German CV Writing Guide and Tips

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Every country does CVs slightly differently, yet they all consist of the same content to a certain degree. However, if you’re looking to write a German CV, it is crucial to keep in mind some different cultural preferences and professional standards,

If you want to break into the job market in Germany it is essential that you know what local recruiters expect when reading a job application and how to follow the traditional structure and style of a German CV.

Reading the basics of CV writing is the first step, and can help you considerably before starting to write your CV in another language. Then it’s merely a matter of viewing some German CV examples or even using one of our professional templates to make life easier for yourself!

What should a German CV look like?

The visual aspect of your CV is vital in terms of getting noticed but also, as a way of demonstrating your organisation and presentation.

Recruiters skim most CVs, so it is essential that they can be easily read, but that they are also presented in a way that means the reader is attracted and wants to carry on reading.

A German CV is usually one A4 page long, though in recent years this has changed with some CVs extending length to two A4 pages.

Another important German CV format tip is that jobseekers should keep font and font size as clear and simple as possible. Use a standard font size and refrain from using italic or bold fonts.

German CV structure is important and should be followed fairly strictly, depending on the type of job for which you are applying.

The structure should consist of the following sections in the following order:

• Personal details
• Education*
• Work history*
• Skills
• Hobbies and interests

*Note that these two sections can be listed above one another depending on the priority and importance they have. If you have recently graduated, you may deem it more appropriate to list your education section before the work experience section. However, if you have more work experience, you may wish to list it first.

Those who already possess an English CV and wish to translate the CV into German should be wary that there are differences between the two types of documents and a few factors that should be changed or altered.

How to write a German CV

This section covers how to write a German CV in terms of content you should include. Anyone considering looking for a job in Germany should take the following points into consideration:

• Spelling mistakes could affect the likelihood of passing onto the next stage of the job application. These kinds of mistakes are not taken lightly in German recruitment so be sure to reread your CV and write a checklist for spelling mistakes, grammar, CV format and other factors.
• The same CV content cannot be applied to all job applications. Candidates should think carefully about the different skills they possess which will fit the job description and should tailor each CV in a specific way that highlights the most valuable and interesting features linking to the job.
• Research the company or organisation and the type of work, as this can be extremely beneficial for the content of your German CV. Not only do you understand more about the type of work that the company does, but the vocabulary and language used on their company website or other platforms allow you to absorb a sense of personality and character which you can replicate.
• Most importantly, all German CV content should be as relevant as possible to the job.

It’s important to note that the difference between a German CV and an English CV is that a German Lebenslauf is considered to be more of a factual document.

German CV layout and sections

Below you can find a breakdown of each section of a German CV with professional tips on how to write each part.

Personal Statement

In Germany, it’s not common to write a personal statement or CV objective that you would find on an English CV. This kind of information is expected on a cover letter, as opposed to your CV.

However, you may wish to add a small section (a couple of sentences) to highlight a certain set of skills or qualities which you think are valuable or eye-catching.

Personal details

Your personal and contact details should be included at the top of a German CV. Recruiters want to be able to identify you quickly and also be able to contact you without struggling to find a number or email.

It is better to refrain from including information that can be considered too personal for a CV, such as religion.

Personal details you should include on a German CV include:

• Full name
• Phone/mobile number
• Email address
• Address
• Nationality
• Age/date of birth (this is not compulsory by law in Germany so if you feel uncomfortable specifying your age, don’t include it)
• Marital status and number of children (although optional on a German CV, this type of information is also included on French CVs and could be considered too personal in other countries)

It’s also important to note that photos are included in most professional CVs in Germany. That said, if you do not have a professional headshot or haven’t had time to take one, leaving it out will not jeopardise your job application. Nowadays there is a mixture of opinions on including photos on CVs in Germany.

Work history

The following tips can help you write the work experience section of your German CV.

• List your work history in order of the most recent job first, to the least recent last
• Remember to include employment dates, as well as the location and your job title
• When writing employment dates, it’s not good enough to write the year you worked there. German recruiters will expect the month if not the start and end date, as well. Being shady and writing the year only makes it look as though you are trying to cover up or extend your work dates
• It is wise to state whether you were full-time or part-time, as well as elaborate on the job title. I.e., whether you were a manager, supervisor, intern etc.
• The location of the company or organisation where you work should be listed and if you have worked abroad, perhaps you should consider writing the country, as well
• Use bullet points to create short and snappy sentences which are informative and don’t send the recruiter off to sleep
• Once you have written the work experience section of your German CV, think about the order and the employment and try to poke a hole in any employment gaps

Everyone has had an employment gap or a transition period from one job to another at some point. Employment gaps on a CV are not uncommon, although it might be a good idea to explain why you might have been out of work for a year i.e., military service, studying, maternal/paternal leave.

Education

A basic and standard section of any CV includes academic background. The difference with writing your education on a CV in a different language is that it might mean that your academic qualifications are less understood or valued due to different education systems worldwide.

This is why we recommend writing academic equivalents in brackets on your German CV. Although this might not be necessary for degrees, masters and PhDs which are understood internationally, an academic qualification you got at college or school may be completely different and also marked differently.

Like the work experience section, the education section on a German CV should be ordered in a reverse chronological order.

If you are writing an entry level CV, it could be a good idea to elaborate on your studies or academic qualifications, as you may have studied an area of industry relevant to the job which not only helped you develop more industry-specific knowledge, but also gain skills which are required for the job.

Education system equivalent guide:

GCSEs – Mittelstufenabschluss
A levels – Abitur
Degree – Abschluss/Diplom

Skills

Just like any professional document, your German CV should seek to capture recruiters’ attention by demonstrating skills you possess that could be used in the job.

Skills on a CV are simple to write, as they can be listed in a bullet point format. You can list a variety of skills that you feel are valuable and paint the picture of the perfect candidate. Just make sure that you actually possess them!

German CV example

If you’re not sure about the writing process and where to begin, it’s recommended to view German CV examples to help with the process of writing the document.

Below you can find an example of a German CV which meets all the professional standards expected in Germany which we have discussed above.

CV Example

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[Name]

[Position]

[Email address | Phone number | Address]

Experience

Auszeichnungen Berufserfahrung [work experience]

Praxiserfahrung [internship experience]

Berufs- und Praxiserfahrung [work and internship experience]

seit 01.2020 [Job title, Organization. Location City, Province,Country]

• [Description]
• [Description]

Ehrenamtliches [leadership positions, volunteer work, charity]
01. 2020 – 06.2020 [Job title, Organization. Location City, State, Country ]

• [Description]
• [Description]

Education

Bachelor-Studium an der Universität Oxford. Oxfordshire, UK
Voraussichtlicher Abschluss: [Graduation date]
Hauptfach: [Speciality]
Zertifikate: [Certificate(s)]
Notendurchschnitt: [Final grade with equivalent in German]
Relevant Kursarbeit: [Relevant coursework]

Hobbies

• Sonstige Tätigkeiten [extracurricular activities, hobbies, sports, clubs]
• 09.2019-heute Role in activity, Organization. Location City, Province, Country

Languages

• Zusatzqualifikationen
  Sprachen Englisch: Muttersprache
  Deutsch: C1

Additional Information

Computerkenntnisse Python: Grundkenntnisse
Microsoft Office: fundierte Kenntnisse

Final Tips for writing the best German CV

Now that you have an idea how to start writing your German CV, don’t forget to keep these important tips in mind:

• Don’t title your CV with the word CV or Lebenslauf
• The photo on your CV (if you choose to include one) should be passport-sized and formatted in the top-right corner of the CV
• Choose to include a small section that describes your key skills or an experience which could be particularly valuable
• Try to encapsulate all of your personal and professional skills which are relevant to the job post in a way that makes you stand out as a candidate
• Ask someone German to read through your CV to double-check it
• Don’t literally translate your CV into German!

Finally, make sure your CV is well presented and has an appealing design. You can use German CV templates to create a CV without worrying about the format and you can also use the multi-language button on our CV maker to automatically change the language and headers/titles of the CV you are writing.