General information as of October 2026, not legal advice. Employers differ: when a job ad asks for something specific, do that.
A German employer often sees dozens of applications for one position. A clear, honest, well-built CV is the cheapest way to get ahead of most of them.
One to two pages, newest first
Start with your latest job and go backwards (reverse-chronological). One page is enough if you have a few years of experience; two pages are fine for a long career. More than that is rarely read.
What goes in
- Contact details: name, city, phone number with country code, and a professional email address (not a nickname).
- Work experience: employer, city, job title, start and end month and year, and two to four lines on what you did and what you achieved. Numbers help: "managed a team of 6", "reduced waiting time by 20 %".
- Education and training: degree or training, institution, years.
- Languages: the level (A1 to C2) and the certificate, for example Goethe, telc or TestDaF. Do not write "fluent" for a language you cannot prove.
- Skills and certificates: software, machines, licences, courses that fit the job.
Photo and personal details
A photo is optional today. If you add one, make it a clear, friendly, professional picture. You do not have to give your religion, marital status or number of children, and you should never write your passport or ID number.
Gaps and changes
If there is a gap, say what happened in one honest line (for example "moved to Germany", "language course", "family care"). A short explanation is better than a hole that raises questions.
Documents
Many employers want certificates and references as well. Send them together, with German or English translations where needed. If you are unsure, ask which documents they need before you send everything.
Fit the job
Change the first lines of your CV for each job: put the experience that matches the advert at the top. If the advert is in German, write the application in German. A short cover letter (Anschreiben) with one paragraph on why this employer is better than a long generic one.
Send it properly
One PDF, a clear file name (for example Surname_Firstname_CV.pdf), no huge size. Check spelling twice and ask someone to read it.
The mistakes that cost the most
- The same CV sent everywhere.
- Spelling and layout errors.
- Language levels without proof.
- Claiming skills you cannot show in an interview.
- A CV that is much too long.
If you would like a second pair of eyes on your CV, you can send it through the CV form on this site.