Working in Germany

Anschreiben: the German cover letter, decoded

One page, formal conventions, and a structure German recruiters expect. Here's exactly how it works — and a template you can adapt without sounding like everyone else.

Generate yours free (EN/DE)German CV templates

Structure

The expected shape, paragraph by paragraph

  1. 1

    Header & subject

    Your contact details, the company's address, place and date, then a bold subject line naming the exact position (and reference number if the ad has one).

  2. 2

    Opening (2–3 sentences)

    Why this role, why this company — concretely. A specific product, project or reason beats any generic praise. Skip the clichéd openers.

  3. 3

    Your fit (the core paragraph)

    Pick the 2–3 requirements from the ad that matter most and prove each with a concrete example from your experience — numbers and outcomes where you honestly have them.

  4. 4

    Practicalities

    Notice period or earliest start date, and salary expectation if the ad explicitly asks for it (many do — check real figures first).

  5. 5

    Closing & signature

    One confident sentence looking toward the interview, 'Mit freundlichen Grüßen', and your signature above your typed name.

Conventions

What German recruiters notice

Do

  • Keep it to ONE page — three to five short paragraphs
  • Use a concrete subject line: "Bewerbung als [Position], Referenz [Nr.]"
  • Address a named person when possible (Sehr geehrte Frau …/Herr …)
  • Mirror the job ad: pick 2–3 requirements and prove them with examples
  • State your notice period / earliest start date near the end
  • Match the letter's language to the job ad's language

Don't

  • Don't repeat your CV line by line — the letter argues, the CV lists
  • Don't open with "hiermit bewerbe ich mich" — recruiters read it 50× a day
  • Don't send one generic letter to every company (it shows immediately)
  • Don't exceed one page or shrink the font to cheat
  • Don't invent enthusiasm for the company you can't back with a reason
  • Don't forget place, date and signature — German letters are formal documents

Template

A skeleton you can adapt

[Your name]
[Street, No.] · [ZIP City] · [email] · [phone]

[Company name]
[Contact person, if known]
[Street, No.]
[ZIP City]

[City], [date]

Bewerbung als [exact position title], Referenz [number if given]

Sehr geehrte Frau [Name] / Sehr geehrter Herr [Name],
(no name found → Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,)

[WHY THIS COMPANY + ROLE — 2–3 sentences with one concrete,
specific reason: a product, a project, a market.]

[YOUR FIT — the ad's top 2–3 requirements, each proven with a
concrete example from your work. Numbers where honest.]

[PRACTICAL — Meine Kündigungsfrist beträgt [X]; frühester
Eintritt am [date]. Salary only if the ad asks:
Meine Gehaltsvorstellung liegt bei [X] € brutto/Jahr.]

Ich freue mich darauf, Sie in einem persönlichen Gespräch zu
überzeugen.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

[signature]
[Typed name]

Our free extension drafts this for each job you apply to — grounded in your saved profile and the actual posting, in German or English, never inventing employers or skills. You edit, you send. Also see the other German letter templates (Kündigung, Widerspruch, Arbeitszeugnis request) and the full job-search process guide.

FAQ

Common questions

Is an Anschreiben still required in Germany?

Often, but no longer always. Traditional companies, public sector and most Mittelstand employers still expect one; some startups and tech companies have made it optional. If the application form has an upload slot or the ad mentions 'vollständige Bewerbungsunterlagen', send one — a good letter never hurts, a missing one can.

Should I write it in German or English?

Match the language of the job ad. German ad → German letter, even if imperfect (have someone check it). English ad → English is fine. Applying in German when your German is limited signals effort but risks errors in a document meant to show precision — a checked short letter beats an unchecked long one.

How is an Anschreiben different from a Motivationsschreiben?

The Anschreiben is the one-page letter answering a specific job ad: this role, this company, your fit. A Motivationsschreiben is broader and mostly used for university admissions, scholarships or some speculative applications — don't send one when a job ad asks for an Anschreiben.

Can I use AI to write my Anschreiben?

As a draft, yes — recruiters increasingly recognize (and discount) fully generic AI letters. What works: AI drafting grounded in your real profile and the actual job ad, then your own edits for specifics. That's exactly how our extension generates letters: from your saved profile and the posting, in German or English, for you to review.

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