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✦ Fortgang Institut · Work & Careers

Your German CV.
Your next chapter.

Create a clear first draft of your German Lebenslauf, learn how employers read applications, and build the language to present your experience with confidence.

Free browser-based builderEditable live previewPrint / save as PDFNo account required
The Fortgang CV Studio

Build your German CV draft.

Enter what you want to include. Your preview updates as you type. Use short, factual bullet points and tailor the final version to the vacancy. Fields are optional unless you choose to complete them.

01 / Create your draft

Complete the sections that are relevant to you. You can leave anything blank.

👤 Personal & contact details

Privacy tip: include only contact details you are comfortable sharing with an employer. A photo, date of birth, marital status and nationality are not universally required.

✦ Professional profile

Aim for specific, truthful wording. Avoid generic claims you cannot support.

💼 Professional experience

Use one role per block. Put each achievement on a new line; bullets are optional.

🎓 Education & training

🧩 Skills & tools

🌍 Languages

Use CEFR levels (A1–C2) where appropriate, and list certificates only if you hold them.

🏅 Certificates & additional details

Your information stays in this page while you use the builder. This tool has no account, upload, or server-save feature. Do not use a shared device for sensitive information; clearing the form removes the entered details from this builder.

Live Lebenslauf preview

Live preview

YOUR NAME

Professional title
Email · Phone · Location
PROFIL

A concise professional profile will appear here.

BERUFSERFAHRUNG

Add your relevant roles and achievements.

AUSBILDUNG

Add education or vocational training.

KENNTNISSE & FÄHIGKEITEN
  • Add relevant skills.
SPRACHKENNTNISSE

Add your languages and levels.

ZERTIFIKATE & WEITERE ANGABEN

Add relevant certificates or projects.

Preview only: check dates, spelling, translations and layout before applying. For long CVs, use print preview to check page breaks.

The essentials

What makes a strong Lebenslauf?

A good CV makes relevant evidence easy to find. Employers, sectors and vacancies differ, so treat these principles as a practical foundation—not rigid rules for every application.

01

Clarity before decoration

Use clear headings, consistent dates, readable typography and a logical order. A simple, text-based layout is usually safer than complicated columns or graphics.

02

Evidence, not buzzwords

Show what you did, how you did it and—when truthful—what improved. Quantify results only when you can explain and support the numbers.

03

Relevance to the vacancy

Bring the most relevant skills and experience forward. Reuse job-ad terminology naturally, but never claim qualifications or experience you do not have.

A useful distinction

Your CV is part of the application—not the whole application.

Lebenslauf is your CV; Anschreiben is a cover letter; Zeugnisse are certificates, references or supporting documents, depending on context. Follow the employer’s instructions and submit only the documents requested or relevant.

Before you send it

Check the vacancy requirements, file format, document names and submission method. Keep a copy of the version you actually sent.

Write with impact

Useful German CV phrases

Adapt these examples to your real responsibilities. Use the copy buttons to build a phrase bank for your own draft.

Ich war verantwortlich für …I was responsible for …
Ich unterstützte das Team bei …I supported the team with …
Zu meinen Aufgaben gehörten …My responsibilities included …
Ich koordinierte …I coordinated …
Ich trug dazu bei, … zu verbessern.I contributed to improving …
Quick practice

CV knowledge check

Choose the strongest general approach. There may be exceptions depending on the role and employer.

Which CV bullet is the strongest starting point?

Select an answer to see why.
German for your career

Lebenslauf vocabulary

Know the words that appear in CV templates and German job advertisements.

der LebenslaufCV / résumé
die Berufserfahrungprofessional experience
die Ausbildungeducation / vocational training
das Studiumuniversity studies
die Kenntnisseknowledge / skills
die Sprachkenntnisselanguage skills
die Qualifikationqualification
das Zeugniscertificate / reference
die Bewerbungjob application
das Anschreibencover letter
der Arbeitgeberemployer
die Stellenausschreibungjob advertisement
Avoid common pitfalls

Polish the details. Keep it honest.

✓ Do

  • Use consistent dates and job titles.
  • Put relevant experience where it is easy to see.
  • Use concise, concrete statements.
  • Proofread German spelling and grammar.
  • Check whether the employer specifies a format.
  • Export a text-readable PDF when requested.

✕ Avoid

  • Invented achievements or inflated language levels.
  • Decorative charts that obscure actual skills.
  • Unnecessary sensitive personal information.
  • Typos, inconsistent formatting or unexplained gaps.
  • Copying the same profile blindly for every role.
  • Assuming a photo or personal details are always required.
Frequently asked questions

German CV questions, answered.

Does a German CV have to include a photograph?

No. A photo is not universally required. Check the employer’s instructions and consider your privacy and preferences; a professional CV can be prepared without one.

How long should my Lebenslauf be?

There is no single length that fits every applicant. Keep it as concise as practical while including relevant experience and qualifications. Early-career applicants often need less space than experienced specialists.

Should I include my date of birth, marital status or nationality?

These details are not universally required. Include only what is necessary, appropriate to your situation, and requested by the employer or relevant process. Avoid disclosing sensitive information unnecessarily.

Can I use this builder to create a PDF?

Yes. Select “Print / Save as PDF” and choose your browser’s Save as PDF destination. Review the print preview, page breaks and text before sending it. The builder is a draft tool, not a guarantee of a flawless final document.

Will this CV automatically pass an ATS?

No tool can guarantee that. A straightforward layout, standard section headings, relevant truthful keywords and a text-based PDF can help readability, but employer systems and selection criteria vary.

Does the builder store or upload my information?

The code on this page updates the preview in your browser and does not include a CV upload or server-save feature. Your information may remain visible in the open page until you clear it or leave the page, so avoid shared devices for sensitive details.

Progress through language

Your experience deserves to be understood.

Create a clear draft, tailor it to the role, and keep strengthening the German you need to take your next step. Small improvements add up.