When looking to work in Germany it is important to know the standards in that country. The German Cover Letter and the German CV are the most important documents for getting called back for a job interview.
How to write a German Cover Letter
The Cover Letter should be one page DIN A4 at most. Use the standard text arts as Times New Roman or Arial type size 12 and single-spaced line spacing as well as in DIN 5008 Norm.
Head of the Cover Letter
The Head of the Cover Letter contains addresses (addressor and addressee), date and place, the subject matter and the salutory greeting.
Addressor
At the top left:
Names and Surname including titles
Street and House Number
Postcode and City
Telephone including area codes
Private Email Address
Date and Place
Are placed right-aligned in the same line as your name. Select the date of your expected dispatch. The formatting is usually dd.mm.yyyy ( eg. 09.02.2014)
Addressee
Leave four lines space under your address and add the the address of the addressee.
Name of the company including the legal form
Name of the HR Department and concerning HR professional including titles
Street with house number or POB
Postcode and City
Subject Line
Leave again 4 lines space and add the subject line. The subject line should refer to the Application number or the post discription you apply for. It should be no longer than 2 lines. Do not announce the subject line as subject line but put the words in bold.
Salutory Greeting
Leave 2 lines pace and name the concerning HR proffesional. Don’t forget the titles.
First Paragraph
Refer to an antorior contact (telephone, email, fair, etc.) if possible and start with the actual content part. Explain where you found the post and why you are interested in gaining employment. Include in this section the research you did about the company, but don’t exeggerate in praising.
Second and Third Paragraph
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. Highlight your strength and your motivation to working in this particular company. Explain the HR professional why you are the perfect candidate. You can refer shortly to jobs you did or studies you made, but always connect to your overall motivation. Answer here the follwing questions:
- Who am I?
- What am I capable of doing?
- Why would I want to do this at this particular company?
Final Paragraph
Here you add some formal sentences, you could be creative to differenciate yourself from the competition. Refer to the documents attached/enclosed ( CV and Certificates) and thank the HR professional for his time. Tell him that you would be pleased and available to be called back for an job interview and finish with greetings.
Signature
Put your name, again place and date and sign personally with pen (online applications do not require personal signiture).
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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