German CV templates
The classic tabular Lebenslauf and a modern layout for tech, free and print-ready, with the conventions that surprise international applicants explained.
Pick a style
Two templates, two audiences
Lebenslauf
(optional)
Persönliche Daten
Berufserfahrung
- Built management dashboards (SQL, Power BI) used by 40+ stakeholders
- Automated weekly reporting, saving ~6 hours per week
- Led migration of ETL jobs to dbt with zero downtime
- Customer churn analysis that informed the 2022 retention programme
- Maintained the KPI pipeline (Python, PostgreSQL)
Ausbildung
Kenntnisse
- SQL, Python, dbt, Power BI
- German B2 (telc), English C1, Vietnamese native
- Driving licence class B
Classic Lebenslauf
Tabular layout, optional photo area, personal details, signature line. For corporates, the public sector and regulated professions.
View and print the example →Anh Tran
Skills
Experience
- Built management dashboards (SQL, Power BI) used by 40+ stakeholders
- Automated weekly reporting, saving ~6 hours per week
- Led migration of ETL jobs to dbt with zero downtime
- Customer churn analysis that informed the 2022 retention programme
- Maintained the KPI pipeline (Python, PostgreSQL)
Education
Modern clean
Single column, skills first, no photo. For tech, startups and English-speaking teams.
View and print the example →Next
CV done? The Anschreiben is the other half
Many German applications still expect a one-page cover letter with a specific structure. Here's the Anschreiben, explained, with a free template.
Faster
Or let TiG Pilot draft it for you
Upload your existing CV once and TiG Pilot drafts a German-style CV and cover letter for the job you're applying to, with AI. Read it through and fix anything that isn't quite you before you send it.
Conventions
German CV rules worth knowing
Does a German CV need a photo?
It's optional (employers can't require one under the AGG), but still common in conservative industries, while tech and startups increasingly skip it. If you include one, make it a professional headshot. The classic template has a photo area; the modern one doesn't.
How long should a German CV be?
Usually one or two pages, most recent experience first. Use months in your dates (03/2023, not just 2023), and give a short reason for any longer gap rather than leaving it unexplained.
Do I sign my German CV?
Traditionally, yes: place, date and signature at the bottom, and the classic template has the line. For online applications a typed name is widely accepted.
Should I translate my degrees on a German CV?
Give the original degree name plus an English or German translation, written the same way as on your certificates. If you have an anabin rating or a ZAB Statement of Comparability, mention it: it saves the recruiter the lookup.
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