Application

You should express your personal motivation for the advertised position clearly and convincingly in your cover letter. It is also important to address the requirements of the job advertisement in your cover letter. You should then provide evidence of this in your application documents, for example certificates. Describe why you are interested in this position and why you are well suited to it. You can go into this in more detail later in the interview.

It is best to address your cover letter to a specific contact person. This is usually stated in the job advertisement.

Finally, check whether you have provided all the information requested in the job advertisement. Sometimes you will be asked when you can start the job. In this case, give a realistic starting date. Take into account the time required to apply for a visa or recognition of your qualifications, if necessary.

Important: Your salary expectations are normally not discussed until the interview. Only state your salary expectations at the end of your cover letter if this is explicitly requested in the job advertisement. These are best stated as a range and as gross salary gross salary.

Avoid repeating your CV in the cover letter - use the cover letter to show why you are a good fit for the position and the company.

Length: Your cover letter should be short and clear - no more than one A4 page. You can send it as a separate file in an attachment or formulate it directly in the text of the e-mail.

In Germany, it is customary to use a photo in your CV. However, employers are not allowed to request this. If you include a photo, it should be professional.

Structure and scope:

The CV should be written in tabular form, well structured and uniformly formatted. It should not be longer than two A4 pages.

List your professional experience and training in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent position. You can also highlight special skills (e.g. IT skills or language skills), for example in a separate overview or graphically appealing with symbols or bars.

Your CV should contain the following information:

• Personal information (name, address, contact details)
• Professional experience including internships (period, which position and which tasks)
• Further professional training
• Education (school, university, vocational training)
• Skills and additional qualifications (specialist knowledge, language skills, driving licenses)
• Voluntary activities
• Highlighting professional experience from similar positions
• Periods of longer absences, e.g. sabbatical, orientation and further training phases, parental leave or caring for relatives

It is important to present yourself convincingly in your cover letter and CV. In Germany, employers attach particular importance to qualifications, for example by providing proof of work and degree certificates.

Attach your most recent diploma and certificates of additional qualifications to your application. Only include school certificates if you are applying for an apprenticeship or degree course or do not have a vocational qualification.

Employment references should be included to provide references from previous employers or internships.

If you are applying in German, references and certificates should also be available in a German or English translation. If you are unsure, it is better to ask which language version is required.

As soon as your documents are complete, send them to the company as requested in the job description. Be sure to pay attention to the deadlines in the job advertisement. Applications received too late will not normally be considered.