Ending with a bang: how to end a cover letter
Sign-up to our Newsletter
15/02/2019
Have you ever read a book, gotten caught up in the story, only to find it all crashing down around your ears at the end?
It’s easy to assume that the conclusion of your cover letter is the least important part of an application. However, a better way to approach it is by thinking of the closing lines as your final chance for making a positive impression on a prospective employer.
Don’t let a bad end to your cover letter undo your hard work. Here’s what you need to consider when writing yours.
Don’t let a bad end sour the rest of your story. Make sure you finish your cover letter off right.
What the closing paragraph of a cover letter should do
The opening paragraph of a cover letter is your chance to hook a potential employer in. However, a closing paragraph is your final chance to convince them that reading what you had to say was a good use of their time.
Your final few sentences should wrap up everything you’ve said in a tidy little package. Within them you need a call to action – this is something that builds the tension and urges them to reach out to you to organise an interview for the role.
Creating a compelling close to your cover letter is your chance to leave a potential employer with a good taste in their mouth. You don’t want your final words souring the rest of your hard work.
Demonstrate confidence
If a recruiter or hiring manager has read through to the end of your cover letter, you’ve clearly intrigued them. Be confident! Let your belief that you’re perfect for the position shine through.
Of course, you don’t want to overdo this. The line between confidence and arrogance is thin. For example, letting them know you’ll call in a week to schedule an interview, while often suggested as a good close, is definitely too presumptuous.
Instead, consider innovative ways of letting them know that you’re:
- Ready to hit the ground running within the position.
- Excited to demonstrate what you can bring to the role.
- Looking forward to discussing the finer details of the job with them.
These types of closes show that you’re confident in your fit for the position, while also demonstrating passion and enthusiasm. Sharing your excitement around the opportunity gives you the chance to reinvigorate their own energy for it, which can only help your bid for the position.
Are you showing a prospective employer that you’re confident that you can master the role?
Put yourself in their shoes
Don’t focus on what you’ll get out of the position. You’re not trying to convince them the job is right for you – you’re selling why you’re the only one for the role. Will knowing that you’ll gain insight into a new industry convince them of this? Instead, it’s much more likely that they’ll find it worthwhile following up on the fresh perspective you could offer the role, rather than what you’ll get out of it.
Spend some time considering what they’re looking for when writing the final lines of your cover letter. How can you show that you’re the answer to what they need? Do this in a succinct and compelling way within your closing paragraph.
Summarise
As with any piece of writing, the close is the place where you summarise your main points.
A good summary allows you to:
- Remind the hiring manager of the expertise that makes you a great fit.
- List in a concise, compelling way exactly what you’ll bring to the position.
- Tie your talents and the role together.
- Present the points of information the hiring manager will need for making their decision.
The important focus here is keeping your summary concise – distil your most important information down into something easily consumed. Make the hiring manager’s job easier. Every step you take to make the decision simpler for them helps lead them down the path towards booking an interview in.
Instead of having to scan back through your cover letter to see if you have what the job needs, you can make this clear to the hiring manager in the final sentences they read.
Be formal, but not stiff
Graceful and professional. Those are two words you want applied to the close of your cover letter.
Layering on the formality too thickly can make you appear awkward and stiff. However, a simple ‘cheers’ doesn’t have the professionalism that marks you out as taking the opportunity seriously.
There are two sides to consider when signing off on your cover letter, and balancing between them creates the best impression. Here’s what you need to think about.
- Remember that you’ve likely never met the hiring manager reading your application. Don’t come across too familiar. Your cover letter is their first impression of you – finish it off with respect.
- You want to build a rapport. Stiffness creates a barrier to developing a connection.
Crafting the perfect close to your application can provide the final push a hiring manager needs to chase you for an interview. If you want help ensuring your cover letter catches the right eyes, contact KLC Recruitment today. From application to interview, we can teach you everything you need to know.
