A complete guide for writing a German resume

Writing a suitable German resume, alongside adhering to the points relevant to a job interview, increases your chances of receiving a job offer or employment proposal in Germany. There are certain principles and rules that you must adhere to when writing a German resume. In this article, we have outlined these principles and recommend that you stay with us until the end.

Germany, due to its stable economy and position on the path of development, is a good destination for many immigrants. To find a job in this country, you need to design a strong and professional resume. Also, to find a suitable job in Germany, it is necessary to acquire information about how to adapt your resume to the work culture of this country, as in this case, you will have a better chance of getting a job in this country. Many people think that writing a German resume is difficult and challenging, which is not the case, and by following the basic principles of resume writing, you can have a resume in the German style. It can be said that writing a German resume is the most important step in obtaining residence in this country, and for this reason, we emphasize the importance of observing the necessary points and principles for writing it. We also intend to teach you how to write a German resume in this article.

Writing a German resume and job application

As mentioned, Germany is one of the countries with a high demand for skilled immigrants, and for this reason, to find a job in this country, you need to prepare and present a good and acceptable resume. When you apply for a position in a company or institution, the employer has no background or knowledge of you, and the only document that can introduce you and your abilities to them is your resume. Now, if you use the language and culture of the target country in writing your resume, you can double your chances of acceptance. Therefore, if you intend to work in Germany, you must write a German resume and introduce yourself in it. When writing a resume in the German style, it is necessary to mention information such as personal details, level of education, work experience, skills, and courses you have taken. Now, what points should you pay attention to when writing a German resume and how to write a resume in the German style are the things you will learn by reading this article.

Is it better to write a resume in German or English?

If you're looking for a job in Germany, then naturally you'll need to be proficient in the language of the country, unless your job requires speaking another language. If you're familiar with the German language and can speak and write in it, start writing your German resume and ultimately ask a translator to review it and correct any writing errors.

While it's recommended to write a resume in German style, if you have no skills in the German language, write your resume in English. Because if you don't have proficiency in the German language and your employer needs an employee proficient in German, you may face difficulties in the interview stage. In any case, regardless of the language you prepare your resume in, make sure there are no spelling or writing errors in it.

Accompanying the writing of a German resume, you need a sample work!

German companies often require job applicants to provide a sample of their work (known in Germany as "die Mappe"). This sample should include the following:

• Cover letter (anschreiben)
• Resume (lebenslauf)
• Copies of educational certificates
• Copies of endorsements and other documents
• Passport photo

All of these documents should be printed on A4 paper and of high quality. Except for the cover letter (anschreiben), all documents should be placed in an envelope without any folds and sent via post to the desired destination. Currently, most companies receive applicants' resumes online in PDF format, and there is no difference between sending documents by post or online. In fact, the employer can determine how you send your resume and documents. Also, the conditions for the cover letter (anschreiben) should be written briefly and clearly on one A4 page. Be careful not to write this letter by hand and type it instead.

Tips and steps for writing a German resume

It's important that your resume (CV), referred to as lebenslauf in German, is written in a way that German employers expect. Otherwise, there's a chance it might not be read and could end up in the trash. To write a German resume (lebenslauf), which typically consists of a one-page document, at most two pages, and uses a two-column table format, you should follow certain guidelines, which we'll outline below:

Design

When writing a German resume, pay attention to the template you have chosen for your resume. Your resume design should be attractive and easy to read for the employer and the reader. When writing a German resume, you must adhere to some rules for its format and design. For example, you should be able to organize all relevant information about yourself on one or at most two A4 pages, as longer resumes are not read at all. Use standard font and size of about 11-12, and avoid writing colorful content as well as italics and bold. The most common format used for writing a German resume has a header at the top of the page and divides the available sections into two columns. Then write the dates of activities on the left side and the details related to them on the right side.

Content

In addition to the German resume design, its content is also of utmost importance. Considering that employers allocate little time to read your resume, be very careful in writing the content of your German resume and avoid mentioning trivial and insignificant details. In fact, you should not disclose all the information and details of your personal and professional life. Instead, when writing a German resume, you should only focus on mentioning useful and relevant information related to the job you are pursuing.

Structure

To write a German resume, you should be familiar with its format and overall structure. In fact, the structure of a German resume includes the following:

Personal Information (Persönliche Daten)

This section pertains to your personal information and details, where you should provide information to help the employer identify you. To write personal information in a German resume, you should use a high-quality personal photo and place it in the top left corner of the page. Then, write other relevant information about yourself, including your full name, age and date of birth, residential address, country of origin, marital status and number of children, phone number, and email address, next to the photo.

Resume Summary (Kurzprofil)

It is not mandatory to include a resume summary in a German resume. However, you can write a short, creative, and engaging text summarizing your work and educational experiences, skills, and interests. This section, which consists of one or two paragraphs, should be written at the beginning of the resume, before the work experiences.

Work Experience (Berufserfahrung)

Note that the order of listing work experiences and educational backgrounds in a German resume depends on the preferences of your employer. That is, if your employer values education more, you should write education first, and if they pay more attention to your work experiences, you should mention your work experience before addressing educational backgrounds. To write work experience in a German resume, you should follow a reverse chronological order and list your work experiences from the most recent to the oldest. For each work experience, write the employment date on the left column and more detailed information such as company name, address, duration of employment, job title, and responsibilities on the right column.

Educational Background (Ausbildung)

Educational backgrounds are also written from the most recent to the oldest degree, similar to work experiences. Remember that your educational backgrounds should include the name of the educational institution, degree and academic rank, as well as the duration of study. Also, if you have projects and achievements in this field, be sure to mention them. Considering the differences in educational systems worldwide, it is recommended to write the equivalents of your educational qualifications when writing a German resume.

Skills and Abilities (Kenntnisse und Fähigkeiten)

Your skills and abilities are another aspect that you should mention when writing a German resume. The point you should focus on when listing your desired skills is to state the facts accurately and avoid exaggeration. In this section, consider the skills related to the desired job, the programs you have used, and your proficiency level in them. Computer and software skills are among the most important skills that you should mention in this section.

Interests and Hobbies (Interessen und Hobbys)

Another section in writing a German resume is where you should mention your personal interests and hobbies. It could be said that this section is the most attractive and popular section in German resume writing because it allows the employer to gain a better understanding of the applicant's personality. To write this section, simply ensure that you mention interests and hobbies related to your skills.

Language

Among other things to consider when writing a German resume is indicating your proficiency in foreign languages. Try to accurately and precisely state your level of proficiency in foreign languages, as it may raise the employer's expectations, and writing inaccurately could create problems for you in the future. Keep in mind that one of the important factors in obtaining residency in Germany is proficiency in the German language, so mention your proficiency level in this language and also write your resume in German. To express the level of your German language skills, you can use the following phrases:

• German is your native language: Muttersprache
• verhandlungssicher or business fluent: You are proficient in business and commerce.
• fließend: Your level of German language, especially in listening, is fluent.
• Grundkenntnisse: Your level of German language is basic or equivalent to general knowledge.

Ensure the completeness and currency of your German resume information and refrain from stating irrelevant details. Conclude the resume with your name, place, date, and signature, which is also of great importance. You can also review your German CV on the website https://www.topcv.com/. If you need more information on writing a resume to get a job, read the article "How to write a resume to get a job?

Sending certificates along with a German resume

Try to send a copy of your most important and relevant documents along with your application and resume. Keep the original documents with you, as you may need the original document for final verification by the issuing authority, a copy equivalent to the original, or a translation into German.

As mentioned, writing a German-style resume is one of the important and influential components of obtaining a job position in this country. For German resume writing, you should consider some points. The design, structure, content, and language of your resume are among the most important factors that affect the professionalism of your resume. Since your resume is your introduction to a German employer, you should be very careful in writing it to not miss the chance of getting a good job opportunity in an ideal country.

We have tried to highlight the most important points of writing a German resume in this article so that if you intend to migrate to this country, you can write a better resume and double your chances of acceptance. However, keep in mind that at our migration institute, we provide special and specialized counseling for writing resumes in the German style. Just contact our experts. Thank you for being with us until the end of this article.