Guide · Applications and careers

Applying for a job in Germany: CV, cover letter and references

What German employers expect and what they don’t want to see when you apply for a job in Germany: how to put your documents together, the CV and cover letter, the German Arbeitszeugnis and how to present foreign qualifications. Written for professionals moving to Germany from abroad.

8-minute read
Updated 16 October 2026

In short

A German application consists of a cover letter and a CV in table form, plus copies of your certificates and references. Everything goes into a single PDF file.
The CV is one to two pages long and ends with the place, date and your signature. That sets it apart from a British CV or an American résumé.
Marital status, religion and similar details no longer belong in it. A photo is optional but still common in Germany.
Employer references (Arbeitszeugnisse) are a German speciality. Their phrasing follows a code that corresponds to school grades.
Give foreign qualifications under their original name with a short explanation. Authorities and professional chambers usually require a certified translation.

Which documents you need

A complete job application in Germany consists of a cover letter, a CV and copies of your certificates and references. Today it is almost always sent as a single PDF file by email or through an applicant portal. The paper application folder has become the exception.

Document	Length	When it is needed
Cover letter (Anschreiben)	1 page	Expected, unless the job ad explicitly says otherwise
CV (Lebenslauf)	1 to 2 pages	Always
Application photo	Passport-style photo	Optional. Common in Germany, but no employer may require it
Cover page	1 page	Optional and rare today
Degree or school-leaving certificate	Copy	For your first job and whenever the job ad asks for it
Employer references (Arbeitszeugnisse)	Copies from your last 2 or 3 jobs	Usual; a German speciality
Certificates of training	Copies	Only if they are relevant to the job
Letter of motivation	1 page	Rare, mainly for scholarships and in the public sector

Give the file a clear name, such as “Application_Surname_Position.pdf”, and keep it under about 5 MB, as some portals reject larger files.

How it differs from applications in the UK and the US

A German application is more formal and includes more evidence. The most striking differences: certificates and references are sent straight away, and the CV ends with the place, date and your signature.

Feature	Germany	UK	US
Photo	optional, but common	unusual	unusual
Date of birth	usual	no	no
Marital status, religion	leave out	no	no
Length of CV	1 to 2 pages	1 to 2 pages	1 page
Cover letter	almost always expected	usual	usual
Certificates attached	usual	only on request	only on request
Referees	unusual	2 contacts	2 to 3 contacts
Gaps in your career	expected to be explained	less of a focus	less of a focus

If you are applying in English to employers in the UK or the US instead, our guide to job applications in English explains the rules.

The German CV in table form

The German CV, or Lebenslauf, is set out as a table in reverse chronological order: your most recent position comes first, each entry with month and year. It ends with the place, date and your signature.

Section	What goes in it
Personal details	Name, address, phone number, email. Date of birth is usual but optional
Work experience	Reverse chronological, with month and year, position, employer, location and two to four tasks or achievements
Education	Your qualification under its original name, with a short explanation and the German equivalent if you know it
Further training	Only if relevant to the job, with year and provider
Languages	Your level on the Common European Framework of Reference, from A1 to C2, plus any certificate
IT and specialist skills	Software, methods, standards, each with your level
Volunteering and interests	Optional, brief, at the end
Place, date, signature	Usual in Germany, unlike in English-speaking countries

What to leave out

Marital status and number of children
Religion or denomination
Your parents’ occupations
Health information
Salary expectations, unless the job ad asks for them
A photo, if you would rather not include one

German employers do pay attention to gaps in your career. State the period and explain it in a few words, for example a language course, a move, time with your family or a recognition procedure. That makes a better impression than an unexplained gap.

The cover letter: structure and phrases

The cover letter is one page long and follows the layout of a business letter: sender, recipient, date, subject line, salutation, three or four paragraphs and a closing. It doesn’t repeat your CV. Instead, it picks out two or three points that match the job ad.

Phrase in German	When to use it
Mit großem Interesse habe ich Ihre Stellenanzeige für die Position als [Stelle] gelesen. “I read your job advertisement for the position of [job] with great interest.”	Opening that refers to the job ad
Derzeit arbeite ich als [Position] bei [Unternehmen] in [Land] und verantworte dort [Aufgabe]. “I currently work as [position] at [company] in [country], where I am responsible for [task].”	Your current role, in the first paragraph
In dieser Rolle habe ich [Ergebnis mit Zahl] erreicht. “In this role, I achieved [result with a figure].”	Evidence instead of adjectives
Meine Deutschkenntnisse liegen auf Niveau [B2/C1], nachgewiesen durch [Zertifikat]. “My German is at [B2/C1] level, as certified by [certificate].”	Important for international applicants
Als Staatsangehörige[r] eines EU-Landes benötige ich keine Arbeitserlaubnis. “As a citizen of an EU country, I do not need a work permit.”	Only mention it if it heads off questions
Eine Arbeitserlaubnis liegt vor, gültig bis [Datum]. “I hold a work permit valid until [date].”	Gives clarity for applicants from outside the EU
Über eine Einladung zu einem persönlichen Gespräch freue ich mich. “I look forward to an invitation to an interview.”	Closing sentence; avoid the hesitant conditional “würde mich freuen”
Mit freundlichen Grüßen “Kind regards”	Standard closing, followed by your name

The salutation is “Sehr geehrte Frau [surname],” for a woman or “Sehr geehrter Herr [surname],” for a man. If no name is given, write “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,”. A comma follows the salutation, and unlike in English, the next sentence starts with a lower-case letter, unless it begins with a noun or a name.

Certificates, qualifications and recognition

German employers expect evidence. Give foreign qualifications under their original name and add a short explanation. For the application itself, a simple translation is usually enough. Authorities, professional chambers and universities require a certified translation, meaning one that bears the certification statement of a sworn translator.

If you want to work in a regulated profession, such as nursing, medicine, law or a skilled trade, you also need formal recognition of your qualification. Different bodies are responsible depending on the profession and the federal state, and each sets its own requirements for format and translation. Check with them before you have anything translated. This is guidance, not legal advice.

The coded language of German employer references

The Arbeitszeugnis is a German speciality: employees are entitled to one, and it must be worded favourably. As a result, a code has developed in which set phrases correspond to school grades.

Phrase in the reference	What it means
stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit “always to our fullest satisfaction”	very good (grade 1)
stets zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit “always to our full satisfaction”	good (grade 2)
zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit “to our full satisfaction”	satisfactory (grade 3)
zu unserer Zufriedenheit “to our satisfaction”	adequate (grade 4)
hat sich bemüht, die Aufgaben zu erfüllen “made an effort to carry out the tasks”	poor (grade 5)
verließ das Unternehmen auf eigenen Wunsch “left the company at their own request”	a neutral statement about how the job ended

Common mistakes

The most common mistakes international applicants make in Germany are outdated details in the CV, missing evidence and language skills without proof.

Avoid	Better	Why
Marital status, religion and nationality in the CV	Name, contact details and, if you wish, date of birth	These details are unusual today and invite discrimination.
Attaching every document as a separate file	One PDF file with a clear file name	HR departments rarely open ten attachments.
Enclosing certificates without a translation	Enclose a translation, certified if required	Without a translation, your qualifications can’t be assessed.
“Verhandlungssicheres Deutsch” (business-fluent German) with no evidence	“Deutsch C1, telc-Zertifikat 2025”	Self-assessments without proof will be questioned.
Hiding gaps in your CV	State the period and explain it in a few words	Unexplained gaps stand out and look worse than the reason behind them.
A cover letter that repeats the CV	Two or three points that match the job ad	Otherwise there is no reason to read both.

Frequently asked questions

Does a job application in Germany need a photo?

No. The photo is optional, and employers may not require one. In practice it is still common in Germany, unlike in the UK and the US.

How long can a German CV be?

One to two pages, in table form and reverse chronological order. Three pages are only usual if you have many years of professional experience.

Do I need to have my certificates translated into German?

For the application, a simple translation is often enough. As soon as authorities, professional chambers or universities are involved, for example when your qualification is being recognised, a certified translation is required.

What is an Arbeitszeugnis?

A German speciality: a written assessment from your employer, to which employees are entitled. Its phrasing follows a code that corresponds to school grades.

How do I state my German language skills?

Give your level on the Common European Framework of Reference and the certificate, for example “Deutsch C1 (telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, 2025)”. Phrases such as “verhandlungssicher” (business-fluent) say little without evidence.