Looking for a Job in Germany? Here’s What You Need to Consider BEFORE Writing Your CV/Resume and Cover Letter

Most advice about writing a German CV/resume and cover letter revolves around how it is structured and formatted, as in, which categories to include in the German CV/resume or what goes into each paragraph in the German cover letter. 

And while all of that is important, I always advocate for the importance of preparation before the application. It’s the work that goes into shaping the German CV/resume or cover letter that will ultimately play a large part in whether you get a call. 

In working with hundreds of clients over the years, I have noticed 3 key areas that need to be addressed before you open a word document and write “Lebenslauf” at the top. 

Understand what German employers are looking for

What most job seekers get wrong right from the beginning is the purpose of the application process and the corresponding documents. 

You are not applying for a job, role, or position. You are applying for responsibilities. The company advertising an open position is not looking to fill seats at a concert. For whatever reason, they need more hands on deck to fulfill an important duty. Your German CV/resume and cover letter need to articulate that you understand their goals and needs. 

To do this, keep in mind that the CV/resume and cover letter serve different purposes. The CV/resume is about you, and the cover letter is about them. This means that you can use the CV/resume to shine and sparkle – listing everything about your education, experience, and skills that relate to the position without leaving out any unnatural gaps. 

The cover letter, on the other hand, should not repeat verbatim from your resume. Instead, you are including new information or more detailed information about your experiences translated to the future responsibilities you will have in the role. The goal is to show the company that you

1) understand what the position entails and what they are asking for, and

2) you have versatile experience that directly relates to this position. 

This combination eludes confidence that you would be able to take on the responsibilities, which is ultimately what recruiters, HR/hiring managers, and direct supervisors are looking for.

Settle into a job search strategy specific to Germany

You need a job search strategy specifically related to Germany. This strategy should be informed by current labor market trends overall, in your field, as well as other factors. Part of the reason I founded Germany Career Coach was to help internationals design effective job search strategies. I was tired of seeing job searches fail because the applicant was not informed or aware of the intricacies of how their profile was being interpreted on the market. 

Over the years, I have seen a simple strategy switch drastically change the course of my clients’ job searches. Although I highly recommend working with a Germany-focused coach to develop a strategy, you can work on your own to develop a strategy. Here are the first three steps I recommend:

1. Research positions using Berufenet to get an idea of the names of jobs you will be looking for, and how the tasks/responsibilities differ compared to your home country

2. Research companies and target 10-20 of them on a regular basis

3. Integrate multiple diversification aspects into your search strategy using TASCALLAT

And one last important note: if you are moving from abroad to Germany, this is normally not a great time to attempt a career transition. There are always exceptions, but in general, a horizontal transition will be more successful, because employers are looking for past evidence that you can do the job they are hiring for. In other words, if you held a role as a relationship manager at a bank in the US, your chances of getting a role in relationship management in the banking industry far exceed your chances of transitioning into a role in social media content management. 

Conduct a labor market alignment analysis

Labor market alignment is key to an international job search. Basically, you need to determine which companies, positions, or even more broadly, industries, would be attracted to your current applicant profile.

In my work with international students and professionals from abroad, a few patterns exist in preparing for the job application in Germany and actually writing the resume and cover letter for the job in Germany. Prior to writing applications, applicants tend to ask:

• Am I qualified to work in Germany?
• What are employers looking for?
• Which companies can I work for?
• What are the names of positions I can apply for?

While a coach can give you a general idea of where to start, you should develop a detailed overview of your specific targeted labor market on your own, getting to know the companies, positions, and necessary education, employment, and skills background required. One of the best ways to figure this information out is to conduct a gap analysis, which is an examination of current position descriptions and how they (mis)align with your current applicant profile. 

Conducting a gap analysis specific to Germany is especially important for internationals and the international job search because it gives you insight into the local labor market, which helps you preemptively answer (to a certain degree) questions about whether Germany is a good fit for your career, and if so, where is a good place to start (e.g. certain positions, companies, etc.).

Through the gap analysis and examination of labor market alignment, you will know what is expected, and you will have collected language (e.g. keywords) to help you plan your resume bullets and cover letters later on. You can use this research and analysis to then optimize your use of keywords in your German job search and applications in Germany.

The bottom line: preparation before the application is key to writing the perfect CV/resume and cover letter. To find a job in Germany in an efficient manner, start with strategy, not your application documents. A good German job search strategy will focus your search, which will make everything else, from sitting down to look for jobs to writing cover letters, easier. Get started designing your strategy with the The Germany Career Start Kit™.