CV format for Germany: how to write a tabular CV (Lebenslauf), with an example

A CV that works in the UK or the US often looks odd in Germany. Employers there expect a tabellarischer Lebenslauf, a tabular CV: dates in a column on the left, facts on the right, no long paragraphs. Here is how to write one.

The structure

Keep these sections, in this order:

1. Persönliche Daten: name, address, phone and email.
2. Berufserfahrung: your jobs, most recent first, each with month and year, title, employer and city.
3. Ausbildung: degrees and training, most recent first.
4. Kenntnisse: languages with their level, software and other skills.
5. Optional: volunteering or interests, only if they help for this job.

A complete example

Lebenslauf

Maria Beispiel
Musterstraße 12, 10115 Berlin
+49 30 0000 0000 · maria.beispiel@example.com

Berufserfahrung
09/2021 – heute    Buchhalterin, Beispiel GmbH, Berlin
                   - Monatsabschlüsse für drei Gesellschaften
                   - Mahnwesen neu organisiert: 30 % weniger offene Posten
03/2018 – 08/2021  Sachbearbeiterin, Muster AG, Cluj-Napoca

Ausbildung
2014 – 2018        Bachelor Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Universität Cluj

Kenntnisse
Sprachen           Rumänisch (Muttersprache), Deutsch (C1), Englisch (B2)
IT                 DATEV, SAP FI, Excel

Berlin, 05.11.2026

Dates

Write dates as MM/YYYY and use heute for a job you still hold. Leave no unexplained gaps of several months. German recruiters read a CV as a timeline, and a line such as "01/2023 – 06/2023 Elternzeit" (parental leave) or "Weiterbildung" (further training) is better than a hole.

Photo and personal details

Traditionally a German CV had a photo, date of birth, nationality and marital status. Today none of them is required. The General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) protects applicants from discrimination, so many employers do not ask for them, and a CV without them is entirely acceptable. A professional photo is still common, so it is your choice. If you use one, choose a proper portrait, not a holiday picture.

Do mention your work permit if you are from outside the EU, because it is the first question an employer will have.

Length and language

• Two pages at most, and one is fine early in your career.
• Write in German if the job advert is in German. An English CV is fine when the advert is in English, which is common at international companies.
• Give language levels on the CEFR scale (A1 to C2), as in Deutsch (C1). "Good German" tells the reader little.
• Add numbers to your bullet points where you can: 30 % weniger offene Posten says more than responsible for invoices.

Signature and attachments

Ending with a place, a date and a signature is traditional. It is no longer necessary when you apply online, though it does no harm.

A German application usually has three parts, sent as one PDF:

• the Anschreiben (cover letter), unless the employer says it is not needed;
• the Lebenslauf;
• Zeugnisse: certificates and references from earlier employers (Arbeitszeugnisse), which are much more common in Germany than elsewhere.

Name the file clearly, for example Bewerbung_Maria_Beispiel.pdf.

Mistakes to avoid

• Sending your CV in another country's format, with a long profile and no dates in a column.
• Translating a job title or a degree word for word. Check what it is called in German, and add the original in brackets if needed.
• Listing every task you have ever done. Keep what matters for this job.
• Using an unprofessional email address.

Make it once, change it for each job

With DevQuake’s CV-JOB Tracker you write your details once and get a CV with a template (Classic is the closest to a tabular CV), with its headings and dates in German. You can untick what does not help for a given job, hide your photo on a CV and download it as a PDF. It also drafts a cover letter from your details, for you to make your own, and keeps track of where you applied.

Open CV-JOB Tracker · Read the user manual