Templates / German CV template

German CV template: ten designs for your Lebenslauf

Ten designs for a CV in German format, three of them free. Fill one in English or German right in your browser. No account needed to start.

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Choose a design

Example photo, AI-generatedModernPriya Sharma, UX DesignerFree · 1 CV
Use this template

Example people. Photos are AI-generated.

You can switch between designs, and your details stay.

What is free: you can fill in a design without an account. Your draft stays in your browser. To download your CV as PDF in one of the three free designs, create a free account. All ten designs and Word files are part of the pass.

Every design with a real-looking example

All people in these examples are made up.

Chen WeiSenior Software Engineer (Backend)Start from this example
Mei ZhangFinancial AnalystStart from this example
Jan BeckerSenior Strategy ConsultantStart from this example
Priya SharmaUX DesignerStart from this example
Amara OkaforHead of MarketingStart from this example
Wanjiru KamauHead of OperationsStart from this example
Tunde AdeyemiData EngineerStart from this example
Arjun MehtaData ScientistStart from this example
Maria SantosFront Office SupervisorStart from this example
Lea HoffmannBusiness GraduateStart from this example

More complete examples for 20 jobs are on German CV examples.

What makes a CV template German

These are the points German career services name, and what the Joblumi editor does for each.

Point What the editor does Source
Tabular layout Every entry has its own dates, newest first, so the CV reads as a clear table of your career LMU, KIT
Newest first Jobs and education in reverse order, the latest at the top LMU, Welcome Center RLP
One to two pages The (G)ATS Score (German ATS Score) flags a CV that runs over two pages LMU, Welcome Center RLP
Photo optional A photo field you can switch off LMU
Personal details optional The editor has no fields for date of birth, nationality or marital status, so they stay off your CV KIT
Dates as MM/YYYY Month and year for every entry LMU
Language levels Each language with its level. KIT suggests words such as “fluent” over codes like C1 KIT
Place, date, signature An optional line at the end for place and date. Sign the printout or add a scanned signature to the PDF yourself LMU, KIT
Readable by software Real text and standard headings. The (G)ATS Score checks readability for your CV in the design you chose KIT, LMU

With month and year, a reader sees at a glance how long each job lasted. The (G)ATS Score checks this too.

Word or PDF?

Send your application as PDF. LMU’s career service advises one PDF with all documents, exported from a text file, not an image (LMU). A Word file is useful if you want to keep editing your CV elsewhere or a company asks for it.

How to use a template

  1. Pick a design above, with or without photo.
  2. Fill it in, in English or German. Each field has a question mark that explains the German custom behind it.
  3. Check it. The (G)ATS Score shows what to fix before you send it.
  4. Download it as PDF in a free design with a free account, or in any design and as Word with a pass.

Already have a CV? Upload it and Joblumi puts it into a design for you.

Using a photo? Check light, sharpness and crop first.

Check my CV photo

What German recruiters check A clear structure with at most two columns, one for dates and one for content (KIT Career Service). Applicant tracking systems use CV parsers that search the CV for terms, so bar charts, dots or stars for skills don’t help (KIT).

Questions people ask

Is the German CV template free?

Three of the ten designs are free: Modern, Tabular and Harvard. Filling one in needs no account, the PDF download needs a free account. All ten designs and the Word download are part of the pass.

Can I write the template in English?

Yes. Every design works in English and German. Use the language of the job ad. To see your English CV in German, try CV in German.

Should I use the template with or without photo?

Both are fine. A photo is optional in Germany. If you have a good, professional photo, the photo version works well. If not, use the version without.

Which design is best for applicant tracking systems?

KIT’s career service advises a clear structure with at most two columns and no skill bars or dots. After you pick a design, the (G)ATS Score checks how readable your CV is in it.

How long should my CV be in the template?

One to two pages. The (G)ATS Score flags it when your CV runs over two pages, in any design.

Sources