If you want to have the best chances to land your dream job in Germany, a good recommendation is to write a Cover Letter and hand it in together with your CV.
Especially because not everyone is willing to write a Cover Letter in this age anymore, we believe that writing a good Cover Letter is your chance to stand out positively from all the other applicants and get a step ahead in landing your dream job!
But how can you create a great cover letter? How should the document be formatted, and what should you write?
In the following article, we’ve put together a guide for how to write a Cover Letter that will help you find your dream job in Germany.
How to Write a Cover Letter in Germany
The typical Cover Letter in Germany follows a certain predefined approach that you should try to replicate. It follows the Norm of a typical German business letter that you should follow as well.
Cover Letter Formatting
Your Cover Letter should have the following information right on the top:
- Senders name and address on the top right
- Recipient’s name and address on the left
- Location and Date on the right
- Subject line in bold on the left
- Salutation to the person your addressing (if unknown e.g. “Dear Hiring Team”)
In the example below you can see what it should look like.
Example for how to format your German Cover Letter
You should also make sure to keep enough space to each side, at least 2,5 cm.
Cover Letter Content
Before we take a closer look at what to write, it’s important to consider the following: In the digital age, most recruiters inspect your CV first, and then turn to the Cover Letter.
That means, when reading your cover letter, they have already seen the CV. Hence, you should avoid repeating information that is already clear in the CV (e.g. telling them from when to when you worked at your latest job).
Instead, you should provide more personal information that gives context to your application and leaves the recruiter a chance to get to know you better and see the human behind the CV.
First Paragraph: Introduction
Contrary to what other people might tell you, you don’t need to have the “perfect” introduction sentence. Just can just get started with a simple introduction like this:
“My name is … and with great interest I’m applying to your job opening as …”.
Second Paragraph: Why you are the perfect fit
In the second paragraph, you want to explain why you are the perfect fit for their open role. Talk about what experience you have, what you’re passionate about, and what skills you bring to the table that are relevant for this role. This paragraph should not be too long. Consider that they already read your CV, so 3-4 sentences should be enough.
Focus especially on the part about why you’re passionate about what you’re doing, because this is new information that helps the reader to get to know you on a deeper and more personal level.
Third Paragraph: Why you are interested in this role at this company
If you have already read our article about how to write a CV in Germany, you know that we believe that you should personalize all your documents and not just send the exact same document to all companies. And the same goes for the Cover Letter.
That’s why in this paragraph, you should add something unique about the company. Ask yourself this: Why did you pick exactly this job to apply to and not others? What did you read on the Job Ad or on the company’s website that sparked your interest?
Again, keep it short and simple. 2-3 highly personalized sentences should be enough.
Fourth Paragraph: Thank you and Closing
Similar to the first paragraph, a simple ending is now all you need to close out the Cover Letter on a good note!
You can simply write something like this:
“Thank you for your time and consideration – I would be happy to learn more about the role in a personal interview.
Kind regards, … ”
Summary: How to write a Cover Letter in Germany
Congratulations – if you follow these steps you’ll write a great Cover Letter that will take your application to the next level and help you stand out from all the other applicants!
This is also why we would advise you to always write a Cover Letter, even if the company doesn’t ask for it – because not everyone is willing to do it, you will be able to positively stand out. Especially if you write a personalized Cover Letter.
Did you enjoy this article? Then you might want to check out our Job Search Master Class: A step by step course created by German recruiters that will show you how to land your dream in 3 steps. In this Master Class you will not only find more, insights, video breakdowns, and even ready-made templates for your Cover Letter and your CV. You will also discover how to create an optimal LinkedIn profile and how to rock your job interviews!
