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German Lebenslauf
The German Lebenslauf, done right.
German-speaking employers expect the most structured application in Europe: a tabular, reverse-chronological Lebenslauf of one to two pages, often with a Deckblatt and a DIN 5008 cover letter. The photo is voluntary by law (AGG) yet still common — FlowResume templates toggle it with one click.
German Lebenslauf at a glance
- Photo
- Optional by law, still common
- Length
- One to two pages, tabular
- Format
- Reverse-chronological, A4, signed
- Cover letter
- Anschreiben, DIN 5008
German Lebenslauf
Tabular and complete
Dates left (MM/YYYY), roles right, current job first: work experience, education, skills, languages with CEFR levels. German recruiters value chronological transparency — account for gaps over three months with one factual line. Close traditionally with place, date and signature.
German Lebenslauf
Photo, Deckblatt and dossier
A professional 4:5 portrait is customary but never required; international teams often skip it. Senior and traditional applications add a Deckblatt cover sheet, and the full dossier — letter, CV, certificates — ships as one clean PDF.
German Lebenslauf
The Anschreiben
One page to DIN 5008: sender, recipient block, right-aligned date, bold subject, formal salutation, three to four paragraphs, sign-off and enclosures. Name the company, prove fit with one result, state your earliest start. (In Switzerland it is called a Motivationsschreiben.)
More country guides
United States
One page, no photo, keywords from the ad.
Read the guideUK CVUnited Kingdom
Two pages max, personal statement, no photo.
Read the guideFrench CVFrance
One to two pages, formal tone, lettre de motivation.
Read the guideSpanish CVSpain
One to two pages, photo common, formal carta.
Read the guideCanada resumeCanada
One to two pages, never a photo.
Read the guideAustralia resumeAustralia
Two pages, no photo, tailored letter.
Read the guideGerman Lebenslauf
German CV questions
Photo or no photo?
Your choice: the AGG bans discrimination either way. Traditional employers still expect a professional portrait; international teams accept none. Toggle it per application.
Do I need a Deckblatt?
No — it is optional. It suits senior and traditional applications; ATS portals prefer the CV directly.
Create your German CV today.
Tabular, ATS-readable, with or without photo — translated from your English resume in one click.
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