Country guides / Germany
German Lebenslauf Guide 2026 (English)
What does a Germany lebenslauf look like in 2026?
In 2026, a Germany lebenslauf is 1–2 pages, strictly tabular. Photo: Expected: professional headshot, ~4.5×6 cm, top right. Personal details: DOB, place of birth and nationality are customary. Dates: 03.2020 – heute (MM.YYYY). Language: German if the posting is German; English otherwise.
The German Lebenslauf is a tabular, gap-free chronology: dates in a left column, a professional photo top-right, personal data block, and traditionally a signature at the bottom. Precision signals competence.
This guide covers exactly how a Germany lebenslauf should look in 2026: the right length, whether to include a photo, which personal details belong on it, the date format, and the mistakes that get applications rejected. When you are ready, the free GlobeResume Germany resume builder applies every one of these rules for you.
Germany Lebenslauf rules at a glance
| Rule | Germany convention |
|---|---|
| Length | 1–2 pages, strictly tabular |
| Photo | Expected: professional headshot, ~4.5×6 cm, top right |
| Personal details | DOB, place of birth and nationality are customary |
| Dates | 03.2020 – heute (MM.YYYY) |
| Language | German if the posting is German; English otherwise |
| Signature | City, date + signature at the end is traditional |
How to write a Germany Lebenslauf: 5 steps
- Set up the Germany layout. Start from a Germany-correct layout (1–2 pages, strictly tabular). The free GlobeResume builder loads it automatically when you pick Germany.
- Add the expected personal details. Include exactly what Germany recruiters expect. The convention: DOB, place of birth and nationality are customary. Add a professional photo near the top.
- Write your experience with local date formats. List roles in reverse-chronological order and write dates as "03.2020 – heute (MM.YYYY)".
- Order the sections the Germany way. Follow the section order shown below, so the document reads the way local hiring teams expect.
- Check the do's and don'ts, then export. Review your lebenslauf against the checklist on this page and download it as a clean PDF.
What to put in a Germany Lebenslauf
A Germany lebenslauf is typically built from these sections, in this order:
- Profile
- Professional Experience
- Education
- Skills
- Certifications
- Languages
- Interests
What makes it specifically Germany:
- A professional photo near the top of the page.
- Your date of birth.
- Your nationality.
- Your full postal address.
- A signature and date at the bottom.
✓ Do
- Use a professional photographer's headshot, neutral background
- Account for every period; gaps must be explained (lückenlos)
- Dates left, content right, in strict tabular form
- Attach certificates (Zeugnisse) when a posting asks for them
- Sign and date the CV; it signals authenticity
✕ Don't
- Casual selfies or cropped vacation photos
- Unexplained gaps in the timeline
- Creative layouts; German recruiters want order
- Exaggeration; claims are checked against certificates
- Submitting English when the ad is written in German
💡 Photos aren't legally required (AGG anti-discrimination law), but most German employers still expect one, and a Lebenslauf without a photo can read as incomplete.
Germany Lebenslauf FAQ
- How long should a Germany lebenslauf be?
- 1–2 pages, strictly tabular
- Should a Germany lebenslauf include a photo?
- Expected: professional headshot, ~4.5×6 cm, top right
- What personal details go on a Germany lebenslauf?
- DOB, place of birth and nationality are customary
- What date format should a Germany lebenslauf use?
- 03.2020 – heute (MM.YYYY)
- Which language should I write my Germany lebenslauf in?
- German if the posting is German; English otherwise
- Can I build a Germany lebenslauf for free?
- Yes. The free GlobeResume builder applies every rule on this page automatically, previews your lebenslauf live, and exports to PDF. No login or signup is required, and everything runs in your browser, so your data never leaves your device. Paid plans add watermark-free downloads and editable Word (.docx) export.
Build your Germany Lebenslauf
GlobeResume's free Germany resume builder does the formatting for you. Pick Germany, fill in one form, and it lays out your lebenslauf with the correct length, sections, date format, photo and details, previewed live and ready to download as PDF or Word. It runs entirely in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.
No sign-up. The builder pre-loads every Germany convention from this guide.