Applying in Germany, in English

German hiring has its own habits. Most of them are easy once you know them, and a few of them are the opposite of what you may be used to.

This page is about applying in English, to employers who hire in English. If an employer's advert is in German, this site does not list it.^[1]

The document set

A German application traditionally has three parts: the cover letter, the CV and the certificates.^[2] International employers often want only the CV.

1. The CV — the Lebenslauf

One or two pages, newest first, dates in month and year.^[3] Facts rather than adjectives: "led a team of four; cut processing time by 30%" beats "dynamic, results-driven professional". Language levels are best given on the European scale, A1 to C2, or as native, rather than as "fluent" on its own.^[4]

The German CV goes through the document line by line — every section, the photo question, how to account for a gap, and when an English CV is the better thing to send.

2. The cover letter — the Anschreiben

At an old-school German employer this is a serious document, one page, addressed to a named person, explaining why this company and why you.^[5]

At a tech company or an international employer, it is often optional, and a short honest paragraph beats a long formal one. Read the advert: if it does not ask for one, a few lines in the application form or the email body are usually enough.

3. The certificates — the Zeugnisse

Germany takes documents seriously. Employers may ask for scans of your degree certificate, and for references from previous employers. Have PDFs ready.^[4]

If you have a German Arbeitszeugnis from a previous German job, include it — the official advice is to attach any references from previous employers.^[4] If your references are ordinary letters or contacts from another country, that is fine; say so.

The photo question

You will read that German CVs need a photo. That was the old rule, and it is no longer a must.^[3]

• A photo is not required.^[3][2] The AGG, the equal treatment act, forbids turning applicants down because of things like ethnic origin, sex or age.^[6] Some employers now ask for anonymised CVs with no photo, precisely to reduce bias.^[5][7]
• Many employers still expect one — the Federal Employment Agency says most do, and that it remains usual in many industries.^[8][2]
• Practice differs a lot between industries.^[4]

Practical answer: follow the advert. If it says nothing, applying without a photo is a reasonable choice at the kind of employer listed on this site.

The same goes for other personal details. Family details and nationality are voluntary on a German CV.^[3] Date of birth is still usually included, but an employer may ask about age or nationality only in exceptional cases.^[3][7] The AGG forbids turning anyone down because of their age or ethnic origin.^[6]

Things that surprise people

"Please apply through our system." Applications usually go by email or are uploaded to the employer's own careers website.^[4] Apply where the advert says to apply, not by emailing someone personally, unless the advert invites that.

Notice periods can be long. The legal minimum is four weeks, to the 15th or the end of a month, and a contract may set a longer period.^[9] If you are already in Germany, employers assume you cannot start next Monday. If you are abroad, say clearly when you could start.

Salary expectations can come up early, sometimes in the application form itself. Give a gross annual figure — salary in Germany is talked about before tax and social security, not net. Research the range for the role and the city before you write a number, and give a range rather than a single figure if you are unsure.^[10] See salary negotiation.

The reply can take weeks. It is quite usual in Germany for employers to take their time over applications, and slow does not mean rejected.^[8] A polite follow-up is normal and not pushy — after an interview, the Federal Employment Agency suggests asking if you have heard nothing after four weeks.^[11]

Interviews are direct. Questions are literal, small talk is short, and a plain "I don't know, but here is how I'd find out" is respected. Directness here is not rudeness. The interviews guide covers the rest — the usual questions, the ones an employer may not ask, and who pays the fare.

What "No German asked for" does not cover

Even in a job where the work is entirely in English:

• Your contract may be in German. You are allowed to ask for an English translation before signing, and good employers have one.
• Letters from the tax office and anything else from an authority will be in German — German is the official language of administration — and payslips and insurance letters may be too.^[12]
• Team lunch, corridor conversation and internal jokes are often in German, even at English-language companies.

None of that stops you working. It is worth knowing before you arrive rather than after.

Before you apply