German CV (Lebenslauf): the format German employers expect
By Bhagirath Sheela, founder of JobCatch ·
German employers expect a CV — a Lebenslauf — that is tidy, factual and complete, laid out as a table of dates and entries. It usually goes in one PDF with a cover letter (Anschreiben) and copies of your certificates. Gaps, vague dates and missing documents are noticed.
The layout
- Tabular: dates in a narrow column on the left, the role or degree on the right.
- Newest first is now the usual order.
- One to two pages. Precise month-and-year dates for every entry.
- Place, date and signature at the end: a German custom that many employers still expect.
Photo and personal details
A professional photo is traditional, though no longer required: Germany's equal-treatment law (the AGG) makes employers wary of asking for one. Many applicants still include it. Date of birth and nationality are commonly included; for applicants from outside the EU, nationality and visa status help the employer understand what hiring you involves.
German language level
State your German level on the CEFR scale (A1 to C2) and name any certificate, such as Goethe-Zertifikat B1. Many jobs outside IT and research need at least B1–B2 German. Many IT and research roles run in English, but even basic German counts in your favour.
Degree recognition and visas
German employers and visa officers want to know that your degree is comparable to a German one. Check whether your university and degree are listed in the anabin database; if they are not, you can apply to the ZAB (Central Office for Foreign Education) for a statement of comparability. Germany's official portal for skilled workers, Make it in Germany, explains the visa routes, including the Opportunity Card for job seekers.
What goes in the application
- A cover letter (Anschreiben), one page, written for that job.
- The Lebenslauf.
- Copies of degree certificates and mark sheets, and employment references if you have them, combined into one PDF.
Questions
Do I need a photo on a German CV?
It is not legally required, and some international companies prefer none. It is still common, and many German employers expect it. If you include one, use a professional photo, not a casual picture.
Should a German CV be in German?
Write it in the language of the job posting. An English posting gets an English CV; a German posting gets a German one, which also shows your language level.
Templates that follow this format
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