EmployedAt

How to Write a CV for a German Employer (In English)

If you are applying to jobs in Germany as an English-speaking professional, your CV needs to bridge two worlds. German employers have specific expectations about CV structure and content that differ from both the American resume and the British CV. At the same time, if you are applying to an international company that operates in English, you do not need to follow every German convention rigidly.

This guide explains what German employers expect, where you can adapt, and how to make sure your CV gets through the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that most large German companies use.

The German CV (Lebenslauf) vs the British/American Resume

Before diving into specifics, it helps to understand the key differences between a German Lebenslauf and the typical English-language resume.

Length

A German CV is typically 2 pages, sometimes 3 for senior professionals. The American one-page resume norm does not apply in Germany. Cutting important experience to fit one page will work against you — German employers interpret brevity as a lack of detail, not as efficiency.

Format

German CVs are reverse-chronological (most recent experience first). Functional or skills-based CVs are uncommon and often viewed with suspicion — employers may assume you are hiding gaps. Stick to a clean chronological format with clear dates for each position and education entry.

Photo

Traditionally, German CVs include a professional headshot. This is changing (see the photo section below), but it is still expected by many employers, especially in traditional industries.

Personal Details

German CVs typically include more personal information than American or British resumes — date of birth, nationality, and sometimes marital status. This is a cultural norm, not a legal requirement.

Gaps

German employers pay close attention to gaps in your CV. Any period not accounted for will likely be asked about in an interview. If you took time off for travel, caregiving, or personal reasons, note it briefly. Do not leave unexplained holes.

The Photo Question

This is one of the most debated topics in German job applications. Here is the current reality.

When to Include a Photo

  • Traditional German companies: Banks, insurance companies, law firms, manufacturing companies, and public sector employers still expect a photo. Submitting without one may signal that you are unfamiliar with German norms.
  • Mid-size German companies: Most still expect a photo as a default, even if they would not reject a CV without one.

When You Can Skip It

  • International tech companies and startups: Companies like Zalando, N26, Delivery Hero, and most Berlin startups do not expect photos and some explicitly discourage them.
  • Companies with US or UK headquarters: If the company is headquartered outside Germany, they likely follow their home market norms.
  • When the job listing says “no photo”: Some companies now explicitly state this. Respect it.

If You Include a Photo

  • Use a professional headshot (business attire, neutral background).
  • Have it taken by a photographer — German Passbilder studios can do this for €10-20.
  • Do not use a selfie, holiday photo, or LinkedIn photo with a casual background.
  • Place it in the top-right corner of the first page, or on a separate cover page (Deckblatt).

Personal Details Section

German CVs typically start with a block of personal information. For an English-language CV targeting German employers, include:

  • Full name
  • Address (city is sufficient; full address is optional but common)
  • Phone number (with country code)
  • Email address (professional, not a novelty address)
  • Date of birth (this is standard in Germany; you can omit it for international companies if you prefer)
  • Nationality (useful context for employers assessing visa requirements)
  • LinkedIn profile URL (increasingly expected, especially in tech)

You do not need to include marital status, religion, or parents’ occupations (these were once common on German CVs but are now outdated).

Professional Experience

This is the most important section. German employers care deeply about what you did, where you did it, and for how long.

Structure Each Entry

For each position, include:

  • Job title — use the title that was on your contract or that accurately describes your role. Do not inflate titles.
  • Company name and location — include the city and country.
  • Dates — month and year (e.g., “March 2021 – Present”). German employers notice if you use only years to obscure short tenures.
  • Brief description — 3-6 bullet points covering your key responsibilities and achievements.

Bridging German and International Styles

American resumes emphasise achievements and metrics (“Increased revenue by 30%”). German CVs traditionally focus more on responsibilities and scope (“Managed a team of 8 engineers”). The best approach for English-language roles in Germany is to combine both:

  • Lead with responsibility: What was your role and scope?
  • Follow with impact: What did you achieve? Use specific numbers where possible.
  • Include technologies/tools: For technical roles, list the stack you used. German hiring managers and ATS systems both look for these.

Example:

  • Led backend development for the payments team (4 engineers), designing and implementing a new transaction processing pipeline.
  • Reduced payment processing latency by 40% through migration from monolithic architecture to event-driven microservices (Node.js, Kafka, PostgreSQL).
  • Introduced automated integration testing, increasing deployment frequency from biweekly to daily.

Handling Non-German Experience

If you worked in countries that German employers may not be familiar with, add a one-line description of the company (“Leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia with 50M monthly users”). This gives the reader context they would otherwise lack.

Education Section

List your education in reverse chronological order. For each entry, include:

  • Degree type and field of study
  • University name and location
  • Graduation year (or expected graduation)
  • Final grade or GPA if it is strong (and convert it — German grading uses a 1.0-5.0 scale where 1.0 is best)
  • Thesis title (for master’s and PhD, if relevant to the role)

Foreign Qualification Recognition (Anabin)

If your degree is from outside Germany, employers may want to know whether it is recognised. Germany maintains the Anabin database (anabin.kmk.org) where you can check whether your university and degree are recognised. If your university is rated H+ in Anabin, your degree is generally considered equivalent.

For regulated professions (medicine, law, engineering in some cases), formal credential recognition (Anerkennungsverfahren) through the relevant authority is required. For most tech, business, and creative roles, a degree from a recognised university (H+ in Anabin) is sufficient without a formal recognition process.

If your university is recognised, you can mention this briefly: “Degree recognised in Germany (Anabin H+).” This removes doubt and saves the recruiter a lookup.

Skills Section

Language Skills

Use the CEFR framework (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) to describe your language proficiency. German employers understand and expect this framework:

  • A1-A2: Basic (can handle simple everyday interactions)
  • B1-B2: Independent (can handle most work situations; B2 is generally the minimum for German-language roles)
  • C1-C2: Proficient (can work fluently in the language; C2 is near-native)
  • Native: Use this only for your actual mother tongue

Example:

  • English: Native
  • German: B1 (currently attending B2 course)
  • French: A2

Do not use vague descriptions like “fluent,” “conversational,” or “basic.” German employers find these imprecise. If you have a certificate (IELTS, Goethe, telc), mention it.

Technical Skills

For technical roles, list your skills clearly. Group them by category:

  • Programming languages: TypeScript, Python, Go
  • Frameworks: React, Next.js, FastAPI
  • Databases: PostgreSQL, Redis, MongoDB
  • Cloud/Infrastructure: GCP, AWS, Kubernetes, Terraform
  • Tools: Git, Docker, CI/CD (GitHub Actions)

Be specific. “Cloud computing” is too vague. “GCP (Cloud Run, BigQuery, Pub/Sub)” is useful. List only skills you can confidently discuss in an interview.

The Cover Letter (Anschreiben)

In Germany, the cover letter is still an important part of most applications — more so than in the US or UK, where it is often considered optional. Even for English-language roles, many German employers expect one.

Structure

  • Opening: State the role you are applying for and where you found the listing. If someone referred you, mention them by name.
  • Why this company: Show that you have researched the company. Mention a specific product, project, value, or recent development that interests you. Generic statements (“I admire your innovative culture”) are worse than no cover letter at all.
  • Why you: Connect your specific experience to the role requirements. Use concrete examples, not self-descriptions (“I am a motivated self-starter” tells the reader nothing).
  • Practical details: Mention your availability (start date), salary expectation if the listing asks for it, and your visa status (e.g., “I hold a Chancenkarte and am eligible to work in Germany upon receiving a job offer”).
  • Closing: Express interest in an interview. Keep it direct — “I look forward to discussing this role with you” is sufficient.

Tips

  • One page maximum.
  • Address it to the hiring manager by name. If the name is not on the listing, check LinkedIn or the company website.
  • Do not repeat your CV in prose form. The cover letter should add context and motivation that the CV does not convey.
  • For tech roles at international startups, a shorter, less formal cover letter is fine. Match the tone of the job listing.

Common Mistakes

Sending a One-Page American Resume

This is the most common mistake English-speaking applicants make. German employers will not know how to interpret a sparse, one-page resume. They may assume you lack experience. Use 2 pages and include the detail described above.

Unexplained Gaps

A six-month gap between jobs that is not addressed on your CV will almost certainly come up in the interview — and may prevent you from getting one. Account for all time periods, even briefly: “Career break: Travel in South America (Jan – Jun 2023)” is perfectly acceptable.

Vague Language Skills

“Business English” or “fluent German” without a CEFR level or certificate frustrates German recruiters. Be specific. If your German is A1, say so — it is better to be honest than to overstate and fail the first German-language interaction.

Using a Creative or Non-Standard Format

Infographic CVs, timeline designs, and multi-column layouts are risky. Many look good to humans but are unreadable by ATS systems. German employers tend to prefer clear, conservative formatting. Save creativity for your portfolio, not your CV.

Not Listing Dates Precisely

“2019 – 2021” could mean January 2019 to December 2021 (three years) or December 2019 to January 2021 (thirteen months). German employers want month-level precision. Always write “March 2019 – November 2021.”

Overstating Your Role

German workplace culture values accuracy over self-promotion. If you were a “Software Engineer” who occasionally led a project, do not list yourself as a “Technical Lead.” It is common in German interviews for hiring managers to probe the details of your responsibilities, and inconsistencies will cost you credibility.

Getting Past ATS Systems

Most German companies with more than 50 employees use an Applicant Tracking System. The most common in Germany’s English-speaking company landscape are Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, and Personio (which is itself a German company). Here is how to make sure your CV gets through.

Use a Standard File Format

Submit your CV as a PDF. Some older ATS systems prefer Word (.docx), but PDF is safe for all modern systems and preserves your formatting.

Use Standard Section Headings

ATS systems look for standard headings to parse your CV: “Professional Experience,” “Education,” “Skills,” “Languages.” Creative alternatives (“My Journey,” “What I Know”) may confuse the parser.

Include Keywords From the Job Listing

Read the job listing carefully and mirror its language in your CV. If the listing says “React” and “TypeScript,” use those exact terms — not “frontend frameworks” or “modern JavaScript.” ATS systems match on specific keywords.

Avoid Tables, Headers/Footers, and Text Boxes

These elements are often ignored or misread by ATS parsers. Keep your CV in a single-column layout with normal text. Use bold and bullet points for structure, not tables or graphics.

Do Not Put Key Information in Images

Your name, contact details, and skills should be in text, not embedded in a designed header image. ATS systems cannot read images.

Quick Checklist

Before you submit your CV, run through this checklist:

  • Length: 2 pages (3 if you have 15+ years of experience)
  • Format: Reverse-chronological, single-column, PDF
  • Photo: Included for traditional German companies; omitted for international startups (check the company culture)
  • Personal details: Name, contact info, date of birth, nationality, LinkedIn URL
  • Professional experience: All positions with month/year dates, responsibilities, and measurable achievements
  • Education: Degrees with university name, location, and graduation year; Anabin recognition noted if applicable
  • Languages: All languages with CEFR levels (no vague descriptions)
  • Technical skills: Grouped by category, specific technologies named
  • Gaps: All time periods accounted for
  • Keywords: Job listing terminology mirrored in your CV
  • ATS-safe: No tables, text boxes, multi-column layouts, or information in images
  • Cover letter: Included (one page, addressed to the hiring manager, specific to the role and company)
  • Proofread: No spelling or grammar errors (have someone else check it)

Next Steps

A strong CV gets you to the interview stage. Pair it with targeted applications to companies that are genuinely open to English-speaking professionals.

Browse jobs on EmployedAt to start your job search in Germany with the right tools.