Tips for a Better Cover Letter Conclusion
A cover letter can be one of the most influential documents in a job application to an employer, which is why Chic Resumes is always urging job seekers to make the most of this introduction. Typically, cover letters should remain at just a page long, making it a challenge for many professionals to discuss their past, present and future in a succinct fashion.
The first sentences in a cover letter may help grab the reader’s attention and the body may explain who you are as a professional—but how do you conclude a cover letter the right way? You want to make sure that your conclusion ties up everything that came before it, leaves no lingering questions for the employer and will leave a strong imprint of your application on the hiring party’s mind.
There are many formulaic ways to conclude a cover letter—most of them are dull and dry. Some will be easily recognizable by the employer and skimmed over when moving on to the next job candidate. As such, here are a few tips for making the most out of those last few sentences and making sure you have covered all your bases in the cover letter:
- Sound Excited
While you may not be hired yet, you want to make a personal connection with the reader to show that you foresee working for the company in the future. A cover letter can be exhausting—especially if you covered many finite details of your work history in the preceding paragraphs. For this reason, the cover letter conclusion can be a great opportunity to call back to the employer and remind them that you are—in fact—a human being.
How can you do this without getting too personal? Sound excited.
For example, explain that getting this position would be the next great step in your career; or that this is the role you have been working hard to prepare for. To avoid sounding formulaic, you may want to connect a few unique qualities associated with the company to your own personality. As an example, if a brand highlights “integrity” in its statement, you may be able to close strongly with: It would be an amazing opportunity to work for a company that believes in integrity as much as I.
- Remind the Reader You Are Waiting For the Next Step
People love it when their jobs are made easier for them—and you can help a recruiter or hiring manager by providing essential information at the end of your cover letter. Even if your contact information is available at the top of the letter or is described on your resume, it is always a good idea to close a letter by letting the reader know you are waiting for a response and how you can be contacted.
For example, many will close their cover letter with some variation of: I am looking forward to discussing the next steps of this hiring process with you; please feel free to contact me at ______. You can even sound more proactive by saying when the hiring representative will hear from you with a follow-up.
- Summarize the Summary
Yes, a cover letter is essentially a summary of your career and your professional aspirations. However, the conclusion of a cover letter should summarize these points even more finitely. Take some time to look back on everything you described about yourself—both personally and professionally—and think of a few short ways to hammer these elements in to the reader’s brain. As an example, you may say: With an eye for progress and a quick ability to solve problems, my professional skills will help drive your company forward.
- Sign If You Can
After you choose your favorite way to close the cover letter (“Sincerely” and “Best Regards” tend to be standard), it can really help by adding the touch of a handwritten signature. This may only apply to cover letters that are delivered in person, but a handwritten signature will provide an air of professionalism and remind the reader that you took the time to put the document together.
This article was syndicated from Business 2 Community: Tips for a Better Cover Letter Conclusion
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