19/04/2020
Know German CV format for perfect application! (Some Dos and Don’ts at the end of the post)
1. Length of the CV
- Maximum 2 pages long (even if you have 10+ years of experience)
2. Personal data information
- Full name
- Address
- Telephone number
- Nationality: This is important information to the employer whether the candidate needs a visa or work permit in Germany
- Photo: Highly recommended. It must be a professional photo.
- Marital Status: Optional
3. Education
- Course, name of university, city
- Specialization / study program
- Topic of the thesis (bachelor´s, master´s or diploma thesis)
- Final Grade
4. Professional experience
- Company name, location
- Division, department
- Short listing of the activities performed
5. Vocational education (if relevant)
6. Additional qualifications / skills
- Foreign language skills: To determine the level of knowledge languages use the scale of the Council of Europe.
Examples: "English - C2", "German - B1", "Hindi - B2".
- Additional skills
7. Extracurricular activities / university internal activities
- Brief description of activities
8. Interest / Hobbies : Optional
9. Place, date Signature: Mandatory
10. Use only PDF format.
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***𝐃𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭𝐬***
1. It’s better if it’s in German (Only if you know German).
2. It should be in tabular format. Dates on one side and details on the other side.
3. Add your photo and it has to be professional photo. Do not add passport or visa photos. Photo should have been clicked in studio by professional photographer for resume.
4. Add your address, e-mail id, telephone number, birth place, birth date and nationality. Mentioning marital status is a personal choice.
5. Make sure you understand the difference between Ausbildung (education), Berufserfahrung (Professional experience) and Berufsausbildung (Vocational trainings).
6. Add soft skills and language skills with level of expertise.
7. Do mention scholarships and big achievements.
8. Hobbies are very important. If you are in luck, interviewers might ask couple of questions about your hobbies and get impressed.
9. No spelling mistakes at any cost.
10. Grammar mistakes might be tolerated. Still it’s better to avoid.
11. Do not solely depend on google translate for CV in German language. Get it corrected by native speaker.
12. Add electronic signature, place, date at the bottom.
13. Do not use vibrant colors. Blue, grey and black are safe choices.
14. It should not be longer than 2 pages.
