How to Create a German-Style Resume
This page details how to create the perfect CV for the German job market. From formatting and structure to content and style, explore the ins and outs of creating a German-style resume below.
Applying for jobs can be painstaking! It can be tiring and time-consuming, especially if you are receiving little or no response to your applications. You need interviews, and you need them fast. But more often that not, newcomers to Germany send in their age-old CV, unaware that the German job market has quite specific requirements when it comes to resumes.
Recruiters and hiring managers in Germany are largely creatures of familiarity – as they are often spending a few mere minutes (or seconds!) on your CV, they need to see a familiar structure and style that allows them to rapidly ascertain all the info they need to offer that all-important interview. So to avoid your application being tossed out at the very first instance, follow our tips and tick off all the key requirements for creating a CV that adheres to all the standard norms of a German-style resume.
1️⃣ How to format a German-style resume
Before anything else, let us talk about the German resume format. Here there are some standard expectations, which include:
CV length – in Germany, your CV should be no more than 2 pages.
Font – Opt for a simple, easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman or Arial. For a consistent look, maintain the same font across your German resume and cover letter.
Font size – The body of the text in your CV should be size 11–12 while the headings should be size 14–16.
Bullet points – When talking about your experience in different roles, use short, snappy bullet points rather than paragraphs.
Picture – believe it or not, it is commonplace for German-style resumes to include a high-quality, professional headshot in the top-left or top-right corner. While not mandatory, a picture is something that many German employers expect to see.
Language – as a general rule, your CV should be in the same language as the job advertisement. Unless you are applying for a German-speaking position or a position that requires a reasonable level of German, your CV should be written in English.
If you are a non-German speaker but provide a German CV, then this can easily give a misleading impression of your German language abilities (which may prove embarrassing come the interview stage).
File format – your German-style resume should be saved as a PDF document. We recommend using the following filename:
First name_Surname_CV.pdf
2️⃣ How to structure a German-style resume
While the content of your CV can of course be as unique as you are, this should all be contained within the confines of a fairly narrow structure. While a German-style resume allows a little flexibility, they generally always follow the same tried-and-tested composition:
Section 1: Personal Information
As seen the world over, your CV should start with your personal details. For German CVs, this should include:
Name
Address
Contact details (including phone number and email address). Being easily contactable is a must – employers will quickly move on if you cannot be easily reached.
Date of birth
A photo of yourself.
A personal statement. While not mandatory, a 2–3 line personal statement is becoming increasingly popular at the start of a CV. Here you provide a short, succinct summary of who you are and what you do – the goal is to pique the interest of the employer from the very start.
Section 2: Professional Work Experience
Next up is your professional experience. In a German-style resume, you should:
List your experience in reverse chronological order (i.e. your most recent experience should be listed first).
When listing your experience, include:
The company name.
Your job title at the company.
The relevant dates that you were with the company.
3 – 5 bullet points of what you did and achieved at the company.
Here is an example of how this might look:
Section 3: Education
Next on the list when structuring your German-style resume is your education. Here you should:
List your educational background in reverse chronological order (i.e. your most recent experience should be listed first).
When listing your educational background, include:
The institution name.
The qualification you obtained (including the grade you received).
The relevant dates that you were studying for the qualification.
Any specific courses or modules that you took within the qualification that relate to the job you are applying for.
Section 4: Other Skills and Qualifcations
Section 4 of your German-style resume offers up some more flexibility than the earlier sections. Here it is common to list:
Skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. This may include details of your language capabilities or computing skills.
Voluntary work that you have been engaged in.
Additional training you have undertaken and certifications you have obtained.
Any awards or scholarships you have received.
❗ On the whole, German recruiters and hiring managers are clinical beings! Therefore, we do not recommend using up valuable space on your CV detailing hobbies or personal interests.
3️⃣ How to write a German-style resume
Now that you know the expected format and structure of a German-style resume, the next thing on your list should be the actual content.
Here you should ensure your content is:
✅ Hyper-focused
The job description will lay out what experience and skills the employer is looking for. The content in your CV should focus entirely on demonstrating that you have these skills and experience – therefore, omit experience that is not relevant to the role as well as superfluous personal details about yourself (unless specifically requested in the job description).
Be sure to include keywords from the job description in your CV without going overboard with keyword stuffing!
✅ Concise
German recruiters and hiring managers receive 100s of CVs. To get yours noticed, it is imperative that your content is short, sharp and clear. We recommend using bullet points throughout your resume to help the employer quickly draw out the information they need to proceed you to the interview stage.
✅ Results-driven
As well as providing an overview of your previous roles and responsibilities, your CV should also demonstrate what you have achieved in these roles. For each experience listed, try and include not just what you did but also a concrete achievement within the role.
✅ Truthful
Do not embellish, exaggerate or make up skills and experience on your CV. This will likely be found out during the interview, which will almost certainly lead to you being rejected for the position.
✅ Error-free
In an era of spelling and grammar checkers, employers are unforgiving when it comes to errors in your CV. Proofread your CV carefully, run it through a spellchecker and wheedle out any errors before applying. You may have all the skills in the world but a simple typo can quickly give off a bad first impression.
4️⃣ An example of a German-style resume
Now that we have covered the format, structure and content of your German-style resume, you have all the information you need to put together a solid CV for the German job market.
To see how all our tips and suggestions look in practice, here is an example of a German-style resume that you can use for guidance:
We hope you have found this guide helpful and that you now have all the guidance and understanding you need to create a German-style resume. For more extensive tips on successfully finding work in Germany, explore our German Job Hunting Guide and German Job Board Guide.