Your CV provides an overview of your personal and professional career. It is a bullet-point list of your education, training and career stages as well as your skills and knowledge.

The resume should

• comprise a maximum of 2 DIN A4 pages
• be up-to-date, error-free, meaningful and without gaps
• be prepared in tabular form. The tabular form has established itself as the standard in Germany.
• be written anti-chronologically (start with the most recent activity)
• be a perfect fit for the position in question. Above all, choose the qualifications, knowledge and professional experience that are relevant to the position.
• be divided into thematic blocks by means of headings
• Include information on language skills and other skills (IT, IT, driving license or soft skills).
  Rate your language skills with the levels "basic knowledge", "good", "fluent", "business fluent" and "native speaker" and your IT/programming skills with the levels "basic knowledge", "good", "very good" and "constantly in use".

Avoid exaggeration: only include competencies and skills where you have at least advanced beginner or intermediate level.

Formal criteria (recommendation):

Font sizes:
Title & Name: 20Pt
Headings: 13Pt
Text: 11Pt
Date: 10Pt

Margins & line spacing
L Page margin: 2 to 2.5 cm
R margin: 1.5 to 2 cm
Top and bottom: 2 - 2.5 cm

EXTRAS:

• Stays abroad (intercultural experience) as well as publications, references, scholarships or awards can be relevant for the position and should be listed.
• Optionally, hobbies, personal interests or voluntary work can be listed. It is important that these activities are specified and include (social) skills that are relevant to the position. E.g. traveling to francophone countries to learn the language or volleyball with a coaching function in club xy.

• Longer gaps should be avoided, but they are generally unproblematic for a period of up to six months.
• Longer breaks should be used sensibly, for example by acquiring specialist knowledge, taking language courses, volunteering or completing internships. Longer trips during which you get to know the language and culture of a country can also serve as a "gap filler". -
• Longer periods of unemployment should be phrased positively, such as "vocational reorientation," "seeking work," or "educational travel"
• If there is a longer gap in the CV due to a flight to Germany, this period can be stated in years, for example as "Flight from name of country & asylum procedure" including the integration or German courses attended during this time.

To the complete application guide (German)
To the complete application guide (Engl.)

•  CV sample English, Word file
•  CV example German, Word file
•  CV example Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, PDF file
• CV example Athene, PDF file

This online course compares the application process with the announcement of a blockbuster: Your cover letter teases the offer you are making to your desired employer. Your CV works like a trailer and conveys information about the setting and story in 2-3 minutes. Once interest has been aroused, it's time for the blogbuster moment - the interview.

•  Course 1: Convince with your application:
  Information on the CV as a trailer under point 4, lesson 3.
•  Course 2: Rocking job interviews:
  How to be authentically convincing

At the start of the semester, we focus our workshops and training sessions on the topic of applications so that you are optimally prepared for Matching Week :

October 15, 5 - 8 pm: Design a CV that truly stands out in Germany

November 25, 4 - 7 p.m.: Mastering Job Interviews

November 28, 4 - 7 p.m.: Conducting a successful job interview

Undecided?

Get to know the companies in the various categories at the company pitching day on Monday, October 6, 2025 and decide where you want to apply. You will receive the link by e-mail in good time. Just take a look.