The whole point of the cover letter with your job application is to introduce yourself, entice the employer to read your resume, and encourage them to reach out to you with the next steps in the hiring process: ideally a job interview.
So important is achieving that last goal that for years, job seekers were advised to close their cover letters with a sentence that indicated they would be getting in touch to book an interview with the employer. We were taught to include a line such as, “I will follow-up with you in the coming days to schedule a job interview to further discuss my candidacy.”
While that does show confidence, assertiveness even, don’t do this. It also comes across as pushy and entitled. Employers receive applications from many more candidates than they could hope to interview, and it is 100 per cent up to them to determine which ones they want to meet with.
So, how do you end your cover letter?
You can still close your cover letter by referring to the next steps, but rather than insisting you will take matters in your own hands, ask the employer to move your candidacy forward. Show your enthusiasm for the role and include a call to action. Mention that you have more passion, ideas, and abilities to bring to the table than could possibly be summed up in an introductory letter and a two-page resume.
(For more on that, see The exact number of words your resume should be – according to science.)
Something like this:
I have been a fan of your brand for years, which would make me a passionate ambassador for the company and a dedicated team member. I would love to discuss in more detail how my experience and portfolio could help make your team more successful. If you have any questions or want any additional information from me at all about my work or how I can contribute, just let me know.
Please contact me at any time with the next steps or anything I can do to help advance my candidacy. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks very much for your time.
Best regards,
So, in this case, while you are still being a little bit assertive in asking for a follow-up conversation, you aren’t threatening an unsolicited phone call to try to book the meeting yourself.
Be polite. Remember that only the employer gets to choose who to interview, but state that you’d like to be one of the chosen ones, and give them plenty of reasons to select you.