How to End a Cover Letter

Three templates with the format already right.

Every rule below is already applied inside these — copy one to Google Docs or download the Word file, and you are editing a correctly formatted letter instead of building one.

Three jobs, two sentences.

A closing paragraph does three things: it asks for the conversation, it points to the attached resume (and anything else — portfolio, references), and it thanks the reader. It does not restate the letter, repeat your qualifications, or promise to follow up on a specific day (a line that reads as pressure).

Closing paragraph examples

• Standard: ’I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience could contribute to the team’s goals; my resume is attached. Thank you for your consideration.’
• With a specific hook: ’I’d enjoy talking through the fall product roadmap you outlined in the posting, and how I’d approach the first ninety days. Thank you for your time.’
• Entry-level: ’I’m available to start in June and would welcome an interview at your convenience. Thank you for considering my application.’
• Portfolio or samples: ’My resume and three placements are attached; I’d welcome the chance to walk through my process. Thank you for your consideration.’
• Referral: ’Priya Shah suggested I reach out, and I’d be glad to continue the conversation she started. Thank you for your time.’
• Relocation: ’I’ll be local by January and am available for video interviews any time before then. Thank you for your consideration.’

Confident, brief, specific. The ask is direct (’I would welcome’), not tentative (’I hope that perhaps’).

Seven that work, and the ones that don't.

The sign-off is a formality — one word or two, a comma, a blank line, your typed name. It should be invisible; the only way to get it wrong is to make it noticeable.

• Sincerely, — the default. Correct everywhere.
• Best regards, / Kind regards, — slightly warmer; fine in any field.
• Regards, — neutral; common in tech and business.
• Respectfully, — formal; suits government, legal, military, and academic applications.
• Thank you, — acceptable when the last sentence isn’t already a thank-you.
• With appreciation, — warm; fits nonprofit and education.
• Yours sincerely, — British convention; fine for UK and Commonwealth employers.

Avoid

’Cheers,’ ’Thanks!’, ’Best,’ alone, ’Warmly,’ ’Yours truly,’ ’Cordially,’ — too casual, too intimate, or too dated for a first contact. Don’t add a second thank-you if the paragraph already has one. And no exclamation points anywhere in the letter.

Name, signature, and enclosures.

Type your full name on the line after the sign-off (one blank line between). For an email or portal upload, that’s all — no scanned signature, no image. For a printed letter, sign in the gap. Below your name you may add a phone number or email if your header doesn’t carry them, and ’Enclosure: Resume’ is an older convention you can safely skip. Every template here ends ’Sincerely,’ with the name styled to match the letterhead.

A complete letter with a strong closing paragraph.

How to End a Cover Letter FAQ

More cover letter guides and collections.