German CVs follow strict conventions that differ from the rest of Europe. Getting them wrong signals you don’t understand the market.
Unlike the UK or US, a professional headshot (Bewerbungsfoto) is expected on German CVs. Use a recent, professional portrait on a neutral background. No selfies, no vacation photos. Many German job seekers visit a professional photographer specifically for this.
The standard German CV is the "tabellarischer Lebenslauf" — a tabular, reverse-chronological format. It’s structured, concise, and typically 1–2 pages. PickedCV’s Lebenslauf template follows this format exactly.
German CVs commonly include date of birth, place of birth, and nationality. Marital status is optional but still frequently included. This would be unusual in the UK or US but is standard practice in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
Always use the Common European Framework (GER/CEFR) levels: A1–C2. German employers expect this standard. "Muttersprache" for native, "Verhandlungssicher" (C1–C2) for business-fluent, "Fließend" (B2+) for fluent.
| Germany | UK / US | |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | Expected | Never |
| Date of birth | Common | Never |
| Marital status | Optional, common | Never |
| Length | 1–2 pages | 1 page (US) / 2 pages (UK) |
| Format name | Lebenslauf | Resume (US) / CV (UK) |
| Language levels | CEFR required | Descriptive OK |