German CV for Migrants: Template, Examples, and 7 Steps to the Perfect Resume

Name, address, phone number, email address, and date of birth are mandatory. Marital status, children, and religion are optional in Germany — you do not have to state them, but you can. Most personnel officers do not place importance on them. Indicating nationality is also optional.

What many forget: A professional-sounding email address. olena_kovalenko@gmail.com sounds good. olenka_1990_butterfly@gmail.com does not.

In Germany, a job application photo is officially no longer mandatory — but it is still standard and expected. Those who do not include a photo stand out and leave an incomplete impression.

The photo should be professional: neutral background (white, light gray, or subtle blue), suit or neat everyday clothing depending on the industry, friendly facial expression. No vacation, selfie, or passport photo — a professional business photo taken by a photographer costs about €30–60 in Germany and looks immediately better compared to a poorly taken phone photo.

This is the crucial section — and the most difficult for migrants. You have real, valuable work experience. But the job titles, institutions, and sometimes even the activities are unfamiliar to German employers. Here are the three most important rules:

Rule 1: Reverse chronological. The most recent position is at the top. This is unfamiliar to many — but this is how the German standard expects it.

Rule 2: Name the German analogous profession in parentheses. “Nurse (equivalent to German Nursing Specialist)” or “Accountant (Analogous Profession: Tax Clerk)”. This makes the foreign qualification immediately comparable.

Rule 3: Describe activities concretely. Not just the job title, but what you actually did — in 2–3 short bullet points.

Foreign university degrees and vocational training are not automatically recognized in Germany — but that does not mean that you should hide them in your resume. On the contrary: You should include them, briefly explain them, and indicate whether a recognition process is ongoing.

If the recognition process is still ongoing: “Recognition process [profession] — ongoing (responsible authority: …)” with the expected completion date. This immediately shows the employer: The person is actively working on having their qualification recognized. This is a positive signal.

Useful website for the correct German analogous profession: anerkennung-in-deutschland.de — the official BIBB portal that helps to assign foreign professional qualifications to the German system.

The language skills section is particularly important for migrants — and at the same time, it is the one that is most often filled out incorrectly. The solution is simple: always indicate the level in parentheses and, if available, the certificate with the date.

Standard phrases for language levels without a certificate: Native language · negotiation level · fluent in spoken and written · advanced knowledge · good knowledge · basic knowledge.

Migration often leaves gaps in the resume: The time between leaving the home country and the first German job. Or a year of full-time German course. Or a break due to childcare. Hiding these gaps or simply omitting them is a mistake.

What helps instead: Fill the gap with an honest, positive entry.

In Germany, every resume ends with place, date, and signature. This is not a formality — it shows commitment and personal authenticity. Those submitting the resume digitally can either use a scanned signature or save the document as a PDF with a signature image.

Format: Frankfurt am Main, 07.06.2026 and below your name in italic or handwritten font.