German CV: How to Write a Lebenslauf in Germany

A German CV, called a Lebenslauf, gives employers a clear overview of your professional experience, education and skills.

Most recruiters do not read every CV from beginning to end. They scan it quickly to decide whether your experience matches the position. Your CV should therefore make the most important information easy to find.

This guide explains how to structure a German CV, what personal information to include and how to adapt it for each job application.

What does a German CV look like?

A standard German CV is usually:

One or two pages long
Divided into clear sections
Written in reverse chronological order
Focused on relevant experience and results
Submitted as a PDF
Adapted to the position
Written in German or English, depending on the job advertisement

German employers commonly use a tabellarischer Lebenslauf. This means that your information is organised into clear sections instead of long paragraphs.

The German government’s Make it in Germany portal also recommends a clear structure that allows employers to understand your professional background quickly.

How long should your CV be?

For most applicants, a German CV should be no longer than two pages.

One page may be enough if you are:

A student
A recent graduate
Applying for an Ausbildung
At the beginning of your career
Changing careers with limited relevant experience

Two pages may be appropriate if you have:

Several years of professional experience
Multiple relevant positions
Specialist qualifications
Technical skills
Management responsibilities
Important projects or certifications

Do not add a third page only to describe every task you have ever completed. Focus on experience that helps the employer understand why you are suitable for the position.

Which language should you use?

Follow the language of the job advertisement.

If the advertisement is in German, submit a German CV unless the company specifically asks for English.

If the advertisement is in English and the company’s working language is English, an English CV is normally suitable.

Check:

The job advertisement
The company’s career page
The application instructions
The language used by the recruiter

Do not submit a badly translated German CV only to appear more fluent. A clear English CV is better than a German CV full of mistakes.

Recommended German CV structure

A clear CV can use the following order:

Name and contact details
Professional profile
Work experience
Education and vocational training
Technical and professional skills
Languages
Certifications and further training
Selected projects, if relevant
Volunteering or interests, if relevant

For experienced professionals, work experience should normally appear before education.

For students and recent graduates, education may come first if it is more relevant than their limited professional experience.

1. Add your name and contact details

Place your name clearly at the top of the page.

Include:

Full name
City and country
Telephone number
Professional email address
LinkedIn profile, if complete and up to date
Portfolio or professional website, if relevant

For example:

Anna Schmidt
Hamburg, Germany
+49 170 1234567
anna.schmidt@example.com
linkedin.com/in/annaschmidt

Use an email address that looks professional. Avoid nicknames, jokes or addresses that are difficult to understand.

Do you need to include your full address?

A full street address is not always necessary during the first stage of an application.

Your city and country may be enough, especially when:

Applying online
Applying from another country
Protecting personal information
Planning to relocate

If the employer needs your complete address for the employment contract, you can provide it later.

If you live outside the job’s location, you can write:

Based in Hamburg – open to relocating to Munich

or:

Relocating to Germany in October 2026

Should you mention your work permit?

If your immigration status helps the employer understand whether you are allowed to work in Germany, you can add a short statement.

For example:

Authorised to work in Germany without employer sponsorship

or:

EU Blue Card holder

or:

German permanent residence permit

Only include information that is accurate. Some residence permits may include restrictions relating to the employer or type of work.

Personal information you do not need to include

You do not generally need to include:

Marital status
Number of children
Religion
Parents’ occupations
Passport number
Social insurance number
Health information
Bank details
Complete immigration documents

Your date of birth, place of birth and nationality are also not necessary for most applications.

Some traditional German CVs still contain this information, but modern applications can leave it out.

Do you need a photo?

A CV photo is not legally required in Germany.

German applications have traditionally included a professional photo, and some employers still expect one. However, practices differ by company and industry.

A photo is more common in:

Traditional German companies
Customer-facing positions
Smaller businesses
Some administrative and commercial roles

A photo may be less common in:

International companies
Technology companies
Research organisations
Employers using anonymous recruitment
Companies with standardised online application systems

If you include a photo:

Use a professional and recent image
Wear clothing appropriate for the role
Choose a simple background
Look approachable and confident
Use a high-resolution image
Avoid selfies, holiday photos and passport-style expressions

Place the photo near your name and contact details.

If you prefer not to include one, leave it out. Your qualifications and experience should remain the focus of the application.

2. Write a short professional profile

A professional profile is optional but useful, especially for:

Experienced candidates
International applicants
Career changers
Candidates with specialised skills

Keep it to approximately three or four lines.

It should explain:

Your profession
Your experience
Your main specialisation
Your strongest relevant skills
The value you can bring to the employer

For example:

Digital marketing specialist with five years of experience in content strategy, social media and campaign management. Skilled in increasing online engagement, coordinating cross-functional projects and using performance data to improve marketing results.

Avoid generic statements such as:

I am a motivated, hardworking and friendly person.

Instead, use specific information connected to the position.

3. Present your work experience

The work experience section is usually the most important part of your CV.

Use reverse chronological order. Start with your current or most recent job.

For each position, include:

Employment dates
Job title
Employer
City and country
Three to six relevant bullet points

For example:

01/2023–present — Digital Marketing Specialist
Example Media GmbH, Hamburg, Germany

Plan and manage digital marketing campaigns across multiple channels.

Increased website traffic by 25% through search-optimised content.

Coordinate external agencies, designers and internal sales teams.

Analyse campaign performance and prepare monthly reports.

Manage an annual advertising budget of €80,000.

Use month and year

Write dates consistently.

For example:

01/2023–present
Jan 2023–present
January 2023–present

Do not mix several date formats in the same CV.

Using only years can make short periods and employment gaps unclear.

Describe achievements, not only duties

A weak bullet describes only a responsibility:

Responsible for social media.

A stronger bullet explains the actual work:

Planned and published content across LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

An even stronger bullet shows the result:

Increased LinkedIn engagement by 35% within six months by introducing a new content plan.

Whenever possible, include:

Numbers
Scale
Results
Improvements
Responsibility
Complexity

Examples:

Managed an annual marketing budget of €80,000.
Increased newsletter subscriptions by 20%.
Coordinated a team of six employees.
Reduced customer response time from three days to one day.
Organised events for more than 200 participants.
Managed relationships with suppliers in three countries.

Do not invent numbers. Use only achievements you can explain during an interview.

Match your CV to the job advertisement

Read the job advertisement and identify:

Required skills
Main responsibilities
Software
Tools
Languages
Certifications
Industry terminology

Use the same relevant terminology in your CV when it accurately describes your experience.

If the advertisement asks for:

Google Analytics
Content management
Project coordination
Search engine optimisation
Social media campaigns

the recruiter should be able to find those terms quickly in your CV.

Do not send exactly the same CV for every position.

How to list your current position

Use “present” or “heute” for your current job.

English:

01/2023–present

German:

01/2023–heute

Use present tense for current responsibilities and past tense for completed positions.

How to show promotions

If you held multiple positions with the same employer, list them separately under one company.

For example:

Example Media GmbH, Hamburg

Senior Marketing Specialist | 01/2025–present
Marketing Specialist | 06/2022–12/2024

This makes your career progression easy to see.

4. Explain employment gaps honestly

Employment gaps are not automatically a problem.

They may result from:

Job search
Immigration
Parental leave
Caring responsibilities
Illness
Further education
Language study
Travel
Military or voluntary service

You do not need to disclose private medical details.

A short, neutral explanation is usually enough.

For example:

03/2024–09/2024 — Relocation to Germany and intensive German course

2023–2024 — Parental leave

01/2023–06/2023 — Professional development in data analysis

Do not create fake employment or change dates to hide a gap.

If the gap was short and your overall career is clear, you may not need to list it separately.

5. Add education and vocational training

Common German headings include:

Ausbildung

or:

Studium und Ausbildung

Include:

Dates
Degree or qualification
Subject
University, school or training company
City and country
Relevant specialisation, if useful
Final grade, if strong or requested
Thesis topic, if relevant

For example:

10/2017–09/2020 — B.A. Business Administration
Example University of Applied Sciences, Bremen, Germany

Focus: Marketing and digital communication

For an Ausbildung:

08/2019–07/2022 — Ausbildung zur Kauffrau für Marketingkommunikation
Example Agency GmbH and Example Vocational School, Hamburg

Do you need to include school education?

Experienced professionals usually do not need to list every school they attended.

Include your highest relevant school qualification if:

You are a student
You are applying for an Ausbildung
You have limited professional experience
The qualification is important for the position

Once you have substantial work experience and a university or vocational qualification, detailed primary and secondary school information is normally unnecessary.

How to list foreign qualifications

Write the original qualification and add a clear English or German explanation.

For example:

Bachelor of Business Administration
Comparable German qualification: Bachelorabschluss

Do not claim that a foreign qualification is officially recognised unless you have received the relevant confirmation.

For regulated professions, formal recognition may be necessary. If you have completed it, state this clearly.

For example:

Professional qualification recognised in Germany, 2025

You can find information about qualification recognition through the official Recognition in Germany portal.

6. List professional and technical skills

Create a focused skills section.

Possible categories include:

Software
Programming languages
Project management
Marketing tools
Technical instruments
Industry standards
Design tools
Sales systems
Machinery
Certifications

For example:

Marketing: Content strategy, SEO, email marketing, campaign management
Analytics: Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Looker Studio
Software: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, WordPress, HubSpot
Project tools: Asana, Trello, Microsoft Teams

Do not use progress bars or star ratings.

A statement such as:

Excel ★★★★☆

does not tell the employer what you can actually do.

A better description is:

Microsoft Excel: pivot tables, XLOOKUP, charts and data cleaning

Separate hard skills and soft skills

Hard skills are easier to demonstrate.

Examples:

SAP
Python
Google Analytics
AutoCAD
Financial reporting
Technical procurement
Project management

Soft skills such as communication and teamwork are more convincing when demonstrated through work experience.

Instead of writing:

Excellent communication skills

show the evidence:

Presented monthly campaign results to sales and management teams.

7. Describe your language skills accurately

Use the Common European Framework of Reference:

A1 – beginner
A2 – elementary
B1 – intermediate
B2 – upper intermediate
C1 – advanced
C2 – near-native proficiency

For example:

German: Native
English: C1
Spanish: B1

You can also write:

Native
Fluent
Professional working proficiency
Basic knowledge

However, CEFR levels are easier for German employers to compare.

Be honest. The employer may change languages during the interview.

If you have an official certificate, mention it:

German: C1, telc certificate

Avoid vague descriptions

Avoid descriptions such as:

Good
Very good
School knowledge

These terms are subjective.

If useful, combine the language level with practical context:

English: C1 – daily professional communication

8. Add certifications and further training

Include certifications that support your application.

Examples:

Project management certification
SAP training
Google Analytics certification
Technical licences
Language certificates
Quality-management training
Professional seminars

State:

Name of the certification
Issuing organisation
Date
Expiration date, if applicable

Do not list every short webinar you have attended. Prioritise qualifications that matter for the position.

9. Add relevant projects

A project section can be useful for:

Software developers
Engineers
Designers
Researchers
Consultants
Marketing professionals
Career changers
Recent graduates

For each project, include:

Project name
Your role
Tools or methods
Result
Link, if appropriate

For example:

Website Relaunch Project

Coordinated content migration for more than 100 web pages.

Worked with designers and developers to improve the website structure.

Reduced outdated content and improved organic search traffic.

Completed the project within the planned three-month schedule.

Keep project descriptions short and relevant.

10. Include volunteering and interests when relevant

Interests are optional.

Include them only when they:

Show long-term commitment
Demonstrate responsibility
Create a meaningful connection to the role
Explain relevant experience
Make your profile more distinctive

Useful examples include:

Volunteer work
Sports club leadership
Community projects
Professional associations
Technical blogs
Open-source contributions

Avoid a long list of generic hobbies such as:

Music, travelling, reading and meeting friends

A more specific description is stronger:

Volunteer event coordinator for a local cultural association

Do not include political or religious activities unless they are relevant and you intentionally want to disclose them.

11. Should you sign and date your CV?

A handwritten or digital signature is not normally required for an online CV.

Some traditional German applications still include:

City
Date
Signature

This is optional for most modern applications.

If you include a signature, make sure the date is current. An old date can make the application look recycled.

12. What about references?

German CVs do not usually include full contact details for several references unless the employer asks for them.

You can write:

References available upon request

However, this sentence is also optional.

More important in Germany are often:

Arbeitszeugnisse
University certificates
Vocational qualification certificates
Training certificates

Do not publish another person’s private contact information without permission.

13. Include certificates and Arbeitszeugnisse

German employers may ask for Zeugnisse, meaning supporting certificates and references.

These can include:

University degree
Ausbildung certificate
School-leaving certificate
Arbeitszeugnisse from former employers
Language certificates
Professional certifications
Qualification recognition documents

An Arbeitszeugnis is an employment reference issued by a current or former employer. It describes your position, responsibilities, performance and professional conduct.

Include the most relevant and recent documents rather than attaching every certificate you have ever received.

Follow the employer’s instructions. Some companies ask only for a CV, while others request a complete application package.

Translate foreign documents when necessary

If your certificates are not in German or English, the employer may need a translation.

For an initial application, an informal translation may sometimes be sufficient.

For formal recognition, immigration procedures or regulated professions, a certified translation may be required.

Do not alter or recreate official documents yourself.

14. Use a simple design

Your CV should be easy to scan on a computer and on paper.

Use:

One or two clear fonts
Consistent headings
Enough white space
Consistent date formatting
Short bullet points
Dark, readable text
Limited use of colour

Avoid:

Too many icons
Complex graphics
Skill bars
Large decorative elements
Several narrow columns
Tiny font sizes
Long paragraphs
Unusual file formats

A creative design may be suitable for some design or media roles. For engineering, science, administration and finance, clarity is normally more important.

Make your CV compatible with recruitment systems

Some employers use an applicant tracking system, or ATS, to read CVs automatically.

To make your CV easier to process:

Use standard section headings
Avoid putting essential information inside images
Use common fonts
Keep the layout simple
Use relevant keywords naturally
Avoid complicated tables
Submit a text-based PDF
Check whether the text can be selected and copied

A visually impressive CV is not useful if the recruitment system cannot read it.

15. Name the PDF professionally

Use a clear filename.

Good examples:

Anna_Schmidt_CV.pdf
Anna_Schmidt_Lebenslauf.pdf
Anna_Schmidt_CV_Marketing_Manager.pdf

Avoid:

cv-final-new-3.pdf
lebenslauf2024old.pdf
document.pdf
application123.pdf

Before sending the document, open the final PDF and check:

Page order
Missing text
Broken links
Image quality
Font display
File size

16. Common German CV mistakes

Sending the same CV everywhere

Adapt your professional profile, experience and skills to the position.

Listing only job duties

Show results, scale and responsibility whenever possible.

Using unclear foreign job titles

Add a short German or English explanation.

For example:

Marketing Coordinator – Mitarbeiterin Marketingkommunikation

Including irrelevant early experience

An experienced applicant does not need detailed bullet points about a short student job unless it supports the application.

Adding too much personal information

Do not include sensitive information that the employer does not need.

Using an unprofessional photo

A poor photo is worse than no photo.

Claiming skills without evidence

Connect important skills to projects, responsibilities or measurable results.

Leaving inconsistent dates

Check that dates and job titles match your LinkedIn profile and certificates.

Writing in two languages at once

Choose one main application language unless a bilingual CV is specifically useful.

Making the CV too long

Prioritise relevant information instead of documenting your entire life.

Simple German CV example

ANNA SCHMIDT
Digital Marketing Specialist
Hamburg, Germany · +49 170 1234567
anna.schmidt@example.com · linkedin.com/in/annaschmidt

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Digital marketing specialist with five years of experience in content strategy, social media and campaign management. Skilled in increasing online engagement, coordinating projects and using performance data to improve marketing results.

WORK EXPERIENCE

01/2023–present — Digital Marketing Specialist
Example Media GmbH, Hamburg, Germany

Plan and manage digital campaigns across multiple channels.
Increased website traffic by 25% through search-optimised content.
Coordinate designers, external agencies and internal sales teams.
Analyse campaign results and prepare monthly performance reports.
Manage an annual advertising budget of €80,000.

08/2020–12/2022 — Marketing Coordinator
Sample Retail AG, Bremen, Germany

Prepared newsletters, product descriptions and social media content.
Supported the planning of seasonal advertising campaigns.
Maintained the company website and updated product information.
Organised trade fair materials and customer events.

EDUCATION

10/2017–09/2020 — B.A. Business Administration
Example University of Applied Sciences, Bremen, Germany

Focus: Marketing and digital communication

SKILLS

Marketing: Content strategy, SEO, email marketing and campaign management
Analytics: Google Analytics, Google Search Console and Looker Studio
Software: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, WordPress and HubSpot

LANGUAGES

German: Native
English: C1
Spanish: B1

German CV checklist

Before submitting your CV:

Keep it to one or two pages
Use reverse chronological order
Add current contact details
Use a professional email address
Include a short and specific professional profile
Adapt the CV to the job advertisement
Use relevant keywords
Describe achievements, not only duties
Check all dates
Explain important employment gaps briefly
List language levels accurately
Remove unnecessary personal information
Decide whether a photo is appropriate
Use a clear and readable layout
Check spelling and grammar
Export the document as a PDF
Use a professional filename
Open and inspect the final PDF
Attach only the requested certificates

Final advice

A strong German CV does not need a complicated design. It needs to help the recruiter answer three questions quickly:

What does this person do?
Does this person have the required experience?
Why should we invite this person to an interview?

Keep your CV clear, specific and relevant. Use short bullet points, measurable results and terminology from the job advertisement.

A photo, date of birth and signature may still appear in traditional German applications, but they are not generally required. Choose what is appropriate for your industry and the employer.

For more help with finding work in Germany, read:

Last updated: August 2026

Sources

Published: 17 August 2026
Last updated: 30 August 2026