How to End a Cover Letter: Closing Paragraphs and Sign-Offs

Most cover letters lose momentum in the last paragraph. The writer builds a solid case, then trails off with "Thank you for your time and consideration" and a stiff sign-off. Knowing how to end a cover letter well is a small skill with a real payoff: the closing is the last thing a hiring manager reads before deciding whether your resume deserves a closer look.

This guide gives you a four-sentence closing formula, a ranked table of sign-offs, formatting rules for PDF, email, and portal letters, and more than a dozen closing paragraphs you can adapt. You'll also see weak endings rewritten line by line, so you can spot the same problems in your own draft.

If you're still drafting the rest of the letter, start with the full guide on how to write a cover letter, then come back here to finish it.

What the end of a cover letter needs to do#

The closing paragraph has a narrower job than the rest of your letter. The opening earns attention, and the middle paragraphs prove you can do the work. The ending only has to do three things, and it should do them in about 50 to 90 words.

The three jobs of a closing paragraph#

• Leave one clear reason to interview you. Not a recap of everything, just the strongest match between what you offer and what the job needs.
• Make the next step easy. Say what you'd like to happen (a conversation) and remove friction (how and when to reach you).
• End on a courteous, confident note. Thank the reader once, sign off in a register that fits the company, and stop.

Career centers agree on these basics. The Purdue Online Writing Lab recommends that a closing restate your fit, ask for an interview, give contact information, and thank the reader. MIT's career advising office frames it the same way: briefly restate your interest and why you're a good fit, then thank the reader for their time.

Why endings usually go wrong#

Weak endings tend to fail in one of two directions. Some are so passive they give the reader nothing to act on: "I hope to hear from you." Others overcorrect into pressure: "I will call your office Tuesday to schedule my interview." The target sits between them, a confident request that leaves the decision with the employer.

A third failure is the generic close, a paragraph that could be pasted onto any letter for any job. If your last paragraph doesn't mention the role, the team, or one specific strength, it reads as boilerplate. Worse, it signals that the rest of the letter might be boilerplate too.

The anatomy of a strong cover letter closing#

It helps to see the ending as a set of small parts rather than one block of text. Each part has a single purpose, and only a few are optional. The table below breaks down what each part does and how it might sound.

Fit recap: one strength, not a summary#

Don't replay the whole letter. Pick the qualification most tightly tied to the job post's top requirement and restate it in fresh words. If your opening said "I've spent six years in customer success," your closing might say "my track record of keeping enterprise accounts renewing."

The rephrasing matters. A closing that copies the opening line feels like filler, while a new angle on the same strength feels like a deliberate final point.

Call to action: ask for the conversation#

The call to action is the one sentence that tells the reader what you want. In almost every case, that's a conversation or an interview. Phrase it as an offer, not a demand, and tie it to something specific when you can.

Thanks: once is enough#

One sincere thank-you is polite. Two or three in the same paragraph ("Thank you for your time. I appreciate your consideration. Thanks again.") reads as nervous. If you thank the reader in your last sentence, choose a sign-off that isn't also "Thank you."

Contact details: optional but sometimes useful#

Your phone number and email already sit in the letter header, so you don't have to repeat them. Indiana University's career guide suggests including them in the closing, while other career centers treat that as redundant. A practical rule: repeat contact details when the letter is printed, when it runs long, or when you have a real constraint, such as a time zone or a current job that limits calls.

For what belongs in the header itself, see the guide to a resume header; the same contact rules apply to cover letters.

A four-sentence formula for your closing paragraph#

You don't need a new structure for every letter. This four-sentence formula covers almost every situation, and you can drop the second sentence when space is tight.

1. Fit sentence. Tie your strongest qualification to the employer's most important need.
2. Contribution sentence. Say what you'd help the team do, ideally in the first months.
3. Call-to-action sentence. Invite a conversation or interview, linked to something specific.
4. Thanks sentence. Thank the reader for their time or consideration.

Here is the formula as a fill-in template. Replace every bracket, then read it aloud to check that it sounds like you.

Worked example: building a closing from a job post#

Say you're applying for an operations coordinator role. The job post repeats three ideas: vendor management, scheduling, and "cleaning up our processes." Your best proof is that you rebuilt the appointment system at a dental practice and cut double-bookings sharply.

Start by choosing the requirement that the post mentions most and that you can prove best. Here, that's process cleanup. Next, name the result in plain words. Then write the call to action around that result, so the conversation you're proposing has a topic.

The rough draft has three sentences and says nothing a reader can remember. The final version has four sentences, names a result, previews a useful conversation, and thanks the reader once.

How long should the closing paragraph be?#

Keep the closing to two to four sentences, roughly 50 to 90 words. MIT's career office recommends keeping the whole letter to one page, so the closing has to share space with everything else. The chart below shows one reasonable way to split a 350-word letter. It's a model, not a rule.

If your closing grows past 100 words, check for one of two problems. Either you're adding new evidence that belongs in the body, or you're repeating points the reader just finished. For layout and length rules across the whole letter, see the guide to cover letter format.

How to write a call to action that isn't pushy or passive#

The call to action is where most closings stumble. Hiring managers don't need to be told to call you, but they do respond to a clear, specific invitation. The table compares common phrasings by tone.

Notice that the balanced versions do two things. They express a wish ("I'd welcome," "I'd be glad") rather than an expectation, and they attach the conversation to a topic. A topic gives the reader a reason to say yes.

Should you say you'll follow up?#

Some career centers encourage stating when you'll check in. Purdue's guidance notes that a follow-up line can show initiative and help you learn where you stand, but it adds a blunt warning: if you say you'll call, you have to actually do it.

Use that as your filter. Promise a follow-up only when all three of these are true:

• You have a named contact (a hiring manager, recruiter, or referral), not just a portal.
• You have a real channel to reach them, such as an email address or direct line.
• You'll track the date and actually send it. A job application tracker makes this easy.

For applications submitted through a large company's portal, skip the promise. You usually have no one to follow up with, and an unkept promise looks worse than none. When you do follow up, a follow-up email generator can draft a short, polite note.

Mentioning availability, start dates, and relocation#

The closing is a natural place for one logistical clause when it removes a real obstacle. Good examples: "I'm relocating to Denver in March and available to interview by video before then," or "I can start after a two-week notice period." Keep it to one clause. Anything longer pulls attention from your fit.

Cover letter closing examples for common situations#

The examples below are written for different candidates and channels. Use them as patterns, not scripts. Swap in your own results, the employer's language, and a sign-off that fits the company.

Experienced professional#

Lead with scope and a result, then propose a conversation about the employer's priorities.

Career changer#

Name the bridge between your old field and the new one, so the reader doesn't have to build it. More on framing a pivot in the guide to a career change cover letter.

Recent graduate or no formal experience#

Point to a project, class, or role that proves the skill, and show you've studied the employer. The full approach is in the guide to a cover letter with no experience.

Internship applicant#

Keep it short, show eagerness to learn, and connect to the internship's actual projects. See the internship cover letter guide for more.

Internal candidate#

You can be warmer and more specific, because the reader may know you. Reference the work you've already done there. The guide to an internal position cover letter covers the full letter.

Referred by an employee#

Mention the referral earlier in the letter, then close with gratitude and a clear request. Don't repeat the referrer's name in every paragraph.

Relocating to a new city#

Remove the obvious question (when can you start, and can you interview?) in a single line.

Returning after a career break#

Keep the focus forward. You don't need to explain the gap again in the closing if you addressed it earlier. For resume strategy, see the guide on returning to work after a career break.

Startup or creative team#

You can be slightly less formal, but stay specific. Enthusiasm should come from detail, not exclamation points.

Government, legal, or academic role#

Stay formal and precise, and reference the position number or announcement if one exists.

How to sign off a cover letter#

The sign-off (also called the complimentary close) is the word or phrase above your name. It matters less than the paragraph above it, but a poor choice can undercut an otherwise strong letter. The table ranks common options by formality.

Safe defaults when you're unsure#

If you only remember one rule: use Sincerely for formal letters and PDFs, and Best regards for email. Both work in every industry. Choosing either lets you spend your effort on the closing paragraph, which is where the real impression forms.

Sign-offs to avoid in a cover letter#

Some closings work fine among colleagues but read as too casual, too familiar, or simply odd in a first letter to an employer:

• Cheers or Thanks!: friendly, but casual for a first contact.
• Warmly, Warmest, Love, or XOXO: too personal for a stranger.
• Talk soon or Speak soon: presumes a conversation is already scheduled.
• Thanks in advance: implies the reader owes you a favor.
• Have a great day: pleasant but reads like a customer service script.
• Any emoji, or no sign-off at all.

What email data suggests about thankful sign-offs#

There's no large public study of sign-offs on cover letters specifically. The closest real dataset is email. Boomerang, an email productivity company, analyzed more than 350,000 email threads from public mailing list archives and compared reply rates for the most common closings.

Emails with a closing that included some form of "thank" got replies 62% of the time, versus 46% for the rest. That suggests gratitude helps, which supports including one clear thank-you in your closing.

The practical takeaway: put your thanks in the last sentence of the paragraph, then use a professional sign-off. You get the goodwill of gratitude without the casual tone.

Sincerely vs. Best regards: which should you choose?#

Choose by channel and employer, not by preference:

• Printed letter or formal PDF: Sincerely.
• Email to a corporate recruiter: Best regards.
• Email to a UK, European, or Australian employer: Kind regards. British convention traditionally pairs "Yours sincerely" with a named recipient and "Yours faithfully" with "Dear Sir or Madam," though "Kind regards" is now common in email.
• Government, legal, or military role: Sincerely or Respectfully.
• Startup or creative studio that writes casually in its job post: Best regards or Thank you.

How to format the signature block for each channel#

The words after your sign-off change depending on how the letter travels. A PDF attachment, an email body, and an applicant tracking system text box each have different conventions. The table summarizes them.

Do you need a handwritten signature?#

For printed letters, yes. Indiana University's guide recommends a handwritten or scanned signature above your typed full name, which is the traditional business letter format. For PDF letters it's a nice touch but optional. For email and online forms, a typed name is standard, and nobody expects a signature image.

If you add a scanned signature, keep it crisp, sized to about the height of two lines of text, and aligned with your typed name. Never paste an image into a portal text field; most applicant tracking systems strip it out or display it badly.

Example: signature blocks for PDF and email#

Keep the email signature to three or four lines. Skip quotes, logos, and social media icons other than LinkedIn or a portfolio link.

How to end an email cover letter#

When the email body is your cover letter, the ending works a little differently. The reader is looking at a short message in an inbox, often on a phone, so the closing should be tighter and the signature should do some of the work.

What changes in an email closing#

• Shorter paragraph. Two or three sentences instead of four. The whole email is often 150 to 200 words; see short cover letter examples for the full structure.
• Mention the attachment. One clause such as "My resume is attached" confirms the file is there.
• Signature block instead of a header. Your phone, email, and LinkedIn go under your name.
• No handwritten signature. A typed name is the norm.

For subject lines, attachment naming, and the full message, see the guide to a job application email. If you want a first draft to edit, the job application email generator produces one from your role and the posting.

Ending a cover letter pasted into a portal#

Many online applications include a plain text box for the cover letter. Formatting gets stripped, so keep the closing simple: one short paragraph, a blank line, the sign-off, and your name. Don't repeat contact details the portal already collected, and avoid special characters, bullet symbols, or bold text that may not survive the paste.

Common mistakes when ending a cover letter#

Most weak endings share a handful of patterns. Check your draft against this list before you send it:

• Repeating the opening word for word. It wastes the reader's last moment of attention.
• Introducing new evidence. A new project or skill in the closing belongs in the body.
• Stacking stock phrases. "Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience" says very little.
• Apologizing or hedging. "Although I may not have all the qualifications..." gives the reader a reason to pass.
• Mentioning salary unprompted. Leave pay for later unless the posting explicitly asks for expectations.
• Over-thanking. One thank-you is courteous; three is nervous.
• Forgetting the sign-off or name. It happens more often in email and portal letters than you'd think.

Here's what fixing those patterns looks like in practice.

For problems elsewhere in the letter, the guide to cover letter mistakes covers openings, tone, and length. You can also run your draft through the cover letter checker to flag generic phrasing and missing personalization.

Match your ending to the company's tone#

A closing that fits a law firm can feel stiff at a design studio, and a casual startup closing can feel careless at a bank. You can calibrate tone by reading signals the employer already gave you.

Reading tone signals in the job post#

Look at how the employer writes about itself. These cues tell you how formal your closing and sign-off should be.

When the employer is formal#

Use complete, measured sentences, avoid contractions if the posting avoids them, and close with Sincerely or Respectfully. Reference the position title or number in your call to action so the reader can route the letter correctly.

When the employer is casual#

You can use contractions, a lighter call to action ("I'd love to show you..."), and a sign-off like Best or Thank you. Keep the substance specific. A casual tone still needs one concrete reason to interview you.

When you're applying internationally#

Conventions vary. British business letters traditionally use "Yours sincerely" for a named reader and "Yours faithfully" for an unnamed one, while many European employers default to "Kind regards" in email. Some countries expect more formal language throughout. If you're applying abroad, the guide to resume formats by country covers regional expectations that also shape the cover letter.

Using AI to draft your closing without sounding generic#

AI tools can produce a serviceable closing in seconds, but the default output tends toward the stock phrases this guide warns against. The fix is to give the tool the specific inputs a good closing needs, then edit hard.

What to give the tool#

• The one requirement from the job post you want to emphasize.
• The one result that proves you can meet it, with a number if you have one.
• The channel (PDF, email, or portal) and the tone of the employer.
• A word limit, such as "under 70 words, four sentences."

The AI cover letter generator works best when you paste the posting and your resume so it can pick that match itself. If you're using a general chatbot, the guide to writing a cover letter with ChatGPT has prompts that avoid generic output.

What to edit after#

Cut any line you'd never say out loud. Replace adjectives ("passionate," "dynamic") with a fact. Check that the call to action names a topic, and make sure you thank the reader exactly once.

Final checklist before you send#

Run through this list once your closing is drafted. It takes two minutes and catches most of the problems hiring managers notice.

• The closing restates one specific strength tied to the job post
• The call to action proposes a conversation without assuming one
• You thank the reader exactly once
• Any follow-up promise is one you can and will keep
• The sign-off matches the employer's formality
• Your full name appears below the sign-off, spelled correctly
• The signature block fits the channel (PDF, email, or portal)
• The closing is 50 to 90 words and introduces no new evidence
• The company name and job title are correct everywhere

Next steps: finish strong and keep track of what you send#

Write your closing last, after the rest of the letter is final, so it reflects the strongest point you actually made. Use the four-sentence formula, choose Sincerely or Best regards unless the employer's tone clearly points elsewhere, and format the signature block for the channel you're using.

Then make the ending match your opening. If you haven't polished the first paragraph yet, the guide on how to start a cover letter pairs naturally with this one, and the guide to how to address a cover letter covers the salutation that sets the tone for everything after it.

Finally, log each application and any follow-up date you promised. A closing that says "I'll follow up next week" only helps if next week you actually do.