How to Write a Job Application in Germany: Step by Step

You have found the right opening — now what? Writing a job application can feel like a mountain, yet the process is always the same: analyse, create, tailor, check, send. This guide walks you through the complete process in Germany, from the job ad to clicking “send” — with a realistic schedule, the right submission channel and the rejection reasons that are easy to avoid.

Structure: which documents a German application contains

A complete application in Germany consists of:

• Cover letter — one page arguing why you fit the role
• Cover page (optional) — a title page with photo and contact details
• CV — tabular, one to two pages, reverse-chronological
• Attachments — employer references, highest educational certificate, relevant training certificates

Digitally, everything is merged into one PDF file; how to assemble it is covered in our guide on the application portfolio. Wording the cover letter and CV each have their own in-depth guides — here we focus on the process and how it all connects.

Writing your application in 6 steps

Step 1: Analyse the job ad

The ad is your script. Highlight the must-have requirements (non-negotiable) and the nice-to-haves (bonus points). For each requirement, note which experience of yours proves it. This list drives everything that follows — from CV emphasis to cover letter arguments.

Step 2: Create your documents

Start with the CV: collect your positions, order them reverse-chronologically, add two or three bullet points with results for each. Then the attachments: current certificates as clean scans. The cover letter comes last — by then you already know which two or three strengths to elaborate.

Step 3: Tailor everything to the role

The step that decides between interview and rejection:

• ❌ The same application to twenty companies → ✅ Opening, examples and motivation adapted per role
• ❌ The CV lists everything with equal weight → ✅ Relevant positions come first and get more detail
• ❌ The ad's requirements go unmentioned → ✅ The two most important ones are backed with examples

Step 4: Proofread — ideally with help

Spelling mistakes are an avoidable rejection reason. Read your documents aloud, run a spell check — and if possible, ask a second person to look. In Germany, check especially: company name, contact person, exact job title.

Step 5: Choose the submission channel

What counts is what the ad specifies (more below). For email: a professional sender address, a short message in the email body, everything else in the attached PDF. The subject line states purpose and role:

Application for Project Manager, reference 2026-47 — Anna Schmidt

Step 6: Send and keep records

Note the date, company, position and contact person — with several applications running, you lose track otherwise. After two weeks without a response, a friendly follow-up is entirely legitimate.

How much time do you realistically need?

Plan several hours for your first application, ideally spread over two days — the distance helps with proofreading. The good news: every further application is much faster, because your CV and letter framework already exist. Per additional application, mainly the tailoring work from step 3 remains. Still, never plan less than an hour per role — faster “applications” are almost always recognisable mass mail.

Online form, email or post?

The job ad determines the channel — not your preference:

	Online form	Email	Post
When	a portal is linked	an address is given	only if explicitly requested
Documents	fields + upload (often with limits)	one PDF attached	printed portfolio, copies
Watch out for	fill the fields carefully, do not just upload	short email body, meaningful subject	high-quality folder, sufficient postage

With online forms, care pays off in the free-text fields too — they often land directly in the applicant tracking system used for pre-selection.

The 3 most common rejection reasons

1. No link to the role — the application could go to any company; the ad's requirements appear nowhere
2. Errors and gaps — typos, the wrong company name, missing requested documents: signals of carelessness
3. Recognisable mass application — interchangeable phrases instead of motivation; why this company remains unanswered

None of these three has anything to do with your qualifications — which is exactly why you can avoid them completely.

Checklist before sending

• Must-have requirements from the ad backed with examples in the cover letter?
• CV aligned to the role, relevant positions up front?
• All requested documents included — as one PDF?
• Company name, contact person and reference number correct?
• Spelling checked, ideally by a second person?
• Channel as requested in the ad, application recorded?

The most laborious part remains the writing itself. If you want a shortcut there: our AI cover letter generator drafts an individual letter from the job ad and your profile — the six steps stay the same, but steps 2 and 3 get considerably faster.