How to End a Cover Letter (Closings That Don't Beg)

People spend an hour on the opening paragraph and thirty seconds on the ending. Then they close with some version of "Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you," which is the written equivalent of backing out of a room while bowing.

The last three lines are the part a hiring manager reads immediately before deciding whether to do anything. They should sound like someone who expects the conversation to happen — not someone apologising for having asked.

Here's what to actually write.

(If you're earlier in the process: how to write a cover letter that gets read covers the structure, and cover letter examples has five complete letters you can adapt.)

The three parts of an ending

A closing does three jobs in about two sentences:

1. A forward-looking line. What you want to happen next, stated plainly.
2. The sign-off. One word. Stop agonising over it; the guidance is below.
3. Your name. That's it. No credentials, no taglines, no inspirational quote.

That's the whole thing. The most common failure is padding it to five sentences of gratitude.

The last line: say what happens next

Your final sentence should name the next step in a way that assumes it's reasonable. Compare:

Weak:

Thank you so much for taking the time to consider my application. I would be extremely grateful for the opportunity to discuss this role further, should you feel I am a suitable candidate.

Better:

I'd like to talk about what the first ninety days on this team would look like.

The second version is shorter, more confident, and gives the reader something specific to say yes to. It also does not thank anyone for reading, because they have not read it yet at that point in the sentence.

Some closings that work, depending on the letter:

• "I'd welcome the chance to walk you through the forecasting model."
• "Happy to send over the three-post outline I sketched, no strings."
• "If a content hire is on your roadmap this year, I'd like to be an early conversation."
• "I'd like to talk about what the next year of that looks like."
• "My inbox is open."

Notice they're all specific to the letter they end. A closing that could sit at the bottom of any cover letter is doing nothing.

Should you thank them?

One brief thank-you is fine and normal. The problem is volume. "Thank you for your time and consideration" plus "I appreciate you reviewing my application" plus "thank you again for the opportunity" is three separate apologies stacked into a closing.

Pick one, keep it to a clause, and put the forward-looking line last so the letter ends on momentum rather than gratitude:

Thanks for reading — I'd like to talk about the activation problem you mentioned in the posting.

The sign-off, settled

This is where people lose the most time for the least reward. The honest ranking:

If you take four seconds on this decision you've spent enough. Write "Best," and move on.

What goes under your name

Your name. Optionally a phone number and a LinkedIn URL if they aren't already at the top of the letter or on your resume.

What does not go there: a job title you don't hold yet, an inspirational quote, a full signature block with five social icons, or "Sent from my iPhone." One recruiter-facing line at most.

If you're linking LinkedIn, make sure the profile earns the click — here's what a strong About section looks like, and it should not be your resume summary pasted in.

“Your cover letter's last line should assume the conversation is going to happen. 'Should you feel I am a suitable candidate' tells the reader you don't believe it either.”

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Endings that get letters deleted

The grovel. "I would be eternally grateful for even a moment of your time." Enthusiasm reads well; desperation does not, and the line between them is specificity.

The ultimatum. "I will follow up on Tuesday to schedule a time." Confidence is good; scheduling someone else's calendar for them is not. "I'll follow up next week if I haven't heard back" is the version that works.

The restatement. Summarising your whole letter in the closing. They just read it. Ending with "As outlined above, my ten years of experience make me an ideal fit" wastes the most valuable line on a recap.

The mismatch. A warm, specific, human letter that ends "Yours faithfully." The sign-off should sound like the same person who wrote the rest.

The stack. Three thank-yous, two forward-looking lines, and a P.S. Cut it to two sentences.

Two full endings for reference

For a posted role you're qualified for:

Thanks for reading. I'd like to talk about the fulfilment error rate you mentioned in the posting — it's the same problem I spent last year on.

Best, Marcus Chen

For cold outreach with no posting:

If an analyst hire is anywhere on your roadmap this year, I'd like to be an early conversation. If not, I'm happy to send the pricing breakdown I put together regardless.

Best, Dana Whitfield

Both are two sentences. Both name something specific. Neither apologises for existing.

The test

Read your last three lines and ask: does this sound like someone who expects a reply, or someone hoping not to have bothered anyone?

If it's the second, cut every sentence that isn't the forward-looking one, and see whether the letter is worse. It usually isn't.

Want a second opinion on the whole letter? The free cover letter roast reads it the way a hiring manager would — it counts the "I am writing to apply for"s, flags the grovelling, and tells you which paragraphs are earning their place. About 30 seconds, no signup.