The German CV (Lebenslauf): format, photo, dates and gaps

Updated 4 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

A German CV, the Lebenslauf, is a tidy table of your career. Recruiters in Germany, Austria and Switzerland read it quickly from top to bottom and expect every period to be accounted for. It is usually one or two pages of A4 and is sent as a PDF together with a cover letter (Anschreiben) and copies of certificates.

The tabular layout

The standard is the tabellarischer Lebenslauf: dates on the left, details on the right, most recent first.

• Write dates as month/year (03/2021). Years alone look vague.
• A current job ends with "heute" (today) or starts with "seit 03/2021".
• Give the job title, employer, city and two to four bullet points with results.

Personal data (Persönliche Daten)

German CVs traditionally open with a block of personal data. Since the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG, 2006) most of it is voluntary, but it is still common:

• Address, phone and e-mail: always.
• Date and place of birth: optional, still often included.
• Nationality: useful if you are not from the EU, together with your residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel, e.g. Blaue Karte EU).
• Marital status, children, religion: optional and increasingly left out.

The photo

A professional photo is no longer required by law, and some employers prefer applications without one. In practice, many German CVs still have one at the top right. If you add it, use a recent, professional head-and-shoulders photo with a neutral background; never a holiday picture.

Gaps must be explained

German recruiters notice gaps of more than three months. Explain them in one line rather than hiding them: "01/2020 – 06/2020 Elternzeit" (parental leave), "Weiterbildung AWS Solutions Architect", "Umzug nach Deutschland und Deutschkurs B2". An honest line is better than an unexplained hole.

Education and qualifications

List your highest degree with the institution, city, dates and final grade (Abschlussnote, e.g. 1,7 on the German scale). For foreign degrees, add the German equivalent if you know it, or check the anabin database used by employers to evaluate foreign qualifications. Vocational training (Ausbildung) is highly respected and belongs in this section too.

Skills and languages

• Kenntnisse: group IT, software and specialist skills; give a level if helpful (Grundkenntnisse, gute Kenntnisse, sehr gute Kenntnisse).
• Sprachkenntnisse: use the CEFR scale (A1–C2) or the usual words: Muttersprache, verhandlungssicher (C2), fließend (C1), sehr gute Kenntnisse (B2), gute Kenntnisse (B1), Grundkenntnisse (A2). For jobs in Germany, your German level is often decisive: state it clearly and mention a certificate (Goethe, telc, TestDaF).

No references on the CV

Unlike Gulf CVs, German CVs don't list referees. Instead, attach work certificates (Arbeitszeugnisse) from previous employers and copies of your diplomas to the application.

Place, date and signature

Traditionally the Lebenslauf ends with the place, date and your signature ("Köln, 04.11.2026"). For online applications this is optional, but it still looks careful, especially for public-sector and traditional employers.

Words to use

Checklist

1. Tabular layout, most recent first, month/year dates.
2. Every gap over three months explained in one line.
3. Personal data limited to what helps you (residence permit if non-EU).
4. Photo: professional or none.
5. Languages on the CEFR scale, with your German level stated clearly.
6. No referees; certificates go in the application file.
7. One or two pages, sent as a PDF.

In CV Passport, choose the Germany model: dates switch to month/year, headings become Berufserfahrung, Ausbildung and Sprachkenntnisse, and the checks warn you about unexplained gaps.