cover letter beispiel

German Cover Letter Guide [With English Sample]

Researched & written

by Yvonne Koppen

April 24, 2024

A cover letter ( Anschreiben ) might be the least important thing of the application in some countries; however, not so in Germany. Depending on the company and recruiter receiving your application, a German cover letter might be the most essential part after your CV.

A  survey  of HR Recruiters in Germany states that 42% ignore an application without an individual cover letter. The same survey also shows that for 71% of HR, a cover letter is an essential document in a job application. A job application letter conveys your level of professionalism, research capabilities, and ability to sell yourself without much fluff. 

🖌️ Table of Contents

Simple German cover letter sample in English

A cover letter in Germany ( Anschreiben ) needs to complement  your CV , but not repeat it. You can regard a cover letter as a letter of motivation filled with examples and facts. A cover letter in Germany is a very formal document that should follow a particular layout.

Read Our Related Guide

German CV Template in English

Our German-Style CV Template In English helps you to craft a killer CV. We have also created a German cover letter sample in English for you to understand what your finished document should look like.

To save you loads of time, you can download our German cover letter template . Simply go to ‘file’ and select ‘ make a copy ‘. You can then edit it to your needs.

How to write a cover letter in Germany?

We will walk you step-by-step through the areas you should include in a German cover letter. You will also learn about what the content of the cover letter should convey. 

German cover letter formal format

As mentioned before, the German cover letter is a very formal letter that should follow the following format for it to look familiar to the German eye:

• Maximum one page and don’t fill it up completely. Leave enough white space when glancing over it.
• Put your full address, including email (ideally including your name) and phone number, in the top right corner.
• Put the company’s full address on the left with one paragraph below your address. Include the name of the contact person in the second line.
• Place the date of your application right-aligned underneath the addresses.

As you might know already, Germany has tons of rules, regulations, and guidelines. Naturally, there is also a guideline for professional letter writing and correspondence, the so-called  DIN 5008 norm . It states the following margins on a DIN A4 (standard German letter paper format):

Left margin: 2,5 cm Right margin: 2,0 cm Top margin: 4,5 cm Bottom margin: 2,5 cm

Please take this information with a grain of salt. Not following this layout does not mean that any German manager or recruiter will ignore your cover letter; however, the German eye is trained and used to reading this format. Anything appearing too much out of the ordinary might get noticed negatively. Again, you can shine with your cover letter’s content, but don’t try to stand out with the format unintentionally.

1. Subject Line

The subject line in a German cover letter needs to stand out. It needs to convey with one look what position you are applying for, and you should bold it. 

2. Salutation

The salutation is extremely important – the more personalized, the better. Reflect your understanding of the company’s culture by using the first name or last name; however it is appropriate. If you can’t find enough information or are unsure, always refer to the last name. If you can’t find the relevant person’s name, don’t be shy and pick up the phone to find out more. This shows initiative and determination.

When it comes to the cover letter’s main body, you should try to stick to four paragraphs. Remember to point out what value you will bring to the company, not what you can get from the company. Your cover letter’s content needs to reflect the expectations and requirements mentioned in the job ad. So make sure to connect the dots and position yourself ahead of other candidates.

Introduction (3 – 4 lines)

The introduction should answer why you are applying for the position and how you became aware of it (through a friend, an employee at the company, a job portal, etc.). Be confident in your word choice. Don’t use insecure words such as ‘I think I would be a good fit’ but rather ‘I am confident that I will contribute to …’.

Second paragraph (5 – 6 lines)

Now it is time to shine with your skills, experience, and qualifications. Never just list things, but choose the relevant achievements and prove them with results. Don’t only refer to achievements in your work life, but if relevant, also mention efforts with private projects. This will show your personality, drive, and willingness to learn and grow beyond what you get paid for. It is absolutely ok to also write in bullet list style in this part, as long as you don’t just list things.

Third paragraph (5 – 6 lines)

After you have showcased yourself, it is time to translate how these experiences and skills will contribute to the role and company. Convey that you have taken the time to research the company by referring to the company culture, possible awards the company has won, or projects that inspire and motivate you. Be authentic and confident.

Closure (3 – 4 lines)

To close your cover letter:

• Reemphasize your eagerness to join the company in the relevant position.
• Describe your future goals and the value you can bring to the company.
• State when you will be available to start work.
• Emphasize that you’d be happy to answer any questions via phone or in a personal interview . 
• Only mention salary expectations if they are asked for in the job ad.
• Be sure to sign the cover letter with your name. 

4. Attachments

Add the word ‘Enclosure’ ( Anlage ) underneath your signature. List all the additional documents you will hand in with your application, like your CV, certificates and diplomas, reference letter, etc.

Further cover letter and job applications tips

Don’t use the same CV and cover letter for different applications. As mentioned above, you must individualize your application to each company’s needs and requirements.

If you send your application directly by email, you have two options. You can either make the email body your cover letter. In this case, remove the address and date part from the email and place the subject line in the email’s actual subject. The body of the email remains a formal letter, though.

Or you can attach the cover letter to the email and briefly point out your application to the specific position in the body of the email, referring to the attachments. 

Ensure that any attachment always has the pdf format, regardless of whether you send it by email or upload it to an online application system. Also, pay attention to the naming of the attachments and keep it clear and professional.

Your job application, namely your resume and cover letter, should answer the recruiter’s main three questions:

• Can you do the job? (Skills)
• Will you do the job? (Motivation)
• Will you fit in with the company culture? (Personality)

Be sure to evaluate your documents based on these questions before you hand them in. The goal of your CV and cover letter is to get an invitation for a job interview .

Job Interview In Germany [How-To + Tips In English]

We hope that you now have a better understanding of how a German cover letter looks and feels like. But never forget to adapt your cover letter and application to the style of the company you are applying for. There is a big difference in culture between a young international StartUp and a big traditional German enterprise. 

Download the Cover Letter Template

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About the Author

Yvonne Koppen is a researcher and writer at Simple Germany, focusing on demystifying German bureaucracy for international skilled workers.

She has lived and worked abroad, which helps her understand how difficult a move to a new country can be. Beyond her professional pursuits, Yvonne loves to plan and go on road trips, puzzle, and do a triathlon here and there.

She is committed to creating accessible, empowering content through her writing and YouTube videos. Yvonne's passion for continuous learning and her ability to simplify complex topics make her an invaluable resource for expats seeking to navigate their new life in Germany.

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Cover Letter

Ein Beitrag von Ben Dehn

Was ist ein Cover Letter?

Kontaktinformationen & datum, anrede & betreffzeile, einleitung des cover letters, hauptteil des cover letters, schlussteil des cover letters, bewerbungs-editor - cover letter kostenlos online erstellen, cover letter muster - kostenlose vorlagen, vokabeln und beispielsätze für deinen cover letter, weitere wichtige tipps zum cover letter.

Der Cover Letter ist das englischsprachige Äquivalent zum deutschen Bewerbungsschreiben  und somit oft die erste Seite einer internationalen Bewerbung. Im Cover Letter stellst du dich und deinen bisherigen Werdegang vor, erläuterst deine Motivation und gibst einen Überblick über deine wichtigsten Qualifikationen, Kenntnisse, Soft Skills und Erfolge .

Dabei gibt es leichte Unterschiede zwischen dem amerikanischen „Cover Letter“ und dem britischen „Covering Letter“ . Bewirbst du dich in Großbritannien oder bei einem britischen Unternehmen, solltest du diese unbedingt beachten. Wir gehen in diesem Artikel daher an den jeweiligen Stellen kurz auf diese Abweichungen ein. Auf den Cover Letter folgt das Résumé (USA) bzw. CV . Deine Zeugnisse und andere Anlagen werden bei der internationalen Bewerbung meist nicht benötigt oder können später nachgereicht werden.

Mirko Bettenhausen Fachautor von bewerbung.net „Bewirbst du dich bei einem internationalen Unternehmen in Deutschland , kann ebenfalls eine englische Bewerbung gefordert werden. Wurde die Stellenausschreibung auf Englisch veröffentlicht, solltest du dich auch mit englischsprachigen Unterlagen bewerben. Oft werden Anschreiben und Lebenslauf jedoch nur übersetzt und die Struktur gleicht der einer deutschen Bewerbung . Du solltest dich daher im Voraus informieren, ob ein Cover Letter benötigt wird.“

Der Cover Letter wird ähnlich aufgebaut wie das deutsche Anschreiben. Neben Kontaktdaten und anderen Formalitäten gliedert er sich in Einleitung , Hauptteil und Schluss . 

Besonders bei der Angabe der Kontaktdaten, des Datums sowie der Formulierung einer Anrede sind hier jedoch einige Besonderheiten zu beachten. In den folgenden Abschnitten gehen wir ausführlich auf die einzelnen Bestandteile des Cover Letters ein. 

Das Bild rechts zeigt ein Beispiel für den Briefkopf eines Cover Letters .

Wichtig: Ein Cover Letter sollte maximal eine DIN-A4-Seite umfassen.

Im Kopf des Cover Letters gibst du zunächst deine eigenen Kontaktinformationen an (linksbündig, rechtsbündig oder zentriert). Dazu gehören dein Vor- und Nachname , deine E-Mail-Adresse und deine Telefonnummer . Ein Jobtitel sowie deine Adresse sind optionale Angaben. Darüber hinaus können Verweise auf Social-Media-Kanäle ( LinkedIn oder Twitter), eine Homepage oder das eigene Portfolio integriert werden. 

Nach 1-2 Leerzeilen folgen linksbündig die Daten des Unternehmens . Hier gibst du den Namen und Jobtitel deines Ansprechpartners sowie Namen und Adresse des Unternehmens an. Das aktuelle Datum wird eine Zeile unter den Kontaktdaten des Unternehmens rechtsbündig platziert. Bei der amerikanischen Datumsangabe wird der Monat vor dem Tag genannt: 01.09.2021 wird zu 09-01-2021. Um Missverständnisse zu vermeiden, solltest du den Monat ausschreiben . Zudem steht vor der Jahreszahl ein Komma. 

Beispiele für die amerikanische Datumsangabe: 

September 1, 2021 

September 1st, 2021

Beispiele für die britische Datumsangabe: 

01 September 2021 

1st September 2021

Dieses Team bringt 4 von 5 Personen ins Vorstellungsgespräch! Durch mehr als 10 Jahre Erfahrung und Expertise aus über 50.000 erstellten Bewerbungen verhelfen Die Bewerbungsschreiber auch dir mit einer professionellen und individuell auf dich zugeschnittenen Bewerbung zum Erfolg . Klicke hier und hol dir die beste Bewerbung deines Lebens

Deinen Cover Letter solltest du nach Möglichkeit immer an einen konkreten Ansprechpartner adressieren. In der Regel findest du diesen über die Stellenanzeige oder die Unternehmenswebsite heraus, in Ausnahmefällen ist eine telefonische Kontaktaufnahme notwendig. 

Männliche Personen werden mit „Mr.“ adressiert, weibliche mit „Ms.“ (allgemeingültig) oder „Mrs.“ (nur bei verheirateten Frauen). In der britischen Variante wird der Punkt weggelassen. Im Gegensatz zum deutschen Anschreiben ist das Komma nach der Anrede optional .

Beispiele für die Anrede im amerikanischen Cover Letter: 

Dear Mr. Doe 

Dear Ms. Doe

Dear Mrs. Doe

Beispiele für die Anrede im britischen Cover Letter: 

Dear Mr Doe

Dear Ms Doe

Dear Mrs Doe

Kannst du keinen Ansprechpartner in Erfahrung bringen, sind z.B. folgende Formulierungen möglich: 

Dear Hiring Manager 

Dear Sir/Madam

Dear [Abteilung] Team

Im amerikanischen Cover Letter wird die Betreffzeile weggelassen . In der britischen Variante steht sie dagegen zwischen der Anrede und der Einleitung.

Die Einleitung des Cover Letters besteht aus einem Absatz, in dem du dich kurz vorstellst und deine Motivation für die Bewerbung erläuterst . Bist du begeistert von den Produkten des Unternehmens, vertrittst ähnliche Werte oder möchtest mehr Verantwortung übernehmen? 

An dieser Stelle kannst du bereits 1-2 deiner Kernqualifikationen (z.B. relevante Berufserfahrung ) einfließen lassen.

Außerdem kannst du angeben, wie du auf die Stelle aufmerksam geworden bist oder auf ein vorangegangenes Gespräch (Telefon, Messe etc.) Bezug nehmen. Wenn du einen persönlichen Bezug zu dem Unternehmen hast, kannst du in der Einleitung des Cover Letters darauf eingehen.

Wie beim deutschen Anschreiben gilt auch hier: Verwende keine Floskeln! Die Einleitung des Cover Letters ist oft das Erste, was ein Personaler liest. Daher ist es wichtig, dass du hier Interesse weckst und einen guten ersten Eindruck hinterlässt .

Beispielformulierungen für die Einleitung eines Cover Letters: 

„Having read the job listing at website XY, I was excited about the opportunity to work at Example Company, a company I have always admired for its innovative use of Social Media Marketing. As an Online Marketing specialist with over 3 years of professional experience supervising the content creation process at Previous Company, I am looking forward to joining your team as a Content Manager.“  

„Becoming a game designer at Example Company has been a lifelong dream of mine that I have worked towards the past 4 years. While in university, I have finished and contributed to multiple different game projects in various genres.“

Im Hauptteil des Cover Letters geht es darum, dich als bestmöglichen Kandidaten für die ausgeschriebene Stelle zu präsentieren. Identifiziere zunächst die wichtigsten Anforderungen an einen Bewerber , welche fast immer in der Stellenanzeige zu finden sind. Im Cover Letter solltest du auf die geforderten Qualifikationen Bezug nehmen . 

Achte jedoch darauf, dass du nicht bloß Stichpunkte aus der Ausschreibung wiederholst und nutze andere Quellen wie z.B. die Unternehmenswebsite oder dein persönliches Netzwerk, um dich über dein zukünftiges Aufgabenprofil zu informieren.

Wird in der Stellenausschreibung relevante Berufserfahrung vorausgesetzt, solltest du in deinem Cover Letter auf frühere Beschäftigungen eingehen und die Tätigkeiten nennen , die für die Position, auf die du dich bewirbst, am relevantesten sind.

Belege sowohl deine fachlichen Qualifikationen als auch deine Soft Skills mit Erfolgen, praktischen Erfahrungen (z.B. Projekte) oder sogar Hobbys . Die Nennung konkreter Zahlen und Fakten ist sinnvoll, sofern diese aussagekräftig sind. Wichtig ist, dass du im Cover Letter deutlich machst, inwiefern du dem Unternehmen einen Mehrwert bietest. 

Bei Bewerbungen in den USA ist es üblich, noch selbstbewusster aufzutreten als wir es in Deutschland gewohnt sind. Stelle daher im amerikanischen Cover Letter deine  Erfolge in den Vordergrund . 

Spätestens im Hauptteil solltest du außerdem deutlich machen, weshalb du zur Unternehmenskultur passt . Wenn nicht bereits in der Einleitung geschehen, nennst du hier deine Motivation und gehst darauf ein, inwiefern du die Werte des Unternehmens teilst und/oder mit deiner Arbeitsweise besonders gut in das Team passt. 

Beispielformulierungen für die Angabe der Berufserfahrung & Erfolge:

„As an online marketing manager at Example Company, I have managed to increase the effectiveness of our paid advertising campaigns significantly.“  

„As a Sales Representative at Example Company, I managed to beat the KPIs by more than 30%, generating an average of $50,000 in sales per month.“

„Since 2015, I successfully grew Example Company’s client base by more than 40%.“

„During my final year at Example University, I was in charge of managing the budget for the film festival held at my university every five years.“

Beispielformulierungen für die Angabe deiner Soft Skills: 

„As a part of the customer service team at Example Company, I have been successful at solving problems with my strong communication skills and the ability to cater to the specific needs of our customers.“  

„With my track record of commercial success as well as strong leadership and mediation skills, I am confident that I will be able to contribute to your team’s success immediately.“

Beispielformulierungen für den Unternehmensbezug und die Angabe deiner Motivation:

„I have recently learned about Example Company’s plans to promote the new product line on several Social Media platforms. With my experience managing various channels at my previous job, I would love to leverage my knowledge to turn this project into a groundbreaking success.“ 

„My time spent in the service industry has prepared me for this opportunity, and I look forward to working as a member of your team.“

Versuche, im Hauptteil deines Cover Letters auf die spezifischen Bedürfnisse des Unternehmens einzugehen . Sucht das Unternehmen Verstärkung für ein anstehendes Projekt? Dann mache deutlich, welche Rolle du dabei einnimmst und wie du mit deinen Fähigkeiten zum Projekterfolg beitragen kannst. Das gilt besonders im Anschreiben einer internationalen Initiativbewerbung , auch als „letter of interest“ bezeichnet. 

Beende deinen Cover Letter mit einem „ Call to Action “, indem du deine Bereitschaft zu einem Vorstellungsgespräch ausdrückst und ggf. auf die Möglichkeit einer Kontaktaufnahme hinweist. Außerdem kannst du dich für das Sichten deiner Bewerbungsunterlagen bedanken . 

Wenn du unsicher bist, ob Zeugnisse o.ä. benötigt werden, kannst du erwähnen, dass du gern dazu bereit bist, diese nachzureichen . 

Das amerikanische und britische Äquivalent zum deutschen „ Mit freundlichen Grüßen “ lautet „Yours sincerely“ . Mit dieser Grußformel machst du nichts falsch. Als Alternative sind auch „Best Regards“ oder „Kind Regards“ möglich. 

Wenn du kein Komma nach der Anrede gesetzt hast, solltest du es auch hier weglassen. Beende deinen Cover Letter mit deiner handschriftlichen Signatur (empfohlen) oder deinem Namen.

Beispielformulierungen für den Schlussteil des Cover Letters: 

„Thank you for reviewing my application. Do not hesitate to reach out if you have further questions. I look forward to discussing this position and my qualifications in detail during a personal meeting.” 

“I look forward to discussing how my specific skill set can provide value to Example Company’s customers.”

Du wechselst den Beruf oder bewirbst dich in einer neuen Branche? Dann solltest du im Cover Letter deutlich machen, inwiefern du als Quereinsteiger mit deinem möglicherweise ungewöhnlichen Profil einen besonderen Mehrwert für das Unternehmen bietest. Fokussiere dich nicht auf deine fehlende Berufserfahrung , sondern frage dich: Welche Qualifikationen bringe ich mit, die ein „normaler Bewerber“ nicht vorweisen kann? An dieser Stelle darfst du gern kreativ werden. Vor allem Soft Skills wie Kundenorientierung sind sehr gut übertragbar.  

Mit unserem Bewerbungs-Editor kannst du deinen Cover Letter direkt in deinem Webbrowser verfassen . Die eingerahmte Bewerbungsvorlage kannst du vollständig nach deinen Vorstellungen umschreiben – probiere es doch direkt mal aus! Nachdem du alle gewünschten Änderungen vorgenommen hast, kannst du deinen Text ganz einfach kopieren und in ein Textverarbeitungsprogramm (z.B. Microsoft Word) einfügen. Wir wünschen dir viel Spaß!

Maria Mustermann Musterstraße 123 12345 Musterstadt [email protected] 0171 23456789

Good Employer Inc. Mr. John Doe 123 Main Street 12345 Springfield

Musterstadt, TT.MM.JJJJ

Application as Production Manager

Dear Mr. Doe As a pro-active management expert with 20 years of professional experience, I am now in search of a new challenge that allows me to realize my full potential. A position as Production Manager at Good Employer Inc. offers me the opportunity to utilize my complete expertise. Joining an innovative company that I have come to know as a trustworthy employer with high standards in sustainable production processes truly motivates me. Most recently I was employed as Team Leader at Not So Good Employer Corp., where I created and implemented new standards in customer service and was responsible for technical support along the entire production chain. Working closely with various manufacturers, suppliers and global trade partners, I have accumulated a lot of experience in the production industry, which includes planning, coordinating and supervising production safety, as well as technical support and quality standards. I deeply understand all aspects and complexities required for an effective production management. As far as my personal attributes are concerned, my flexibility and quick perception allow for an easy adaption to new tasks and work environments. Always looking for ways to improve and gain a competitive edge, I am motivated to bring new ideas and processes into reality. You may also assume native German and even advanced knowledge of the French language. Exceedingly motivated, I look forward to the chance to support your company. Thank you very much for taking the time to review my application. In order to convince you of my capabilities, I would welcome the opportunity of a personal interview! Kind regards

Unterschrift

Ein ansprechendes Bewerbungsdesign verleiht deiner Bewerbung den letzten Schliff, sodass diese aus der Masse heraussticht und die Aufmerksamkeit der Personaler erregt. Wir haben dir zwei kostenlose Vorlagen inkl. Mustertexten im Microsoft Word-Format bereitgestellt, welche du als Inspiration für die Erstellung deiner Unterlagen verwenden kannst. Lade sie dir jetzt herunter!

Anschreiben Vorlage Amerika

Anschreiben Vorlage Großbritannien

Neben den oben gezeigten Vorlagen findest du bei uns viele weitere kostenlose Muster für Anschreiben, Deckblatt und Lebenslauf einer Bewerbung.

In diesem Abschnitt findest du verschiedene Vokabeln und Beispielsätze, die du in deinem Cover Letter verwenden kannst. Bedenke jedoch, dass jeder Cover Letter individuell und auf die jeweilige Position zugeschnitten sein sollte. 

Erfahrung: 

„(mehr als) fünf Jahre Berufserfahrung als...“ = „(over) five years of experience working as...“

„umfangreiche Erfahrung auf dem Gebiet…“ = „extensive experience in the field of...“

„Als Social Media-Manager...“ = „In my role as Social Media Manager...“

„Ich war für die Kampagne verantwortlich“ = „I was responsible for the campaign“

„Ich konnte zum Projekterfolg beitragen, indem...“ = „I was able to contribute to the success of the project by...“

„Als Teamleiter konnte ich unseren Umsatz um 20% steigern“ = „As team leader I was able to increase our sales by 20%“

„(äußerst) erfolgreiche Kampagnen“ = „(highly) successful campaigns“

„unmittelbarer Erfolg“ = „immediate success“

„ein Ziel erreichen“ = „meeting a goal“

„verbessern“ = „improve“

„Erfolge“ = „achievements“

Kenntnisse: 

„umfangreiche Kenntnisse“ = „extensive knowledge“

„fortgeschrittene Kenntnisse“ = „advanced knowledge“

„Ich habe mich auf E-Mail-Marketing spezialisiert“ = „I specialized in email marketing“

„Fachkenntnisse“ = „expertise“

„Qualifikationen“ = „qualifications“

Soft Skills: 

„Führungsstärke“ = „strong leadership skills“

„Belastbarkeit“ = „resilience“

„Teamfähigkeit“ = „ability to work as part of a team“

„Kreativität“ = „creativity“

„Zuverlässigkeit“ = „reliability“

„Stressresistenz“ = „stress tolerance“

„Geduld“ = „patience“

„Sorgfalt“ = „diligence“

Motivation:

„Chance, zum Wachstum/Erfolg des Unternehmens beizutragen“ = „opportunity to contribute to the company's growth/success“

„spannende Gelegenheit“ = „exciting opportunity“

„Begeisterung für das Marketing“ = „passion for marketing“

„Herausforderungen“ = „challenges“

Verwende eine seriöse E-Mail-Adresse: Deine E-Mail enthält im Idealfall lediglich deinen Vor- und/oder Nachnamen. Außerdem solltest du nicht die Adresse deines Arbeitgebers benutzen – das gilt als unhöflich. 

Achte auf deine (Selbst)Darstellung im Internet: Auch internationale Arbeitgeber überprüfen oft die Social Media-Profile eines Bewerbers. Private Inhalte sind auf Facebook, Instagram und co. natürlich unproblematisch, dennoch sollte hier kein unprofessioneller Eindruck entstehen.

Vermeide Wiederholungen und unwichtige Informationen: Alle Informationen in deinem Cover Letter sollten für die Stelle, auf die du dich bewirbst, von Relevanz sein. Achte zudem darauf, dass du nicht lediglich die Inhalte aus deinem CV oder Résumé auflistest, sondern die wichtigsten Stationen nennst und genauer erläuterst.

Stelle einen individuellen Unternehmensbezug her: Zeige in deinem Cover Letter, dass du dich ausführlich mit dem Unternehmen beschäftigt hast. Erwähne z.B. nicht nur, dass ein Unternehmen als „innovativ“ gilt, sondern nenne konkrete Produkte.

Passe deinen Cover Letter sprachlich an das Unternehmen an: Bewirbst du dich bei einem Start-Up in einer kreativen Branche, kannst du deinen Cover Letter lockerer und persönlicher formulieren. Nutze alle verfügbaren Quellen, um mehr über die Unternehmenskultur herauszufinden und achte auch auf die in der Stellenanzeige verwendete Sprache.

Achte darauf, dass dein Cover Letter fehlerfrei ist: Rechtschreib- und Grammatikfehler sind in keiner Sprache gerne gesehen. Achte daher auf einen fehlerlosen Text, welchen du mehrfach Probelesen solltest. Frage auch Familie oder Bekannte (bestenfalls einen Muttersprachler), ob sie einen Blick auf deinen Cover Letter werfen können.

Autor: Ben Dehn

Ben entschied sich nach seinem Lehramtsstudium dazu, seinen Weg zunächst im Journalismus zu bestreiten. Nach sieben Jahren bei Print, Online und Radio heuerte er 2013 bei der webschmiede GmbH an und betreute im „Die Bewerbungsschreiber“ Team Personen auf sämtlichen Hierarchieebenen. Durch seine Tätigkeit konnte er sein Know-how im Karrierebereich stetig vertiefen. Heute schreibt Ben Dehn hilfreiche Fachartikel, hält Vorträge und gibt Interviews, Workshops & Seminare.

Zu Bens Autorenprofil

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Cover Letter: Tipps + Beispiele zur englischen Bewerbung

Für die englische Bewerbung benötigen Sie einen Cover Letter. Er entspricht dem deutschen Bewerbungsschreiben und bildet – zusammen mit dem Curriculum Vitae (CV = Lebenslauf) den Kern Ihrer Bewerbungsunterlagen. Beim Schreiben des Cover Letter sollten Sie auf feine, aber wichtige Unterschiede achten. Auch zwischen der britischen und amerikanischen Variante. Wir zeigen Ihnen, wie Sie eine erfolgreiche Bewerbung auf Englisch erstellen und einen professionellen Cover Letter formulieren…

▾ Inhalt: Das alles erwartet Sie!

ist Gründer der Karrierebibel sowie Autor mehrerer Bestseller, TV-Jobcoach, Speaker und Experte für Jobwechsel, Gehalt & Online-Business.

Cover Letter Deutsch: Bedeutung + Synonyme

Der Cover Letter (auch „Covering Letter“ oder „Application Letter“) entspricht dem deutschen Anschreiben und gehört zwingend zu der Bewerbung auf Englisch . Wer sich für einen internationalen Job im Ausland , speziell in Großbritannien oder in den USA bewirbt, muss allerdings mehr tun, als das deutsche Bewerbungsschreiben ins Englische zu übersetzen. Es gibt zahlreiche Unterschiede und Besonderheiten. Das geht schon beim Begriff selbst los…

Cover Letter Übersetzung: Bezeichnungen

Falls Sie sich auf eine internationale Stellenanzeige bewerben, achten Sie bitte genau auf die folgenden Bezeichnungen. Sie klingen ähnlich, meinen aber unterschiedliche Dokumente:

• Cover Letter = American English (AE)
• Covering Letter = British English (BE)
• Motivation(al) Letter = Begleitschreiben
• Letter of Motivation = Motivationsschreiben
• Curriculum Vitae = Britischer Lebenslauf
• Resume = Amerikanischer Lebenslauf

Cover Letter: Aufbau + Inhalt

Wie ist ein Letter of Application aufgebaut? Wie in Deutschland ist auch der englische Cover Letter nicht länger als eine DIN A4 Seite. Klassisch wird er in fünf Abschnitte unterteilt:

• Briefkopf Absender, Empfänger, Datum, Betreffzeile
• Einleitung Anrede, Einstieg
• Hauptteil Motivation, Bezug zum Unternehmen, Alleinstellungsmerkmale
• Schluss Hinweis auf persönliches Kennenlernen, Call-to-action
• Grußformel & Unterschrift

Erinnert im Kern an das deutsche Bewerbungsanschreiben. Die Tücken lauern allerdings in den Details. Um die kümmern wir uns jetzt. Schritt für Schritt.

Der Cover Letter beginnt mit den persönlichen Kontaktdaten : Vor- und Nachname, Anschrift, Wohnort, Telefon und eMail-Adresse. Weil es sich um eine internationale Bewerbung handelt, sollten Sie die Postleitzahl (PLZ) um den Zusatz „D“ für Deutschland ergänzen (falls das Ihr Wohnort ist) sowie bei der Telefonnummer die internationale Vorwahl (+49) hinzufügen, damit man Sie erreichen kann. Beispiel:

Max Muster Beispielweg 1 D-12345 Musterstadt Deutschland / Germany Phone: (+49) 2345 – 67 89 00 Mail: [email protected]

Wer mag, kann zusätzlich 1-2 Links zu seinem Linkedin-Profil, einer Bewerbungshomepage oder einem Bewerbungsvideo ergänzen.

Den Empfänger und dessen Anschrift entnehmen Sie der Stellenanzeige oder recherchieren diese im Impressum der Unternehmenswebsite. Ob Sie Ihre Adresse linksbündig, rechtsbündig oder mittig arrangieren, bleibt Ihnen überlassen. Der Adressat wird allerdings immer linksbündig gesetzt.

Hier lauert bereits der erste größere Bewerbungsfehler . Im Deutschen folgt das Datumsformat der Regel TT.MM.JJJJ – mit TT für Tag, MM für Monat und JJJJ für die Jahreszahl. Alle drei werden mit einem Punkt voneinander getrennt. Im Englischen gibt es gleich mehrere Varianten – allerdings immer OHNE Punkt dazwischen!

• 06 November 2022
• 6th November 2022
• 06 Nov 2022
• 6th Nov 2022

ACHTUNG: In den USA werden Tag und Monat vertauscht. Das Datum 06-11-2022 entspräche in Europa dem 6. November 2022 – in den USA ist aber der 11. Juni 2022 gemeint! Zudem können Sie das Datum im amerikanischen Anschreiben auch ausschreiben. Dann wird die Jahreszahl mit Komma abgetrennt. Beispiele:

• November 6, 2022
• November the 6th, 2022

Betreffzeile

Die Betreffzeile heißt im Englischen „subject line“ und kann – im Gegensatz zu Deutschland – auch mit dem vorangestellten Wort „SUBJECT:“ beginnen. Im amerikanischen Cover Letter fällt der Betreff allerdings grundsätzlich weg.

Auch bei der englischen Bewerbung sollten Sie den Cover Letter immer persönlich an einen Ansprechpartner adressieren. Falls der nicht in der Stellenanzeige steht: unbedingt recherchieren ! „To Whom it May Concern“ ist tabu!

Wichtig bei der englischen Anrede : Nach ihr folgt KEIN Komma (wie im Deutschen). Also zum Beispiel:

• Dear Mr Johnson (= „Sehr geehrter Herr Johnson,“)
• Dear Ms Graham (= „Sehr geehrte Frau Graham,“)

„Dear Mrs Wright“ schreiben Sie wiederum nur , wenn Sie wissen, dass Ihre Ansprechpartnerin verheiratet ist. Sollte sich partout kein Ansprechpartner ermitteln lassen, schreiben Sie als Pendant zu „ Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren „: „Dear Sirs“ oder „Dear Sir or Madam“. Alternativ gehen auch: „Dear hiring Manager“ oder „Dear Recruiter“.

ACHTUNG: Akademische Titel – falls bekannt – müssen in der Anrede unbedingt genannt werden. Im Britischen Englisch werden diese ohne Punkt geschrieben: „Dear Dr Johnson“. Der erste Satz nach der Anrede beginnt zudem immer mit einem Großbuchstaben.

Der Einleitung kommt auch im Cover Letter besondere Bedeutung zu: Sie sollte wie in Deutschland Interesse wecken sowie originell und individuell verfasst sein. In der Regel werden Sie sich im ersten Absatz kurz vorstellen und erklären, auf welche Stelle Sie sich bewerben. Geben Sie einen kurzen Überblick: Welche Abschlüsse haben Sie? Auf welchem Gebiet besitzen Sie Expertise? Beispiele:

• „It was with great interest that I read the advertisement for…“
• „I see from your advertisement in (newspaper) that you are looking for a…“
• „Please accept this letter as my enthusiastic application for the position…“
• „I am very interested in pursuing this exceptional opportunity…“

Formulierungen für originelle Einleitungssätze

Besonders professionell wirkt, wenn Sie die Einleitung nicht mit einem „I“ (= Ich) beginnen. Das wirkt häufig zu selbstbezogen. Alternativ können Sie sich an folgenden bewährten Einleitungssätzen orientieren:

Einstiege für die Initiativbewerbung

Wie im Deutschen kommt jetzt der anspruchvollste Teil: Sie müssen Ihre Vorzüge für den Arbeitgeber herausstreichen, ohne nur den Lebenslauf zu wiederholen. Nur so bietet die Lektüre auch einen Mehrwert. In 2-3 Absätzen führen Sie jetzt aus, warum das Unternehmen Sie einstellen sollte und worin der Vorteil liegt.

Belegen sollten Sie das Ganze mit Beispielen aus Ihrer Vita: Was haben Sie in welcher Zeit mit welchen Mitteln erreicht? Liefern Sie messbare Fakten, Ergebnisse und Erfolge. Das überzeugt am meisten – lieblose 08/15-Formulierungen nicht. Gute Beispiele zur Inspiration:

• „I have been working at (Firmenname) for four years now and gained valuable experience in (Tätigkeiten)…“
• „It is a challenging position for which I believe I am well qualified…“
• „My particular area of effectiveness is (Expertise)…“

Deutsche Bewerber sollten zusätzlich beschreiben , warum sie im Ausland arbeiten wollen oder einen Auslandsaufenthalt planen. Speziell was sie sich davon erhoffen, interessiert Personaler.

Beispiele für berufliche Erfahrung

Ziel der Bewerbung ist natürlich die Einladung zum Vorstellungsgespräch . Deshalb sollten Sie am Ende des englischen Anschreibens einen sogenannten Call-to-action formulieren. Also eine Handlungsaufforderung, die den Personaler aktiviert.

• „Thank you for considering me for this very important position.“
• „If you require any additional information, please feel free to contact me at (E-Mail-Adresse) or call on (Telefonnummer). Thank you for taking the time to read my application. I look forward to hearing from you.“
• „I look forward with enthusiasm to an opportunity for an interview.“
• „I look forward to meeting you in person and hope to hear from you soon.“

Wer seine Bewerbungsunterlagen schlank gehalten hat , kann im Schlusssatz noch einen Hinweis ergänzen, auf Wunsch weitere Dokumente nachzureichen. Die entsprechende englische Formulierung dafür lautet: „Please let me know if you require any additional information.“

Weitere Beispiele für den Schlusssatz

Den Cover Letter beenden Sie mit einer knappen Grußformel : „Yours sincerely“ entspricht dem deutschen „Mit freundlichen Grüßen“. Falls Sie keinen Ansprechpartner finden konnten ist die Schlussformel „Yours faithfully“ (= „Hochachtungsvoll“) üblicher.

ACHTUNG: Das Komma nach „Yours sincerely“ oder „Yours faithfully“ ist optional, sollte aber nur verwendet werden, wenn Sie auch in der Anrede ein Komma gesetzt haben. Ansonsten lassen Sie es in der englischen Grußformel weg. In jedem Fall müssen Sie hierbei konsequent bleiben.

Danach folgt nur noch eine eigenhändige Unterschrift. Bei der eMail-Bewerbung reicht natürlich auch eine eingescannte.

Bewerbung Unterschiede im Überblick: UK vs. USA

Fehler im Cover Letter vermeiden

Die Groß- und Kleinschreibung im Englischen folgt anderen Regeln als die deutsche. Hier schleichen sich gerne weitere Fehler ein. Lassen Sie Ihre Bewerbung daher immer nochmal korrekturlesen – am besten von einem Native Speaker, also Muttersprachler. Enthält der Cover Letter mehr als zwei grobe Grammatik- oder Rechtschreibfehler, wirkt sich das nachteilig aus.

Mit der Anmeldung zum Newsletter gibt es in den kommenden 4 Tagen täglich eine neue Folge unserer exklusiven Video-Serie zum Kennenlernen. Danach folgt unser regulärer Newsletter mit wertvollen Karrieretipps, Impulsen sowie exklusiven Deals und Rabatten. Die Einwilligung zum Empfang kann jederzeit widerrufen werden. Dazu gibt es am Ende jeder Mail einen Abmeldelink. Die Angabe des Vornamens ist freiwillig und dient zur Personalisierung. Die Anmeldedaten, deren Protokollierung, der Versand und eine Auswertung des Leseverhaltens werden über Klick-Tipp verarbeitet. Mehr Infos dazu findest du in unserer Datenschutzerklärung .

Cover Letter: Sample (Vorlage Word)

Gerne stellen wir Ihnen hier ein kostenloses Muster als Download zur Verfügung. Das Cover Letter Sample können Sie sich hier als Word-Vorlage herunterladen:

Download: Cover Letter Vorlage Word

Wann brauche ich einen Cover Letter?

Die englische Bewerbung brauchen Sie nicht nur bei der Jobsuche im Ausland. Zahlreiche internationale Unternehmen, die in Deutschland angesiedelt sind, verlangen ebenfalls ein Bewerbungsschreiben oder Lebenslauf auf Englisch. Nutzen sollten Sie die Bewerbung auf Englisch hierzulande natürlich nur, wenn sie explizit verlangt wird. Darüber hinaus eignet sie sich in diesen Fällen:

• Universität im Ausland ( Auslandssemester , Praxissemester)
• Praktikum im Ausland (= Internship)
• Bewerbung als Au-Pair
• Stelle im Ausland
• Stelle im Inland (globales Unternehmen)

Englische Bewerbungsunterlagen: Regeln für Anlagen

Auch in den USA und UK ist die Online-Bewerbung auf dem Vormarsch. Sollten Sie dort vollständige Unterlagen einreichen wollen ( Initiativbewerbung ) oder müssen (Stellenanzeige!) sollten Sie folgende Regeln beachten:

• Der Lebenslauf ist die wichtigste Anlage, die im Cover Letter genannt wird.
• Kein Deckblatt – bei der englischen Bewerbung unüblich.
• Keine Arbeitszeugnisse – umso wichtiger sind 1-3 Referenzen .
• Referenzliste angeben – der Ort dafür: der CV beziehungsweise das Resume.
• Personal Achievements – Liste mit erfolgreichen Projekten ist optional.

Was andere Leser dazu gelesen haben

• Vorstellungsgespräch auf Englisch : Tipps zur Vorbereitung
• Englisches Arbeitszeugnis: Darauf sollten Sie achten
• Englischkenntnisse: Wie wichtig sind sie?

Hier gerne weiterlesen:

Cover Letter

Du brauchst Hilfe bei deinem englischen Cover Letter ? Kein Problem! In unserem Beitrag und im Video erklären wir dir Schritt für Schritt den perfekten Aufbau anhand von Beispielen und Mustern. 

Was ist ein Cover Letter?

Wann brauche ich einen cover letter, wie ist ein cover letter aufgebaut, muster & formulierungen: cover letter for job applications, dos & don’ts: cover letter for job applications, cover letter – häufigste fragen, lebenslauf auf englisch.

Der Cover Letter ist ein englisches Anschreiben , also die erste Seite deiner Bewerbung. Hier hast du die Chance, direkt einen positiven Eindruck zu hinterlassen. Du beschreibst nämlich deine beruflichen  Erfahrungen , deine Fähigkeiten und deine Ziele . Anders als beim Lebenslauf ( CV / Resume ) präsentierst du die Informationen aber in einem Fließtext .

Der Cover Letter ist in Unternehmen aus den USA oder Kanada beliebt. In Großbritannien gibt es hingegen den „ letter of application “ oder den „covering letter“. Nicht nur die Bezeichnung ist eine andere, sondern auch der Stil weicht ab. Beim amerikanischen Cover Letter solltest du etwas weniger als eine Seite schreiben und den Fokus auf die Highlights deiner Karriere legen.

Gleich erfährst du, welche Besonderheiten noch zu beachten sind, wie ein Cover Letter aufgebaut ist und mit welchen Formulierungen du überzeugen kannst! Sieh dir zunächst unser Muster an:

• Studyflix_Muster-US-cover-letter-for-a-job

Der Cover Letter ist in der Regel Teil einer Bewerbung auf Englisch . Diese brauchst du beispielsweise, wenn du dich auf eine Stelle oder einen Praktikumsplatz im Ausland bewirbst. Aber auch in Deutschland fordern Unternehmen mit internationalen Kontakten häufiger englische Bewerbungsunterlagen , unter anderem den Cover Letter. Welches Dokument von dir erwartet wird, kann die genaue Bezeichnung verraten:

• Cover Letter: amerikanisches Anschreiben
• Covering Letter / Letter of Application: britisches Anschreiben
• Curriculum Vitae: britischer Lebenslauf
• Resume: amerikanischer Lebenslauf
• Letter of Motivation: Motivationsschreiben

✅ Du kannst zeigen, dass deine Persönlichkeit zum Unternehmen passt. ✅ Deine Erfahrungen, Stärken und Interessen kannst du ausformulieren. ✅ Es gibt verschiedene Möglichkeiten, deine Motivation zu betonen. ✅ Du kannst beweisen, dass du dich gut über den Arbeitgeber informiert hast. ✅ Deine Argumente zeigen, dass du dem Unternehmen einen Mehrwert bietest. 

Der Cover Letter ist im Grunde eine kurze Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Informationen über dich und deinen Werdegang. Damit er übersichtlich bleibt, solltest du dich auf maximal eine DIN A4 Seite beschränken und eine klare Struktur nutzen:

Der typische Aufbau eines Cover Letters erinnert also an das deutsche Anschreiben. Trotzdem solltest du dieses nicht einfach 1:1 übersetzen. Im amerikanischen Cover Letter überzeugst du beispielsweise mehr durch selbstbewusstes Auftreten und das Hervorheben deiner größten Leistungen . Außerdem solltest du dich möglichst kurzfassen . 

1. Kontaktinformationen

Bevor du dir Gedanken über den Inhalt machst, solltest du alle wichtigen Informationen oben auf der Seite angeben. Nenne zunächst deine Kontaktdaten , damit das Unternehmen dich erreichen kann:

• Name und ggf. Jobbezeichnung
• ggf. Anschrift
• Telefonnummer & E-Mail Adresse
• ggf. Verweis auf eigene Homepage oder Profil in sozialem Netzwerk

Tipp: Bewirbst du dich im Ausland, gibst du bei der Anschrift am besten die Postleitzahl mit dem Buchstaben D (für Deutschland) davor an. Bei deiner Telefonnummer ergänzt du noch die Vorwahl +49 . 

Mit 1-2 Leerzeilen Abstand nennst du dann die Daten des Empfängers:

• Name des Empfängers
• Name des Unternehmens
• ggf. Anschrift des Unternehmens

Anschließend setzt du das aktuelle Datum rechtsbündig über den Text. Beachte, dass sich britische und amerikanische Datumsangaben voneinander unterscheiden:

• amerikanische Datumsangabe: July 5th , 2024 07 / 05 /2024  
• britische Datumsangabe:  5th July 2024 05 / 07 /2024

Tipp: Es gibt noch weitere Möglichkeiten, das Datum auf Englisch anzugeben. Mehr dazu erfährst du hier . 

Du kannst gleich am Anfang deines Cover Letters punkten, indem du dich an einen konkreten Ansprechpartner  richtest. Den Namen findest du meist auf der Website des Unternehmens oder in der Stellenanzeige. Achte auch darauf, ob die Person einen bestimmten Titel (z. B. Doktortitel) hat. Diesen solltest du in der Anrede auch nennen.

• Dear Mr. Smith / Dear Ms. Smith / Dear Dr. Smith (amerikanisch)
• Dear Mr Smith / Dear Ms Smith / Dear Dr Smith (britisch)

Für den Fall, dass du den Namen nicht herausfinden konntest, gibt es verschiedene Möglichkeiten. Die allgemeinen Formulierungen „Dear Sir or Madam“ oder „To whom it may concern“ werden öfter genutzt, gelten jedoch teils als veraltet oder zu formell. Gute Alternativen sind:

• Dear Hiring Manager
• Dear [Abteilung] Team

Einen Betreff gibst du im US Cover Letter nicht an. Im britischen „covering letter for a job application“ ist das üblicher. Betreff nennst du hier „subject“ . 

Tipp: In Großbritannien wird nach der Anrede und Grußformel meist kein Komma gesetzt. In den USA dagegen schon. 

4. Einleitung

Mit einem spannenden Einleitungssatz weckst du das Interesse des Lesers. Verzichte deshalb lieber auf Standardfloskeln. Hier sind ein paar Möglichkeiten für einen interessanten  Einstieg :

• Beschreibe deine größten bisherigen Erfolge.
• Betone deine Motivation und Begeisterung für das Unternehmen.
• Stelle einen persönlichen Bezug zum Unternehmen her.
• Nenne ein Ereignis oder eine Person, die dich auf die Stelle aufmerksam gemacht hat.

Gleichzeitig erklärst du, wer du überhaupt bist und worauf du dich bewirbst. Hier siehst du zwei Beispiele : 

• As a great admirer of the […] Inc., I was excited to see your offer for a […] position. I would like to use my skills as an experienced […] and contribute to your company’s success on the global market.    
• In my previous position as […] I was responsible for the development of […] which is now widely used in the field of […]. I have a large repertoire of innovative plans and ideas that I would love to share with your company.  

Tipp:  Eine große Portion Selbstbewusstsein darf im amerikanischen Anschreiben nicht fehlen. Sei also nicht zu bescheiden!

5. Hauptteil

Im Kern des Cover Letters präsentierst du deine:

✅ beruflichen Erfahrungen ✅ Qualifikationen ✅ Fähigkeiten ✅ Interessen ✅ Motivation ✅ Ziele

Ziel ist es, zu zeigen, dass du am besten für den Job geeignet bist. Orientiere dich beim Schreiben an diesen zwei Fragen:

• Was sind die Grundvoraussetzungen , die ich für die Stelle erfüllen muss?
• Was sind zusätzliche Vorteile , die ich dem Unternehmen bieten kann und mit denen ich mich von anderen Bewerbern abhebe?

Dafür ist es wichtig, dass du die Anforderungen und Prioritäten des Unternehmens genau kennst. Sammle also vorab wichtige Informationen, z. B. auf der Website der Firma. Das macht es einfacher, dich auf Relevantes zu beschränken und die Gemeinsamkeiten von dir und dem Arbeitgeber hervorzuheben. Sehr sinnvoll sind übrigens konkrete Beispiele, Zahlen und Fakten , die deine Aussagen zusätzlich belegen. 

• I have used the […] tools for three years and even led workshops to teach my former colleagues. My technical knowledge was required in various departments. Therefore, I have worked on different tasks in all areas of the company.    
• I know that you are looking for someone with creative ideas. When I was a student of […], I used my free time to work on the university’s own podcast. I planned weekly episodes and always looked for new topics that would entertain my fellow students.  

Tipp: Betrachte deinen Text zwischendurch aus der Perspektive des Unternehmens . Wird deutlich, dass du ihm einen Mehrwert bietest?

Soft Skills sind Eigenschaften, die über fachliche Kompetenzen hinausgehen. Du kannst sie nutzen, um deine Persönlichkeit zu beschreiben:

• creative → kreativ
• empathic → empathisch
• responsible → verantwortungsbewusst
• versatile → vielseitig
• team player → teamfähig
• ambitious → ehrgeizig
• motivated → motiviert 
• communicative → kommunikativ
• curious → neugierig
• charismatic → charismatisch
• confident → selbstbewusst

Zum Schluss richtest du das Wort direkt an den Personaler. Mit einem sogenannten „ Call to Action “ (→ Handlungsaufforderung) bittest du um eine Rückmeldung und um ein Vorstellungsgespräch . Du kannst dich außerdem für die Aufmerksamkeit bedanken und noch einmal deine Motivation betonen. 

• Thank you for taking the time to look into my application. I would very much appreciate an invitation to a job interview. Feel free to contact me regarding any further questions.  
• I would love to join your team and support your company as soon as possible. I am willing to answer any further questions in a personal interview. Thank you for taking my application into consideration.

7. Grußformel

Zu guter Letzt beendest du dein Anschreiben mit einer freundlichen Grußformel . Am besten eigenen sich dafür:

• Best regards
• Kind regards
• Yours sincerely

Anschließend setzt du deinen Namen darunter. Ob du das handschriftlich machst, ist dir überlassen.

Unsere Muster-Cover Letter kannst du kostenlos herunterladen und als Inspiration nutzen:

• Studyflix_Muster-US-cover-letter-for-an-internship

Brauchst du noch weitere Ideen? Wir haben hilfreiche Formulierungen für dich gesammelt: 

Berufliche Erfahrungen:

• I have years of experience working as a (Ich habe jahrelange Erfahrung als …)
• As an experienced … I know how to … (Als erfahrener … weiß ich wie / kann ich …)
• In my position as … I worked on tasks such as … (In meiner Rolle als … habe ich an Aufgaben wie … gearbeitet)
• I was responsible for… (Ich war verantwortlich für …)
• During my time at … I learned how to … (Während meiner Zeit bei … habe ich gelernt, …)

Qualifikationen & Fähigkeiten:

• My area of expertise is … (Mein Fachgebiet ist …)
• I have a bachelor’s / master’s degree in … (Ich habe einen Bachelor / Master Abschluss in …)
• I am a trained … (Ich bin ausgebildeter …)
• I have specialized in … (Ich habe mich auf … spezialisiert)
• I have advanced knowledge in the field of … (Ich habe fortgeschrittene Kenntnisse im Bereich …)

Interessen & Motivation:

• I am particularly interested in … (Ich bin besonders interessiert (dar)an …)
• I am very passionate about … (Ich habe eine Leidenschaft für …)
• I admire your company for … (Ich bewundere Ihre Firma für …)
• I am looking for a challenge (Ich suche nach einer Herausforderung)
• My goal is to … (Mein Ziel ist es, zu …)
• I aspire a position as … (Ich strebe eine Position als … an)
• I intend to support you as … (Ich beabsichtige, Sie als … zu unterstützen)
• I wish to develop new skills by… (Ich würde gerne neue Fähigkeiten entwickeln, indem ich …)

Damit du mit deinem Cover Letter wirklich überzeugst und nicht in Fettnäpfchen trittst, beachte diese Dos & Don’ts:

✅ Gib eine seriöse E-Mail Adresse an. ❌ Veröffentliche nichts in sozialen Netzwerken, das negativ auffällt. 

✅ Passe Inhalt und Sprache an das Unternehmen an. ❌ Vermeide Wiederholungen und unwichtige Details.

✅ Lass jemanden deinen Cover Letter Korrektur lesen. ❌ Wechsle nicht zwischen britischem und amerikanischem Englisch hin und her.

✅ Zeige ein gesundes Selbstbewusstsein. ❌ Übertreibe nicht bei deinen Fähigkeiten, das fällt spätestens bei der Arbeit auf.

• Was ist ein Cover Letter im Deutschen? Auf Deutsch heißt Cover Letter Anschreiben . Dieses wird beispielsweise verlangt, wenn du dich auf eine Stelle im Ausland oder bei einem internationalen Unternehmen bewirbst.  
• Wie ist ein Cover Letter aufgebaut? Der Cover Letter enthält wichtige Kontaktdaten sowie die drei Hauptabschnitte: Einleitung, Hauptteil und Schluss. Er sollte maximal eine DIN A4 Seite bzw. 3-5 Absätze lang sein.   
• Wie lang sollte ein Cover Letter sein? Ein guter Cover Letter (deutsch: Anschreiben) ist kurz und aussagekräftig. Deshalb solltest du die Länge von einer Seite nicht überschreiten. Verzichte aber darauf, einfach die Schriftgröße immer kleiner zu machen — das fällt auf. 

Sehr gut, jetzt bist du bestens darauf vorbereitet, einen US Cover Letter oder UK Covering Letter zu schreiben! In der Regel folgt auf den Cover Letter das CV oder Resume — also der Lebenslauf. Wie du hier ebenfalls überzeugst, erfährst du im nächsten Beitrag !

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How To Write A German Cover Letter – A Step By Step Guide

by Cheryl Howard | Apr 7, 2024 | Berlin Guides , Job Applications , Working In Berlin | 0 comments

HOW TO WRITE A GERMAN COVER LETTER – A STEP BY STEP GUIDE

Have you been l ooking for a job in Germany, applying for several positions, and finding that you’re not getting any responses? It happens to the best of us, even to those who work in   highly demanded professions   like software developers, marketing professionals, economists, and more.

Searching for a job , especially one right for you, is a daunting task that takes   a lot   of work, patience, and perseverance. When you add looking for a job in a foreign country like Germany into the mix, it’s even more challenging. You’re probably unfamiliar with the country’s norms when creating job applications and could unknowingly be making mistakes. What’s more, a lot of the information about how to write a German cover letter is often outdated and/or created by people with zero experience in recruiting.

The most significant part of getting noticed by German employers is your ability to put together a solid job application, which usually includes a well-written and designed cover letter and CV that tells a story about you and why you’re uniquely qualified for that position.

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 WRITE A GERMAN COVER LETTER LIKE A SEASONED PRO

📖 📖 📖 Bookmark THIS extensive guide on how to write a German cover letter and use it as a frame of reference when applying for jobs in Germany.

1) Are Cover Letters Really Needed?

As you’re searching for a job in Berlin, or anywhere in Germany for that matter, have you asked yourself these questions:

1) Do I need to write a German cover letter when I’m applying for jobs?

2) Are cover letters relevant when my CV already tells my story?

3) Does anyone even bother to read cover letters?

Let me tell you a story:

I worked for one company when a member of senior management asked, “Why do people write cover letters? I   never   read them. I only want to see their CV, and I’ll get in touch if it’s interesting. I’m way too busy to read both cover letters and CVs.”

A very fair point and I agree with him 100%. His pain was also my pain, as I was reviewing several job applications each day and looking at people we could potentially add to our team. It was time-consuming and tedious, especially when we wanted to ensure whoever applied was given a fair shot.

It’s true that not every recruiter or hiring manager will read it (like that manager), and some companies (like where I currently work) even ask candidates   not   to submit cover letters. However, many companies still expect to see one.

So do you need a German cover letter? Yes, most definitely. Even though they feel like a waste of time (and sometimes really are), cover letters are essential when applying for jobs in Berlin or elsewhere in Deutschland.

2) Why Should I Write A German Cover Letter?

There are a number of good arguments about why you should take the time to write up a cover letter for your job applications:

1) There’s a slight chance that not submitting a cover letter will result in immediate rejection. A recruiter or hiring manager may think that if you didn’t put in the effort to make a cover letter, why should they even consider you for the job? While this is silly, don’t take a chance and make it a habit always to include a cover letter.

​2) Some (not all) HR software scans submitted documents looking for specific keywords. A cover letter that mentions certain keywords from the job description could help you bubble to the top of the candidate pool, where you’re more likely to get noticed before other candidates.

3) Called a motivation letter in Germany ( Motivationsschreiben ), a cover letter is your chance to shine. It’s when you can tell the company why you want to work for them, explain how uniquely qualified you are for that role, and really make your personality come through.

​Think of it like this – when you go to the theatre to watch a movie, you’ll see trailers for upcoming flicks. They only last one or two minutes, but if the trailer is really good, they’ve hooked you, and eventually, you’re going to go out and watch that movie.

Your cover letter is exactly like that movie trailer. It’s a preview of your CV and you as a person. A cover letter’s main call to action is to make the person reading it want to know more. They’ll spend time reviewing your CV and, hopefully, contact you for that first interview.

4) A cover letter shows diligence and interest from your side. Employers are keen to know why you want to work for them, learn why you’re the person they should hire, and if you’re passionate about your chosen field.

If a cover letter is done well, in the sense that it’s framed as a well-written and compelling narrative, it’ll motivate the employer to contact you for an interview. Most people do really read them, so it’s worth spending time writing one that makes you stand out from other applicants.

3) How Do I Structure A German Cover Letter?

Following a fixed structure and method that you can repeat for each new job application makes writing a cover letter way easier.

Always include these vital elements in a cover letter:

1)   Salutation   – Address your cover letter to that person using formal German greetings such as “Dear Herr Müller” or “Dear Frau Schmidt.” If no contact is listed or you’re unsure about which greeting to use (you don’t ever want to address someone as Herr when they’re a Frau, for example), use a generic greeting such as “Dear hiring manager” or “To whom it may concern.” If you read other online texts saying that you  always  have to specify a specific contact name, this is very untrue. More and more German companies are refraining from adding contact names to job descriptions to avoid being spammed by applicants. So don’t stress out on this point at all, as using a generic greeting is not only expected but completely acceptable.

2) Intro   – This section should be one paragraph maximum. Personalize your cover letter by telling the company  why you want to work there.  Be specific and use supporting examples gleaned from company research. Doing so will impress the company and show you did your homework before applying. Remember that this section is not about you but about them as an organization. Avoid self-serving statements when telling them why you want to work there. For example, don’t say you want to work there because the office is down the street from your flat or you heard they pay exceptionally high salaries. Instead, say you’re impressed with the company culture, that you identify with their sustainability mission, and that you want to be part of building out the next stage of their growth.

​ 3) About You   – This section can be one or two paragraphs long and is the “meat” of the cover letter and where you need to sell yourself. Pull points from the job description to tell your potential employer   why you’re uniquely qualified for the position . Build on those points by using personal examples that draw from your experience, education, and more. Ensure your examples are specific, build on one another in a complementing fashion, and tell an exciting story. Say that the role calls for someone with leadership experience. You can tell them that you have 10 years of experience managing distributed teams of varying sizes. You can further say that you excel at creating and maintaining high-performing teams with a track record of meeting deadlines. And finish by telling them how you launched a project that helped the company make millions of euros. Whatever you do, don’t just list a bunch of keywords, repeat the job description itself, or write a novel.

4) Closin g   – Reiterate your excitement about the company and the open position. Let them know you want to learn more and would welcome a chance for an interview. Be sure to tell them about your availability and how to best get in touch.

A few more tips about how to structure a German cover letter:

1) If you’re sending the cover letter by email or uploading it to an applicant tracking system, you don’t need to include the address information of yourself or the company. For that matter, a signature isn’t required either. These things are entirely unnecessary and irrelevant as we no longer live in the Stone Age.

2) If anyone prints or references your cover letter for an interview, you can leave the date on it so they know when you applied for the role.

Strive to ensure the narrative in the letter flows well and tells a unique story about you and why they should hire you over anyone else out there.

4) Should I Customize My Cover Letter For Job Applications ?

Yes, we know. It’s   a lot   of work to create a new cover letter every time you apply for a job, but sending the same cover letter out won’t do anymore. You need to show employers you took time to research their company, tell them why you want to work there, and why they should hire you.

This is why personalizing the cover letter is really important. They need to see the real you and that you were thoughtful in your job application. Anything less makes it look like you’re not really interested in the role and could see your job application land in the recruiter’s NO pile.

Suppose a cover letter is simply a regurgitation of the job description or a generic copy-and-paste text you’ve used for every job application. The recruiter or hiring manager will easily be able to spot this and may make the company less likely to contact you. Again, don’t take a chance.

Read about how to customize cover letters when you’re submitting unsolicited job applications . 

5) How Do I Use Company Research In My Cover Letter?

Before writing a cover letter, we recommend that you complete in-depth research on the company to which you’re applying. The research will help you a lot, especially as it’ll give you the information you can embed in your cover letter and use later to ask questions during an interview.

You need to tell the employer why you like their company and show you did your research, by looking at   Glassdoor reviews , browsing through their website, reading their press releases, etc.

Read our detailed guide about how to   research a German company .

6) How Long Should A German Cover Letter Be?

Keep the cover letter to a single page and not more than 3 – 4 paragraphs. Be succinct (i.e., avoid long wordy sentences or overuse of adjectives) and   summarize, summarize, summarize .

Pick key points from your CV and/or job description but don’t repeat things verbatim.

7) Should I Use An Automatic Text Generator or AI?

I’ve played around with ChatGPT and boy, is it good. Like really really good!

Call me old school, but in general, I’d still suggest writing your own cover letter without the help of predictive text generators or AI.

I say this for two reasons:

1) Many of these generators like Speedwrite yield text that doesn’t make much sense at all. It often reads as if it were written by a robot and spits out alternative text that says exactly the same thing but in a slightly different way.

2) Even worse, it won’t sound like you. A cover letter should be an honest and accurate reflection of who you are and how you communicate. I cannot stress that enough, especially if you’re being hired into a role where communication skills are key.

What you could do is use AI to write that very first draft cover letter. Then you could use that text as a baseline and improve it using your own words. Try out this beta AI from Imagine to get started! 

Alternatively, you can write a draft first and then use a tool like Grammarly to better what you’ve written.

We know this can be tough if you’re not writing in your native language. In these cases, make sure you get other people to proofread your cover letter or even hire a professional to help you out.

8) Should I Write My Cover Letter In German ?

Writing your cover letter in German may help you get noticed by HR software or LinkedIn search engine algorithms.

Be careful and use your best judgment here, though. It could backfire when they discover that your level of German doesn’t match the level of what’s in your cover letter.

Let me tell you another story:

A recruiter I used to work with told me that she’d found a dream candidate for a position that had been open for a long time. This person was applying from abroad and had submitted   both   their CV and cover letter in German.

The first interview was scheduled, and during the call, the recruiter was surprised to find that the candidate didn’t know any German at all. Turns out they’d paid someone to translate their documents.

Sadly, the candidate was rejected for their false claims of being fluent in German and wasting the recruiter’s time. And contrary to what many say, German fluency is absolutely essential for most available positions in the country. 

Of course, it could go the other way and the company may still hire you anyway because you’re such a good fit. But please, be honest upfront and if you decide to write your cover letter in German, indicate your language level (like B1 or C1) very prominently on your CV and in your cover letter. Then the decision will be left to the employer to contact you.

9) Can I Stretch The Truth Because Everyone Fibs A Bit?

Above all, be humble and honest about things, like your education, work experience, level of German, etc.

It’s easy to lie or exaggerate when you want a job, and we’ve all been told to “fake it until we make it,” and in many cases, it can work in your favor. But let’s be real here, this behavior is unprofessional, not to mention unethical.

Not long ago, I was shocked to read the LinkedIn profile of a former colleague who claimed to have led a high-profile project for our company. That project wasn’t even started until after that person left. This person was blatantly lying and taking credit for other people’s work that she didn’t do.

Don’t be that person. 

False claims could come back to haunt you. For example, the Berlin community is small and people know each other. A potential employer may know someone at one of your former companies and informally reach out to them for information about you.

If they uncover any lies, it will likely cost you the job, even your reputation.

Of course, be confident in your accomplishments, and don’t undersell yourself. Just make sure you’re telling the truth.

10) How Do I Create A Well Designed Cover Letter? 

You could just type of bunch of text into a Google document and send it off. But how about making your cover letter look nice using websites like   Canva   or   Edit.org , where you can find beautiful and professional templates for free?

Other things to keep in mind:

1) Use a large and readable font that considers general accessibility guidelines. Sometimes people try to jam as much information as possible onto a cover letter and to make it fit a single page using ridiculously small font sizes. Trust me – no one wants to use a magnifying glass to read your cover letter.

Use this   guide from Indeed   which speaks to the right font and font size to use on CVs, which also applies to cover letters.

2) Don’t make your paragraphs too long and use sensible spacing to make your cover letter easier to read.

3) Your   German CV   should have a similar look and feel. This way, the cover letter, and CV will appear as one fluid job application package.

11) Do I   Really   Have To Follow These Rules?

No, of course not! Our guidelines are simply here to help you write a good cover letter that’s more likely to get you noticed by German employers.

There’s no reason not to get creative and have fun with your cover letter. This may also mean breaking some of the “rules” outlined here.

Be bold and dare to take unique approaches that challenge the status quo. Perhaps give them a link to a video you made telling them why you want to work there. Share a sample of what you can do for them by sharing some insight on how you’d approach your job. Invite them to check out your blog or social media.

The sky’s the limit. A unique cover letter will help you stand apart from other candidates.

12) How Can I Ensure My German Cover Letter Is Of High Quality?

Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors, get the company name and other details right, and if you can, have a second or third pair of eyes review your cover letter. This can be a friend, partner, or even, a paid professional. Proofreading is essential, as if you’ve been staring at the same documents for hours, it can be super easy to miss out on small mistakes you might’ve made.

This advice might sound really obvious and basic, but trust me, I’ve seen tons of job applications with errors on them. I must also confess that I once put the wrong company name in a cover letter and somehow still got several interviews with them. Miracles happen, folks! 🤣

Anyway, avoid sloppy mistakes if you can, and make sure your German cover letter is top-notch.

What do I recommend?   Join my   Facebook community   of more than 8,000 people and ask someone there for a   cover letter exchange . Another person can review your cover letter and give you feedback and you can do the same for them.

That’s a wrap! Follow these tips to write a really good German cover letter that’s going to land you a job in Germany.

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Employment guides & Tools

Cover letter in germany (anschreiben).

Together with your CV ( Lebenslauf ) , the cover letter is a key component of any job application in Germany. Far more than a mere formality, a cover letter is an important means of presenting yourself to a prospective employer. It would be difficult to land a job in Germany without one. This page walks you through the process of crafting a job-winning cover letter, with a few hints and tips about what is expected in the federal republic. 

Cover letter in German ( Anschreiben )

First things first: what is a cover letter? Although it may be tempting to send in your job application without one, a cover letter is an important part of job applications in Germany, and most hiring managers will expect to receive one, even if the vacancy listing does not explicitly specify this. 

A cover letter is a short (usually no more than one page) document that you submit together with your resume as part of your job application. Rather than simply repeating the information contained in your CV, its purpose is to expand upon it, summarising your skills and experience, explaining what makes you a good fit for the role, and (hopefully!) piquing the hiring manager’s interest. While a CV lays out the facts, your cover letter conveys more personality. You can expect to be asked about both if you make it to a job interview .

In Germany, a cover letter ( Anschreiben ) generally follows a prescribed format, which makes it easier to structure your own. 

Cover letter templates

Using a template can be a good way to get started, and will also ensure your cover letter is well-formatted. If you used a template for your CV, it’s a good idea to use the same design for your cover letter, to make your application look professional and consistent. 

The following websites offer cover letter templates: 

• Novorésumé

How to write a cover letter in Germany

German cover letters are not fundamentally different to those in other countries, with the only possible difference being they are rather formal and matter-of-fact, with no credit given to pomp, exaggerations or overly flowery language. 

As with elsewhere in the world, your cover letter in Germany should be succinct - no more than one side of A4 in size 12 font. You also do not want to present the hiring manager with a dense wall of text, so make sure to break it up into sizeable paragraphs. 

It may be time-consuming, but you should also write a unique(ish) cover letter for each job you apply for. Recruiters don’t like to receive form letters - and sending off a generic letter is a sure-fire way to ensure your application ends up in the bin. You need to explain why you want this specific position , and what makes you particularly suited for it - so tailor your cover letter based on the responsibilities and requirements outlined in the job description, and what you know about the company. 

Cover letter format

If you’re not sure where to start, it can help to break the letter down into a few sections. Almost all cover letters are structured around the same tried-and-tested format: 

• A header with your contact information
• A greeting to the hiring manager
• An opening paragraph that will grab the reader’s attention
• A second paragraph that explains why you’re the perfect fit for the job
• A third paragraph that outlines why you’re a good match for the company
• A formal closing

How to start a cover letter: With a header

Writing your contact header is a good way to ease yourself in, and ensure you’re not staring at a blank page. As with a CV, it’s important to include some basic contact information on your cover letter. You should include: 

• Phone number
• Email address
• Name of the hiring manager
• Name of the company you’re applying to

You might also consider adding your social media profiles or the address of your personal website, if these are relevant in your field and to the job you’re applying for. 

Address the hiring manager

This is where you can score some easy marks. You’d be surprised how many people open their cover letters with, “Dear Sir or Madam.” That’s one way to turn off a hiring manager. It’s much better to address your letter to them personally. That means you need to do some research. 

If you’re lucky, this information is included in the job description. You should also check the “Team” or “About us” page on the company’s website. Alternatively, you could turn to LinkedIn to find out who’s head of the relevant department. If in doubt, call up the company and ask who you should address your application to. It might make your name stick out when it comes to sifting through CVs. 

As a last resort, if you really can’t get hold of a name, address your cover letter using one of these greetings:

• Dear [Department] Hiring Manager
• Dear Hiring Manager
• Dear [Department or Company Name] Team

Write your introduction

This is worth taking your time over. Companies typically receive hundreds of applications for single positions, and so they’re not going to be reading every cover letter from top to bottom. You need to grab their attention from the first paragraph. 

The key here is to not be too generic - most applicants will probably have similar work experience and interests. Instead, you need to explain what makes you unique. What is your bottom-line USP? That’s what the recruiter wants to know. 

Explain why you’re a good fit for the job

Next, it’s time to get into the meat of your letter, by outlining your professional skills, and explaining why this experience makes you better-qualified than the other applicants. It’s a good idea to have the job description to hand when you write this section. Match the requirements listed by the company to elements from your own skill set and work history, and elaborate on them. 

But there’s no way you’ll have space to cover every single detail. Instead, pick two or three of the most important requirements and use them to spin a couple of compelling stories from your own experience. 

Explain why you want to work for the company

The final section of your cover letter is just as important: explaining why you want to work for this specific company. Hiring managers want to know that you’d be a good fit for the company culture - that you want this job, not just any job - otherwise you’d be a risky hire. 

This might require you to do some extra research - what do you know about the company and its products or services? What’s the work culture like? What about that enthuses you? It pays to be super specific. 

Wrap things up

That’s it - you’re almost there! Now you need to finish with a conclusion that wraps up your letter. If you have anything else you want to say, now’s your chance. Finally, thank the hiring manager for their time (it’s only polite). 

Then, it’s time to sign off with a formal closing. You could use: 

• Best regards
• Kind regards
• Yours sincerely

Once your cover letter is finished and proofread, you’re ready to send off your application. Put your feet up and wait for a response. 

Should I write my cover letter in German?

Whether or not you should write your cover letter in German depends on a few factors, namely: 

• The language requirements of the job
• What is specified on the job description
• Your own language ability

If a job description specifies that applications should be made in German, it’s best to follow this advice. If your language ability isn’t up to the task of writing a CV and cover letter in German, it may be that the job itself is also beyond your language capabilities. 

However, an increasing number of companies in Germany, specifically international companies , are now offering English-speaking roles, although some still require you to apply in German. In this instance, it’s worth submitting your documents in German (you can ask a German-speaking friend to help, at least by checking your finished CV and cover letter over). To really show off your language skills, you could submit both English and German versions of your application. 

Cover letter examples

Not sure where to start? It can be a good idea to read some example cover letters to give you an idea of what is expected. But don’t be tempted to copy them word for word - you want to convey your own, unique personality, not someone else’s.

English cover letter sample

The internet is full of examples of cover letters written in English. Check out popular websites like Novorésumé, Monster.com, Reed, Indeed, and LiveCareer. 

German cover letter example

Checking out a German cover letter example can also be a good way of getting started, especially if German is not your native language. Look at websites like Karrierebibel, Bewerbung.net and Staufenbiel, or simply search “ Anschreiben Beispiel ”, to get a good idea of how German cover letters are structured. 

Cover letter tips

• Make sure your cover letter is correctly formatted and free of spelling and grammatical errors - ideally, have a friend check it over for you before sending it. 
• Include your personal details at the top of your letter.
• Do your research to address the hiring manager by name.
• Always tailor your cover letter to match the job description.
• Use specific, concrete examples from your work history to back up your points.
• End with a formal signing-off.
• Make sure your letter is no longer than one side of A4. 

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German Cover Letter + Must Know Best Practices [2024]

by Live in Germany Team | Work in Germany

Last Update: Feb 23, 2024 @ 9:07 pm

🚀 Meet LiGa, our cutting-edge chat bot for all things about living in Germany! 🇩🇪 Personalized and interactive, LiGa outshines traditional searches. It’s in beta phase, and your feedback will shape LiGa into the ultimate companion for your inquiries! 🤖✨ #LiveinGermany

So, it is quite clear that cover letters are taken seriously in the German job market since it is an applicant’s initial impression on the company. If someone hasn’t attached a cover letter to their application, the recruiter might think that if the applicant hasn’t put effort in making a cover letter, why even consider him/her for a position at our company?

🔶   Related Topic :   How to Find English-Speaking Jobs in Germany

Structuring German Cover Letter

Salutation:.

Try to keep the cover letter at a personal touch rather than just making a cut paste document. Make sure we are specifying the reason for joining the xyz company/organization. Present the company research in this phase as well. We can say things like we have been impressed with the company culture or we have recognized the mission and vision for which the company is moving forward and we want to play a pivotal role in this journey.

By now, we have told the company/organization why we want to work for them. What shall we do next? We are going to use the mentioned job description in telling a story regarding how and why we are enough qualified for the position. There is no need to exaggerate the story and write down a whole passage. Here we will provide a short trailer-kind of summary. This is because we want to gain their interest so that the company reaches us out and contact for further interview.

In the end, we should be thanking the company and let them know that they are welcome to schedule things further. Availability has to be mentioned along with contact details where the company can get in touch.

Attachments:

The word Anlage (Enclosure) has to added once the cover letter is signed. All the certificates and documents which are part of the application should be listed down there. This includes CV , educational documents, reference letter etc.

Cover Letter Framework

The cover letter has to written in accordance with DIN 5008 . This is a dedicated framework when it comes to formal writing in Germany. Following are the standards:

• Left margin: 24.1 mm
• Right margin: at least 8.1 mm
• Bottom margin: 16.9 mm
• Top margin: 16.9 mm

Please ensure this format is taken seriously. If an applicant hasn’t followed this framework, it doesn’t necessarily mean rejection but on the same time, recruiters in Germany have a habit of reading cover letters in this format. Hence, if a cover letter appears to be different from the mentioned format, it might get noticed in negative manner.

Top 8 Best Practices To Consider Before Writing Your Cover Letter

Customizing cover letter for each job, keeping cover letter short and concise, be honest on cover letter.

We have to be honest and humble about things. This includes the work experience, education and language proficiency. It is quite usual to exaggerate or lie when trying to get a job. There is a common saying “fake it until we make it” and people at times follow that too and it turns out favorable in getting a job. But such behavior is extremely unethical and unprofessional.

A recent example is a LinkedIn profile of a former work colleague who stated on the profile that he managed quite a high-end project all on his own at his company. Later it was brought to notice that project didn’t even start until after the colleague left company. He was falsely taking full credit for someone else’s efforts and work.

These kinds of claims can haunt back an applicant. There could be a chance that new employer knows someone from the applicant’s former organization. Moreover, it is common for employers to informally reach out previous companies of candidate to extract some information. This can cost a job and even reputation.

Writing Cover Letter in German

There are better chances that HR software will notice a cover letter written in German. This also works with algorithms set on LinkedIn. With that being said, we have to be vigilant and use our judgment properly. As it can backfire as well. Make sure that actual German language proficiency is reflected in the cover letter.

There was an instance where the hiring company received an application from a person abroad where the candidate sent CV and documents in German. During the first interview, the company was surprised to know that candidate didn’t know any German. In fact, the documents were actually translated by paying someone else. This resulted in the rejection of a candidate.

Showing Personality

The cover letter should portray all the candidate’s creativity. Coming up with a unique approach is going to make you stand apart in the competition. We can provide a video link in the cover letter where we have explained the reason why we wish to work for that particular company. Also, a sample can be shared explaining insight about how the candidate will approach his/her job. Moreover, the company can be invited to see the candidate’s social media.

🔶   Related Topic : Job Interview Questions in Germany

Making Cover Letter Visually Pleasing

We can type some paragraphs in a document and send it to the company. but its much better to create a cover letter that is visually pleasing. Canva is one of the platforms that can help choose from variety of cool and professional templates.

Fonts should be large enough to increase readability. Other tips include avoiding lengthy paragraphs. Accurately set the spacing between lines.

Quality Check

Grammatical mistakes and spelling errors convey a negative impression of the company. Before sending the application, make sure to avoid such mistakes and take care of these negligible errors. Also briefly check employer information and other related details. A good way of reviewing the cover letter is to have a second pair of eyes proofread it. This is an important task that most people overlook but quite frequently there are job applications having multiple errors on them.

Avoid Using Automatic Text Generators

It is suggested that the candidate write down the cover letter themselves. A professional writer can be hired to provide this service. There are numerous text generators available but they are almost useless. Automatic text generators can produce text that doesn’t make any sense. When reading, it is obvious that a robot has written it down. A cover letter has to be a reflection of a candidate. It should portray how the candidate approaches the job and how they communicate.

We have put enough emphasis on the importance of a cover letter in Germany. One of the most pivotal instruments in a job application is a good cover letter. If it doesn’t shine enough or fails to reflect the candidate’s potential, employers are likely to ignore it and move forward with other applications.

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• The Cover Letter
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The German Cover Letter | Das Anschreiben

When looking to work in Germany the German cover letter is one of the most important documents to write. The cover letter is important to be called back for an job interview and maintain the chance to gain a job in Germany .

Cover Letter | Accompaning the German CV

The role of the German Cover Letter is quite subtile. It accompanies the German CV and contains detailed information  about the specific skills  you have, your  work experience , your  motivation to gain employment , and the reasons why you are the  ideal candidate for the job .

The relationship between cover letter and CV is very important and you must  use one to support the other . The cover letter is really an opportunity to give a  personal introduction  to the  essential information  contained on the curriculum vitae. It should provide the Human Ressource manager with a more personal facet by highlighting your personal qualities.

Interaction with the HR Manager | Don’t sample!

It is a ddressed exactly to the recipient and allows direct interaction. The German Cover Letter should be tailored for each application.   With the use of a well written Cover Letter the applicant aims to distiguish from the wide mass of competitors.  Please do not use one cover letter for all your applications!  

The better your cover letter and the more you have tailored it to the specific organisation and job position, the  better your chances  are for being called back to a job interview. The content depends on the type of application you are sending.

The Structure of the German Cover Letter

To be able to  write the perfect cover letter , you should first take into account  the structure  and the format. Therefore you must be aware of  the different sections of a cover letter layout .

In the German Cover Letter the structure is quite strict. In the salutatory address the c oncerning person should be greeted . Set phrases as “To whom it may concern” are not appropiate for an application in Germany.  Find out who is responsable for HR in this business!

In the first paragraph you should refer to the job you are applying for. In the second and third paragraph your strength and your motivation are highlighted. Explain the HR professional why you are the perfect candidate.In the last section mention that the  CV and your certificates (important!) are enclosed/attached and greet formally but naturally.

Use DIN 5008 Norm and follow Jobler’s giudeline in “How to write a German Cover Letter”     in Germany.

How to Write the German Cover Letter

Once you are clear about the structure the content is most important. What do German professionals like to read? As applicant you should prove good knowledge about the company, but without too much praising it.

They rather want to be convinced why you are the right one for this position. They expect you to  draw a connection  between you and the company you are applying at. Explain why you are interested in the post and what qualities you can bring in. So answer following questions:

• What am I capable of doing?
• Why would I want to do this at this particular company?

Find the important advice for writing the German Cover Letter in bullet points.

Sample German Cover Letter

Find a free sample of a Cover Letter in German to downlaod . You can either choose between a traditional Cover Letter and the speculative Cover Letter in German.

Good luck 😉

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Cover Letter Templates

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Cover Letters All levels of experience

16+ Convincing Cover Letter Templates [Pick & Download]

Looking to create a cover letter that stands out? Try one of our 12 cover letter templates (and land that job)!

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Expert Reviews

Oana Vintila

Career Counselor

Cover Letters are usually synonymous with formal and bland rambling that you write down hoping for an invite to a job interview. I just love it how Novorésumé has enhanced that and is offering you a tool to build proper arguments and structured discourse about who YOU ARE and what YOU CAN DO.

A real confidence booster, I tell you, seeing your motivation eloquently written!

Gabriela Tardea

Career Strategist, Coach & Trainer

The best thing about this platform when creating a Cover Letter as an addition to your resume is that the documents will match each other's design and font, creating eye-catching documents that recruiters/hiring managers will love.

You will be initially judged based on your papers, so why not make a first great impression?

Why Novorésumé?

Matching Cover Letters

To keep your job application consistent and professional, our Cover Letter templates perfectly match the resume templates.

Creative & Standard Templates

Whether you apply for a conservative industry like banking or a hype start-up, you can tailor our cover letter templates to fit your exact needs.

Get Inspired with Our Cover Letter Examples

Cover letters resources, what is a cover letter.

A cover letter is a one-page document you submit alongside your resume or CV for your job application.

The main purpose of your cover letter is to:

Show your motivation for working at the company

Bring special attention to the most important parts of your work history

Explain how your work experience fits whatever the company is looking for

What your cover letter is NOT about, is rehashing whatever you already mentioned in your resume. Sure, you should mention the most important bits, but it should NOT be a literal copy-paste.

Keep in mind that the cover letter is usually read after the recruiter scans your resume and decides that you’re qualified for the position.

Why Use a Cover Letter Template?

Your cover letter is just as (if not more) important as your resume.

After all, your resume is what gets your foot through the door, but a cover letter is what opens that door.

So, if you put so much effort into your resume, why not do the same for your cover letter?

A good cover letter template can show the recruiter that you’re serious about the job (especially if it matches your resume design).

What to Include in Your Cover Letter?

Every good cover letter has the following sections:

Header - On top of the cover letter, you write down your own contact information, as well as the recruiter’s (recruiter name, company name, company address, etc…).

Greeting - A formal greeting for the recruiter. E.g. “Dear Sir or Madam,” To learn how to address your cover letter better, check out our article.

Opening paragraph - The introduction of your resume. Here, you summarize your background info (“financial analyst with X+ years of experience”), state your intent (“looking for X position at Company Y”), and summarize your 1-2 achievements to get the recruiter hooked.

Second paragraph - In the second paragraph, you explain how you’re qualified for the position and why the recruiter should pick YOU.

Third paragraph - You talk about why you’re a good match for the company. Do you share common values? Is the company working on projects you’re interested in? Etc…

Formal closing - Finally, you end the cover letter with a quick summary and a call to action (“I’m super excited to work with Company X. Looking forward to hearing from you!”).

How to Write a Great Cover Letter?

There’s a lot that goes into writing a great cover letter. If you want to get the full picture, you can check out our guide on how to write a cover letter .

Here are, however, some of the key takeaways:

Avoid Fluff - You want to be as specific as possible with your cover letter. Avoid vague statements like “I’m a good fit for the company because I’m a good critical thinker!”

Do Your Research - Most companies don’t like people who “spray and pray” - applying for dozens of jobs without giving any much thought. What they ARE looking for is someone that’s passionate about their company, and wants to contribute. So, do your research about the companies you apply for, and show off your knowledge and passion in your cover letter.

Back Up Your Achievements with Data - When possible, back up your experience with data. Instead of saying, “I improved company revenue”, say “I managed to hit and exceed sales KPIs for 5+ months in a row.”

How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?

Most recruiters agree that a cover letter should be brief and concise. It should be around 1-page max, within a 250 to 400 word range.

How Can I Write a Student Cover Letter?

Pretty much the same way you’d write a regular cover letter, with one difference.

Instead of focusing on your work experience, you should talk about:

Why you want to work for the company you’re applying for

How your educational background prepared you for the job

How your skill-set can help you stand out and excel at the job

See what our customers think

Cover Letter Templates FAQ?

How to make a simple cover letter for your resume.

Simply pick one of our 12 cover letter templates above to get started.

We’d recommend matching your cover letter template to the resume template you picked.

What is the Best Cover Letter Template?

There’s no such thing as the “best cover letter template.” After all, every single recruiter has their own personal taste. Some might like a shiny & flashy cover letter template, while others might think it’s tacky.

As a rule of thumb, though, we usually recommend customizing each cover letter for the company you’re sending it to.

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Three excellent cover letter examples

Cover letters are the first chance you have to impress an employer – they’re not just a protective jacket for your CV. Here’s our guide on what to include and how to format them

• More CV and cover letter templates
• Looking for a job? Explore the range of vacancies on Guardian Jobs and find the perfect role for you

The first thing a potential employer sees in your job application is the cover letter. This doesn’t just support your CV – it’s an opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd and persuade the recruiter to put you through to the next round.

Be wary of spending hours on perfecting your CV at the expense of your cover letter. If you need some inspiration on what to include and what format to use, here are our helpful guides – just remember not to copy them as exact templates.

1. Standard, conservative style

This is ideal for sectors such as business, law, accountancy and retail. For more creative sectors, a letter like this might be less appealing, and could work against you.

Dear Mr Black, Please find enclosed my CV in application for the post advertised in the Guardian on 30 November. The nature of my degree course has prepared me for this position. It involved a great deal of independent research, requiring initiative, self-motivation and a wide range of skills. For one course, [insert course], an understanding of the [insert sector] industry was essential. I found this subject very stimulating. I am a fast and accurate writer, with a keen eye for detail and I should be very grateful for the opportunity to progress to market reporting. I am able to take on the responsibility of this position immediately, and have the enthusiasm and determination to ensure that I make a success of it. Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours sincerely

2. Standard speculative letter

This may vary according to the nature of the organisation and the industry you’re applying to.

Dear Mr Brown, I am writing to enquire if you have any vacancies in your company. I enclose my CV for your information. As you can see, I have had extensive vacation work experience in office environments, the retail sector and service industries, giving me varied skills and the ability to work with many different types of people. I believe I could fit easily into your team. I am a conscientious person who works hard and pays attention to detail. I’m flexible, quick to pick up new skills and eager to learn from others. I also have lots of ideas and enthusiasm. I’m keen to work for a company with a great reputation and high profile like [insert company name]. I have excellent references and would be delighted to discuss any possible vacancy with you at your convenience. In case you do not have any suitable openings at the moment, I would be grateful if you would keep my CV on file for any future possibilities. Yours sincerely

3. Letter for creative jobs

We’ve used the example of a copywriter but you can adapt it for your profession. The aim of a creative letter is to be original and show you have imagination, but understand what the job entails. Balance is essential: don’t be too wacky, or it will turn off the reader.

Dear Ms Green, · Confused by commas? · Puzzled by parenthesis? · Stumped by spelling? · Perturbed by punctuation? · Annoyed at the apostrophe? (And alliteration?) Well, you’re not alone. It seems that fewer and fewer people can write. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of people who can read. So they’ll spot a gaffe from a mile off. And that means it’s a false economy, unless you’re 100% sure of yourself, to write your own materials. (Or to let clients do it for themselves.) To have materials properly copywritten is, when one considers the whole process of publishing materials and the impact that the client wishes to make, a minor expense. Sloppiness loses clients, loses customers. There is an answer. Me. Firm quotes are free. You can see some of what I do on my multilingual website at [insert web address]. If you’d like, I can get some samples out to you within 24 hours. And, if you use me, you’ll have some sort of guarantee that you can sleep soundly as those tens of thousands of copies are rolling off the presses. Luck shouldn’t come into it! With kindest regards

Other helpful resources

How to write a perfect CV and cover letter

Applying for jobs without experience? How to build and sell your skills

Five steps to the perfect graduate CV

School-leavers and graduates: how to write your first CV

How to write a personal statement for your CV

CV templates to fit every stage of your career

Looking for a job? Browse Guardian Jobs for your next career step.

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