice:

"My experience scaling B2B SaaS marketing programs from $2M to $11M in annual pipeline directly maps to the growth targets outlined in your Senior Marketing Manager posting. The way Acme approaches product-led growth -- particularly the recent shift toward community-driven acquisition -- is the kind of strategic challenge I want to tackle next. I'd welcome a conversation about how I could contribute to your 2026 pipeline goals."

That's three sentences. It reinforces value (scaling pipeline), shows specific interest (they've researched the company's strategy), and includes a clear call to action (a conversation about pipeline goals). The hiring manager knows exactly what this person offers and what they want.

Seven cover letter closing examples that work

Different situations call for different approaches. Here are seven endings you can adapt, each suited to a specific context.

1. The standard professional closing

Use this when: You're applying to a mid-to-large company through a standard application process.

"The combination of my five years in financial analysis and my CFA certification positions me to contribute immediately to your investment research team. I'm particularly interested in Meridian's expansion into emerging market fixed income, an area where I've built deep analytical expertise. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss how my background aligns with your team's goals."

This works because it's specific without being presumptuous. It names the qualification, ties it to the company's direction, and asks for a conversation.

2. The referral closing

Use this when: Someone at the company referred you or suggested you apply.

"Sarah Chen on your product team suggested I reach out -- she thought my experience building design systems at scale would be a strong fit for the Senior UX Engineer role. After reviewing the team's recent work on your component library, I agree. I'd love to discuss how my background in accessible design systems could support your next phase of growth."

Mentioning a referral in the closing gives the hiring manager a reason to act immediately -- they'll likely ping Sarah to ask about you before even finishing the rest of the applications.

3. The career change closing

Use this when: You're transitioning from a different field and need to preempt the "why are you changing careers" question.

"While my background is in classroom teaching, the core of what I did for eight years -- breaking down complex information, adapting to diverse audiences, and measuring learning outcomes -- translates directly to instructional design. Your team's focus on creating self-paced enterprise training aligns perfectly with where I want to take my career. I'd welcome the chance to show you how my teaching methodology applies to your eLearning platform."

For more on positioning a career transition, see our guide on transferable skills for career changers.

4. The enthusiastic-but-professional closing

Use this when: You genuinely love the company and want to show it without sounding like a fan letter.

"I've followed Stripe's developer tools evolution since the early days of Stripe.js, and the opportunity to contribute to the Payments team as a Staff Engineer is the role I've been building toward for the last decade. My track record of shipping high-reliability payment systems at scale -- including the platform that processes $4B annually at my current company -- makes me confident I can contribute from day one. I'm eager to discuss this further."

Notice the enthusiasm is grounded in specifics (Stripe.js, the Payments team, a $4B platform). It never says "I'm passionate" or "I've always dreamed of." It shows enthusiasm through knowledge and concrete alignment.

5. The gap-addressing closing

Use this when: You have a career gap and want to end on a forward-looking note.

"The past year away from full-time work gave me time to earn my AWS Solutions Architect certification and contribute to three open-source projects in the Kubernetes ecosystem. I'm returning to the workforce with sharper technical skills and a clear focus on cloud infrastructure engineering. I'd appreciate the chance to discuss how my refreshed skill set and seven years of prior infrastructure experience could benefit your platform team."

This closing acknowledges the gap without dwelling on it. It pivots immediately to what was gained during the time away. For more strategies, see how to explain career gaps.

6. The executive-level closing

Use this when: You're applying for a director, VP, or C-suite position.

"Over the past twelve years, I've built and scaled three enterprise sales organizations from under $10M to over $100M in ARR. Your board's stated goal of doubling revenue within 24 months is ambitious but achievable with the right go-to-market foundation -- and it's exactly the kind of challenge that motivates me. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your leadership team to discuss my approach."

At the executive level, your closing should demonstrate strategic thinking and confidence. The call to action is broader (meeting with the leadership team, not just the hiring manager) because executive hiring works differently.

7. The follow-up closing

Use this when: You met the hiring manager at an event, informational interview, or through networking.

"Our conversation at the SaaStr conference last month reinforced my interest in joining Datadog's customer success team. The challenges you described around enterprise onboarding at scale are precisely the problems I've spent five years solving at my current company. I'd love to continue that conversation in the context of the Senior CS Manager role."

This closing leverages an existing relationship. It references a specific interaction, connects it to the role, and proposes a natural next step.

Sign-offs: what to write after the closing paragraph

After your closing paragraph, you need a sign-off. This is the easy part, but people still overthink it. Here are your options, ranked by how safe they are:

Always appropriate

• Sincerely, -- The classic. Works for every industry, every level, every situation. If you're unsure, use this one.
• Best regards, -- Slightly warmer than "Sincerely" while remaining professional. Good default for most applications.
• Thank you, -- Simple and effective. Works well when your closing paragraph already includes specific next steps.

Situationally appropriate

• Regards, -- Fine, though it reads a bit curt. Better suited to brief follow-up emails than cover letters.
• Respectfully, -- Best reserved for government, military, or academic applications where formality is expected.
• Warm regards, -- Good when you have an existing relationship with the reader. Too familiar for a cold application.

Avoid these

• Cheers, -- Too casual for a cover letter in most industries.
• Thanks!, -- The exclamation point undermines professionalism.
• Looking forward to hearing from you, -- This is a sentence, not a sign-off. It also sounds passive and slightly desperate.
• Yours truly, / Yours faithfully, -- Dated. Unless you're applying to a British firm that specifically values traditional correspondence, skip it.
• Sent from my iPhone, -- You'd be surprised how often this appears on cover letters submitted via email. Always remove auto-signatures.

Common cover letter closing mistakes

Knowing what to write is half the battle. The other half is knowing what not to write. Here are the mistakes that show up most frequently.

Mistake 1: The passive non-ending

"Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you."

This is the most common cover letter closing in existence, and it's the worst. It adds zero value. It doesn't reinforce your qualifications, doesn't show specific interest, and the "call to action" is just hoping the company contacts you. Every applicant writes this, which means it distinguishes you from nobody.

Mistake 2: Being too aggressive

"I will call your office next Tuesday to schedule an interview."

This was advice in the 1990s, and it was bad advice then too. You don't have the hiring manager's direct number. You won't get past the front desk. And even if you did, cold-calling to demand an interview makes you look pushy, not confident. Express interest and leave the ball in their court.

Mistake 3: Underselling yourself

"I know I may not have all the qualifications listed, but I'm a fast learner and would love the chance to prove myself."

Never apologize in a cover letter closing. If you're applying for the job, you believe you can do it. Lead with what you bring, not what you lack. If there's a genuine gap (like a career change), address it through the lens of transferable strengths, not deficiency.

Mistake 4: Repeating your entire cover letter

"As I mentioned above, I have ten years of project management experience, a PMP certification, expertise in Agile and Waterfall methodologies, experience managing teams of up to 25 people, and a track record of delivering projects under budget..."

Your closing is not a summary. The reader just finished your cover letter -- they don't need a recap. Pick one thing, connect it to one company need, and move to the call to action.

Mistake 5: Making it about you, not them

"This role would be a great opportunity for me to develop my skills in digital marketing and gain experience in the healthcare industry."

The company isn't hiring you so you can develop yourself. They're hiring you to solve problems. Frame everything in terms of what you bring to them, not what they give to you. "My digital marketing expertise and familiarity with healthcare compliance regulations would allow me to contribute to your patient acquisition strategy immediately" flips the script.

How to end a cover letter when you don't know the hiring manager's name

Addressing your cover letter to a specific person is always better. But sometimes you genuinely can't find the hiring manager's name. The job posting doesn't list it. LinkedIn searching doesn't surface it. The company's website is unhelpful.

In that case, your closing should be slightly more specific about the role to compensate for the generic greeting. If you opened with "Dear Hiring Manager," your closing needs to work harder to feel personal:

"My seven years of experience designing enterprise data pipelines -- including the system that processes 2.3 billion events daily at my current company -- aligns closely with the Senior Data Engineer requirements. I'm particularly drawn to this role because of [Company]'s investment in real-time analytics, an area where I've delivered measurable results. I'd appreciate the chance to discuss my approach with your engineering team."

By naming the team and referencing specific company initiatives, you create a sense of personal connection even without a name. For more strategies on this, see our guide on writing a cover letter when you don't know the hiring manager.

Cover letter closing for email vs. uploaded document

The format of your closing changes slightly depending on how you're submitting.

Uploaded cover letter (PDF or DOCX)

Include a full formal closing:

• Closing paragraph
• Sign-off (e.g., "Sincerely,")
• Your full name
• Phone number
• Email address
• LinkedIn URL (optional but recommended)

Email cover letter (in the body of the email)

Slightly less formal:

• Closing paragraph
• Sign-off (e.g., "Best regards,")
• Your full name
• Phone number (your email is already visible)

Don't include your mailing address in either format unless it's specifically requested. Physical addresses on cover letters are a relic of paper-based applications.

How to close a cover letter for specific industries

Different industries have different expectations for formality and tone. Here's how to adjust.

Tech and startups

You can be slightly more conversational. Focus on impact and problem-solving in your closing. Mentioning specific technologies or projects shows you've done your homework.

"I've shipped three React Native apps to production in the past two years, and your mobile team's approach to offline-first architecture is exactly the kind of technical challenge I thrive on. Let's talk about what I could build for you."

Finance and consulting

More formal. Quantify everything. Reference specific practice areas or client segments.

"My experience advising Fortune 500 clients on post-merger integration -- including three engagements exceeding $500M in transaction value -- positions me to contribute meaningfully to your M&A advisory practice. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my approach."

Healthcare

Emphasize credentials, compliance awareness, and patient outcomes.

"With my BSN, three years of ICU experience, and CCRN certification, I'm prepared to deliver the evidence-based critical care your patients deserve. I'd appreciate the chance to discuss how my clinical background fits your unit's needs."

Education

Focus on student outcomes, curriculum philosophy, and community fit.

"My commitment to differentiated instruction and data-driven intervention has produced measurable gains in student reading proficiency across three school districts. Your school's emphasis on personalized learning aligns perfectly with my teaching philosophy. I'd love the opportunity to discuss how I could contribute to your team."

The final checklist before you hit send

Before you finalize your cover letter, run through this quick check:

• Does your closing paragraph reinforce your strongest qualification?
• Does it reference something specific about the company or role?
• Does it include a clear call to action?
• Is it two to four sentences (not a full paragraph of recap)?
• Did you use a professional sign-off?
• Is the hiring manager's name spelled correctly (if you have it)?
• Did you include your contact information below the sign-off?
• Is the tone consistent with the rest of the letter?

Your cover letter closing is the last thing the hiring manager reads before deciding what to do with your application. Make it count. Be specific. Be confident. And always, always include a clear next step. If you want to make sure the resume that accompanies your cover letter is just as strong, explore our guides on ATS-friendly formatting and powerful action verbs that make every bullet point hit harder.