How to End a Cover Letter: Closing Paragraphs That Work

Your closing paragraph is your last chance to leave an impression before the hiring manager moves to the next application. According to ResumeGo (2025), cover letters with a direct call to action in the closing received 14% more responses than those without one. That single paragraph can be the difference between a callback and silence.

Psychologists call this the "recency effect" — people disproportionately remember the last thing they read. Robert Half (2025) confirmed this in hiring contexts: 68% of hiring managers said a weak or generic closing diminishes an otherwise strong cover letter. The closing is not a formality. It is a strategic tool.

Yet most candidates waste it. They default to "I look forward to hearing from you" and stop there. That line is passive, vague, and identical to what every other applicant writes. A strong closing is active, specific, and gives the reader a reason to act. For the full structure of an effective cover letter, see our complete writing guide.

An effective closing paragraph has three components packed into 2-3 sentences:

1. Reiterate your fit (one sentence):
Briefly connect your top qualification back to the role. Do not repeat your entire body — just anchor the reader's memory on your strongest point.

• "My experience scaling B2B sales pipelines from $2M to $15M ARR maps directly to the growth targets outlined in this role."

2. Express genuine interest (one clause or sentence):
Name the company and say something specific about why you want to work there. Generic enthusiasm does not count.

• "I am particularly drawn to [Company]'s approach to sustainable supply chain management."

3. Include a clear call to action (one sentence):
Tell the reader what you want to happen next. Be specific but not presumptuous.

• "I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my background in infrastructure automation could support your Q3 migration goals."

Putting it together:
"My track record of reducing deployment failures by 60% through automated testing aligns with the reliability focus in this role. I am excited about [Company]'s commitment to developer experience and would welcome the chance to discuss how I could contribute to the platform team. I am available for a conversation at your convenience and can be reached at [email] or [phone]."

According to NACE (2025), employers rank "clear communication of interest and next steps" among the top five qualities in cover letter closings.

Strong closing lines:

• "I would love to walk you through how I achieved a 40% improvement in page load times — would next week work for a brief call?"
• "I am confident my experience leading cross-functional product launches would add immediate value to your team, and I would welcome the chance to discuss specifics."
• "Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to explore how my data engineering background could help [Company] hit its 2026 analytics milestones."
• "I have ideas on how to approach the customer retention challenge mentioned in the job posting and would enjoy sharing them in a conversation."

Weak closing lines to avoid:

• "I look forward to hearing from you." — Passive and overused. Every applicant writes this.
• "Please do not hesitate to contact me." — Formal to the point of being impersonal.
• "I hope to hear from you soon." — "Hope" signals uncertainty rather than confidence.
• "Thank you for your time and consideration." — Fine as an addition, but not as your entire closing.
• "I am the perfect candidate for this role." — Unsubstantiated claims undermine credibility.

LinkedIn Talent Solutions (2025) data shows that recruiters respond better to closings that suggest a specific next step rather than a general expression of interest. The goal is to make it easy for the hiring manager to picture the next interaction with you.

For more on what to include — and what to leave out — see our guide on cover letter do's and don'ts.

The best closing paragraph adapts to the context of the application.

For formal corporate roles:
"Thank you for considering my application for the Senior Financial Analyst position. My experience building forecasting models that improved budget accuracy by 25% at [Previous Company] positions me to contribute meaningfully to [Company]'s finance transformation. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further at your convenience."

For startup roles:
"I have shipped three products from zero to launch in the past two years and I am looking for a team that moves at the same pace. [Company]'s trajectory suggests you are that team — let's talk about how I can help you hit your next milestone."

For creative roles:
"My portfolio at [URL] shows the range of work I have produced for brands similar to yours. I would love to discuss how my approach to visual storytelling could elevate [Company]'s upcoming campaigns."

For career changers:
"While my background is in [Previous Field], the skills I developed — stakeholder management, data-driven decision making, and cross-functional leadership — translate directly to this role. I would welcome the chance to explain how my unconventional path is an advantage." For more on this approach, see our guide on cover letters for career changers.

A great closing does not beg for an interview. It makes the case so clearly that the interview feels like the obvious next step.

Keep these principles in mind as you write your closing:

• Keep it to 2-3 sentences. The closing is not the place for new information. It is a summary and a call to action.
• Always thank the reader. According to Robert Half (2025), 68% of hiring managers notice when an applicant does not express gratitude. A simple "Thank you for considering my application" goes a long way.
• Include your contact information if the application format allows it — email and phone number. Make it easy for the hiring manager to reach you.
• Sign off professionally. "Best regards," "Sincerely," and "Thank you," all work. Avoid "Cheers," "Thanks!," or "Warmly," unless the company culture is explicitly casual.
• Do not introduce new qualifications. If you forgot to mention something important, revise the body paragraphs instead of cramming it into the closing.
• Proofread the company name. A misspelled company name in the closing — the last thing the reader sees — is a particularly damaging mistake.

If you want help crafting a closing that matches your specific situation, try LetterShot's cover letter generator which builds personalized closings based on your experience and the target role.