# How to end a cover letter

> End with thanks, a next step and your contact details, then a sign-off like Sincerely. 24 closing lines to copy, sorted by situation.

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| Category | Job search |
| Published | October 31, 2026 |
| Reading time | 6 min |
| Rendered page | https://atsprep.com/blog/how-to-end-a-cover-letter |
| This document | https://atsprep.com/blog/how-to-end-a-cover-letter.md |

**On the rendered page:** a free closing line picker opens the guide. It runs in the browser and uploads nothing: https://atsprep.com/blog/how-to-end-a-cover-letter

End a cover letter with a short paragraph that thanks the reader, asks for a conversation and gives your phone number and email. Then sign off with “Sincerely,” or “Kind regards,” and your full name. Pick your situation in the tool above to get a closing with your details filled in.

## The short version

- The last paragraph does three jobs: it thanks the reader, asks for a next step and says how to reach you.
- “Sincerely,” and “Kind regards,” suit any letter. Save “Best regards,” and “Thank you,” for email.
- Promise a follow-up only if you'll make it, on a date you can keep.

## What should the last paragraph of a cover letter say?

Purdue's writing lab lists what a closing paragraph does: it restates why you fit, says when you'll be in touch if you plan to, gives your phone number and email, and thanks the reader. That's two to four sentences. Anything longer starts a second letter.

Most strong endings start with the reason you fit, move to the thanks and finish on the next step, so the last thing the reader sees is what to do.

- Fit: one line that ties your best example to the job, not a summary of the whole letter.
- Thanks: “Thank you for your time” is enough.
- Next step: ask for a conversation, offer a work sample or say when you'll follow up.
- Contact: your phone number and email in the last sentence or under your name. Check both.

## Which sign-off should you use?

The sign-off is the word or phrase above your name. In a printed or attached letter, a formal one is safest. In an email, a warmer one reads naturally. Either way, follow it with a comma and your full name.

In British English the old rule still holds: “Yours sincerely” when you've named the reader, “Yours faithfully” after “Dear Sir or Madam”. Better still, find a name or write to the hiring team, and use “Yours sincerely” or “Kind regards”.

> **Keep in mind:** Leave out “Cheers,”, “Thanks!”, “Talk soon,” and “Warmly,”. They're fine between colleagues but too casual for a first letter to a stranger.

*Cover letter sign-offs and where each one fits.*

| Sign-off | Tone | Use it for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sincerely, | Formal | Any letter, printed or attached. The safe default. |
| Kind regards, | Formal | Letters and emails. Common in the UK and Europe. |
| Respectfully, | Very formal | Government, military and legal roles. |
| Best regards, | Warm | Email cover letters and follow-ups. |
| With thanks, | Warm | When the reader has already helped, such as a referral call. |
| Thank you, | Warm | Short email notes, if the last line doesn't already thank them. |
| Yours sincerely, | Formal (UK) | A British letter to a named reader. |
| Yours faithfully, | Formal (UK) | Only after “Dear Sir or Madam”. |

## 24 cover letter closing examples by situation

Each line below is a complete closing paragraph or last line. Copy the one closest to your situation and replace the [gaps] with your details. The tool at the top fills in [company] and [role] for you.

*24 closing lines in 7 groups. Replace every [gap] before you send.*

### Most applications

1. Thank you for your time. I'd welcome a conversation about the [role] role and how my experience could help [company]. You can reach me at [phone] or [email].
2. I'd be glad to walk you through [the project from your letter] in more detail. Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to hearing from you.
3. [Company]'s work on [something specific] is the reason I applied, and I'd like to help move it forward as your next [role]. Thank you for your consideration.

### Referral

4. [Referrer's name] suggested I reach out, and after reading the posting I can see why. Thank you for your time. I'd welcome the chance to talk about the [role] role.
5. Thank you for considering my application. [Referrer's name] can speak to my work on [a shared project], and I'd be glad to share more in a conversation.
6. I'm grateful to [referrer's name] for the introduction and to you for reading this. I'm free to talk at any time that suits you.

### Career change

7. My route to [new field] isn't the usual one, but the skills behind my results in [current field] carry straight over. I'd welcome a short call to explain how.
8. Thank you for reading a letter from outside the usual pool. I've spent [time] preparing for this move, and I'd value a conversation about the [role] role.
9. I'd be glad to show you how [a transferable skill] from my work in [current field] would help your team. Thank you for your time and consideration.

### Internship or first job

10. Thank you for considering my application for the [role]. I'm available from [start date] and would be glad to talk about what I'd bring to [company].
11. I'm ready to learn fast and take on real work from my first week. Thank you for your time, and I hope we can talk soon.
12. My coursework in [subject] and my project on [project] have prepared me for this role, and I'd welcome the chance to discuss it. Thank you for your consideration.

### Email or short note

13. My resume is attached. Thank you for your time, and I'd be glad to talk whenever suits you.
14. I'm happy to share more detail or work samples if that would help. Thanks for considering me for the [role] role.
15. I've attached my resume and [a short portfolio or writing sample]. I look forward to hearing from you.

### Relocating or following up

16. I'm relocating to [city] in [month] and can interview by video before then. Thank you for considering my application.
17. I'll follow up on [day] to ask about the timeline, and I'm happy to answer any questions before then. Thank you for your time.
18. Thank you for considering my application. I'll be in [city] the week of [date] and would be glad to meet in person if that helps.

### Last lines that ask for a next step

19. I'd welcome 20 minutes to talk through how I'd approach [a challenge from the posting].
20. If it's useful, I can send a sample of [type of work] before we speak.
21. I'll check in on [date] in case it helps to schedule a conversation.
22. Thank you for reading this far. I'd be glad to answer any questions.
23. I can start on [date] and am happy to work around your interview schedule.
24. Could we set up a short call next week? I'm free most mornings.

## How do you format the end of a cover letter?

In a printed or attached letter, put the sign-off on its own line, leave three blank lines for a handwritten signature and type your full name under it. Purdue's writing lab recommends signing in ink when you print the letter. For a PDF, a typed name is fine.

In an email, skip the blank space. Put the sign-off, then your name, then one line with your phone number and email. Add a portfolio or LinkedIn link only if it helps the application.

*Room for a signature in ink, then your typed name.*

**Printed or attached letter**

```text
Thank you for your time. I'd welcome a conversation about the [role] role and how I could help [company]. You can reach me at [phone] or [email].

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Your full name]
```

*No signature space. Contact details on one line under your name.*

**Email cover letter**

```text
My resume is attached. Thank you for your time, and I'd be glad to talk whenever suits you.

Best regards,
[Your full name]
[Phone] · [Email]
```

## What should you avoid at the end of a cover letter?

Most weak endings fail the same way: they could close any letter. Read your last paragraph on its own. If it doesn't name the role, the company or something you did, rewrite it.

- Thanking them “in advance”. It assumes a favor they haven't agreed to.
- “I look forward to hearing from you” as the whole close. It works as one sentence, not as the paragraph.
- A follow-up you won't make. If you write that you'll call on Tuesday, call on Tuesday.
- A new claim. The end isn't the place for a skill you didn't mention earlier.
- Apologizing for a gap or a lack of experience. End on what you'd bring.
- An email address or phone number that differs from the one on your resume.

## Common questions

### Is “Best regards” OK for a cover letter?

Yes, especially in an email. For a formal letter attached as a file, “Sincerely,” or “Kind regards,” is safer. Avoid “Best,” on its own in a first letter. It can read as rushed.

### Should I end with “I look forward to hearing from you”?

It's fine as one sentence, and it's polite. Pair it with something specific, such as the role or a next step, so the close doesn't read like a template.

### Do I need to sign a cover letter?

Sign a printed letter by hand above your typed name. For a PDF or an email, a typed name is enough. A scanned signature is optional.

### Should I say I'll follow up?

Only if you will. Name a day you can keep, such as a week after the closing date, and then do it. If the posting asks you not to contact them, don't promise to.

### Should I use “Yours sincerely” or “Yours faithfully”?

In British English, “Yours sincerely” goes with a named reader and “Yours faithfully” with “Dear Sir or Madam”. In US English, “Sincerely,” covers both.

### What goes under the sign-off?

Your full name. In an email, add one line with your phone number and email. In a printed letter, leave room above your name for a signature.

## Put the ending on a finished letter. Free, in your browser.

- [Cover letter builder](https://atsprep.com/tools/cover-letter-builder): Builds the whole letter from your answers, closing and sign-off included. Copy or download it, no account needed.

## Sources and further reading

1. [Cover letters: formatting and organization](https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/job_search_writing/job_search_letters/cover_letters_workshop/formatting_and_organization.html), Purdue Online Writing Lab
2. [Cover letters: cover letter breakdown](https://cco.purdue.edu/Students/CoverLetters?tab=CoverLetterBreakdown), Purdue University Center for Career Opportunities
3. [How to write an effective cover letter](https://capd.mit.edu/resources/how-to-write-an-effective-cover-letter/), MIT Career Advising & Professional Development

## Related

- [How to address a cover letter](https://atsprep.com/blog/how-to-address-a-cover-letter.md)
- [How long should a cover letter be?](https://atsprep.com/blog/how-long-should-a-cover-letter-be.md)
- [Cover letter templates: 10 you can copy and tailor in minutes](https://atsprep.com/blog/cover-letter-templates.md)

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