How to end a cover letter
End a cover letter with a short paragraph that gives one specific reason you fit the job, says what can happen next, such as when you can start or talk, and thanks the reader. Then a sign-off such as “Sincerely” and your name. The whole letter should fit on one page, in three or four short paragraphs. Below are closing examples built from facts each applicant gave, a complete letter and the length rules.
Updated
What the last paragraph does
- Restates your strongest fit in one sentence. A fact, not an adjective: the work you did that matches what the posting asks for first.
- Says what can happen next. When you can talk or start, a move that explains your location, or where to see your work.
- Thanks the reader, once. One short sentence is enough.
It adds nothing new. A claim that first appears in the closing, with no evidence earlier in the letter or the resume, is the one a reader trusts least.
Closing paragraphs, from the facts
Each example shows what a fictional applicant said, then the closing written from it. Every fact in the closing is one they gave, and no number appears that they didn’t say.
Applicant
An administrative assistant
They said
“I’ve run calendars for three executives for four years. I live ten minutes from the office, and I can start on March 2.”
The closing
Four years of running calendars for three executives is the work this role describes, and I would be glad to talk about it. I live nearby and can start on March 2. Thank you for considering my application.
Applicant
A software engineer
They said
“The posting says they’re rebuilding their payment retries. I did that at my current job with idempotency keys. I’m free for a call any weekday after 3 p.m. Eastern.”
The closing
Your posting mentions rebuilding payment retries, which is the work I did with idempotency keys on my current team. I would be glad to walk through it on a call, any weekday after 3 p.m. Eastern. Thank you for your time.
Applicant
A retail worker moving into customer support
They said
“I’ve handled returns and complaints at the store counter for two years, and I just finished an online Zendesk admin course. I haven’t worked in a call center.”
The closing
I have handled returns and complaints at a store counter for two years and recently finished an online Zendesk administration course. I would welcome the chance to bring that experience to your support team. Thank you for considering my application.
Applicant
A barista who is moving
They said
“I’ve been a barista at a campus café for 2 years. I’m moving to Denver in June, and I can work early mornings and weekends.”
The closing
After 2 years as a barista at a campus café, I am moving to Denver in June and can work early mornings and weekends. I would be glad to come in and talk. Thank you for your time.
Applicant
Someone with a referral
They said
“Marcus Lee on their design team told me about the job. I worked with him at Bayline for a year.”
The closing
Marcus Lee on your design team told me about this role; we worked together at Bayline for a year. I would value the chance to discuss it with you. Thank you for considering me.
Look at the career changer’s closing. They have not worked in a call center, and the closing doesn’t pretend they have. It names the two relevant things they have done and stops.
Which sign-off to use
| Sign-off | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Sincerely, | Always safe. The default for a formal letter or an uploaded PDF. |
| Best regards, or Kind regards, | Fine in most fields, especially when the letter goes in the body of an email. |
| Thank you, | Fine if the paragraph above it doesn’t already end with thanks. |
| Respectfully, | Formal. Common in government and military applications. |
| Cheers, Thanks!, Love, | Too casual for an application, even at a casual company. |
Put a comma after the sign-off and your full name on the next line. In an email, add your phone number under your name. A signature image isn’t needed.
A complete short letter
Dana Brooks, a fictional administrative assistant, applies for this job:
Executive assistant to the chief operating officer at a regional credit union. The posting asks for calendar management for senior leaders, board meeting support and discretion with confidential records.
What she had already confirmed: three lines from her resume, from the administrative assistant resume examples, and her start date.
- Manage Outlook calendars for the CEO and two vice presidents across three time zones, confirming each day’s schedule in a 15-minute morning Teams call with each.
- Compile the quarterly board packet from 5 department heads’ reports into one Word template and send it to the board a week before each meeting.
- Process new-hire paperwork containing employees’ Social Security numbers and bank details in ADP; found old scans on the shared drive, moved them to the HR folder and had IT restrict it to HR, payroll and me.
- Can start two weeks after an offer.
The letter, built only from those facts:
Dear Ms. Alvarez,
I am applying for the executive assistant role supporting your chief operating officer. I manage the calendars of our CEO and two vice presidents across three time zones, which is the senior-level scheduling your posting describes.
Each quarter I compile our board packet from 5 department heads’ reports into one Word template and send it to the board a week before the meeting. I also process new-hire paperwork containing employees’ Social Security numbers and bank details in ADP, and when I found old scans on our shared drive, I had IT restrict our HR folder to HR, payroll and me.
Board preparation and confidential records are a regular part of my current job, and I would be glad to talk about handling them for your COO. I can start two weeks after an offer. Thank you for considering my application.
Sincerely,
Dana Brooks
It is 146 words. The first paragraph names the job and her strongest match. The second gives two pieces of evidence for the posting’s other two requirements. The closing restates the fit, gives her start date and thanks the reader. Nothing in it is new to someone who has read her resume, but it is arranged around what this employer asked for.
How long should a cover letter be?
Under one page, in three or four short paragraphs: an opening that names the job and your strongest match, one or two paragraphs that each give a piece of evidence for what the posting asks, and the closing. A letter that runs past a page is repeating the resume.
- Online form with a text box. Paste the same letter. If the box has a character limit, keep the opening and closing and cut the middle to your single best piece of evidence.
- Email application. The letter is the body of the email, with your resume attached. Keep it to the same three or four paragraphs.
- “Optional” cover letter. A short, specific letter still helps, because it shows you read the posting.
Endings to avoid
- “I look forward to hearing from you” and nothing else. Polite, but it spends the last lines on a phrase every letter has. Put your strongest fact before it.
- Pressure. “I will call you on Monday to schedule an interview” presumes a decision that isn’t yours.
- Apologies. “Although I lack experience in…” ends the letter on what you don’t have. Name what you do have.
- Filler. “Please do not hesitate to contact me” adds words and no information.
- A new claim. Anything you can’t back up from the letter or the resume.
Cover letters in Hirova Pro
With Hirova Pro, each tailored version of your resume comes with a cover letter written from the same facts you confirmed for it. The letter is labelled as an AI draft; approving it confirms every claim in it is true, and then you export it as a PDF. Your first resume, without tailoring or cover letters, is free.
Hirova Pro is $19.99 a month or $79.99 a year in the US. The App Store shows your local price before you buy.
Questions
- How do you end a cover letter?
- With a short paragraph that restates one specific reason you fit the job, says what can happen next, such as when you can start or talk, and thanks the reader. Then a sign-off such as “Sincerely,” and your full name.
- What is the best closing for a cover letter?
- “Sincerely” is always safe. “Best regards” and “Kind regards” suit most fields, especially in an email. Avoid casual sign-offs such as “Cheers.”
- How long should a cover letter be?
- Under one page, in three or four short paragraphs: an opening that names the job and your best match, one or two paragraphs of evidence, and a closing.
- Should I say thank you at the end of a cover letter?
- Yes, once and briefly, as the last sentence of the closing paragraph. If you do, use a sign-off other than “Thank you.”
- Can Hirova write my cover letter?
- Yes, with Hirova Pro. Each tailored version of your resume comes with a cover letter written from the facts you confirmed, labelled as an AI draft for you to check and approve before you export it.