Curriculum Vitae
Structure of the resume
- The resume should be structured counter-chronologically.
- The layout should be clear - in tabular form with time and content column.
- Using bullet points ensures good readability. For example, when listing specific activities of individual practical experiences or focal points of studies.
- The CV should not exceed two pages.
- A self-designed letterhead is advantageous. You do not need to include any information listed in the letterhead under personal data.
- Do not forget the place, date and signature in the resume.
Resume categories
The structuring should be done according to thematic blocks. There are no fixed guidelines for the headings of these blocks.
Of course, not all of these points need to be used. You can also group items together, for example, use a Schooling and Education category.
Each item should only be mentioned in one place on your resume, so an internship abroad could appear either under practical activities, internship or under experience abroad - depending on how you name and divide your categories.
There should not be too many subheadings under one heading. A category under which there are then ten sub-headings will look confusing. It is important that you do not jump in terms of content. For example, two different courses of study should be listed together under the same heading, even if there are a few years in between.
Customization
To customize the resume to the job you want, you can vary on the following items, for example:
- Present university section shorter or longer. Do you want to mention midterm exams, exam papers, grades, or specific student projects, or leave them out?
- Which main areas of study are mentioned?
- Do you list specific activities in student jobs, part-time jobs or internships? If so, how detailed with how many bullet points and in what order?
- Do you want to emphasize special computer skills or not? Mention only the software or programs or also the quality of your knowledge?
- Do you want to emphasize the knowledge of a certain language or not?
- Do you want to list voluntary work or not? If yes, how detailed?
- In case of several stays abroad: List your own section with experience abroad or classify the stays in the respective content areas?
Tips for the presentation of...
... Foreign language skills
There is no prescribed classification for the use of foreign language skills. The following statements are guidelines that you can use for orientation.
... if you have completed a language course or have had 2-3 years of schooling in the relevant language.
... one is usually at more than three years of instruction.
...can be used in case of an advanced course in school, very good A-levels or regular use of the language in studies.
... is the case when, even after graduating from high school, you continue to actively use or have expanded your use of a language and are proficient in conversation by e-mail, telephone, and personal contact with colleagues or customers at work.
... means that the complete daily work routine can be managed in this language at any time. This also refers to negotiations and complex discussions.
... refers to language skills that are almost at the level of the native language - e.g. due to many years of residence in a corresponding country.
... corresponds to the highest level.
...plants
In the following, you will receive tips for the presentation and structuring of your attachments. The clarity and relevance of the attachments has the highest priority.
- University degree transcripts
- Overview of grades, if a degree is not yet available
- Work and internship certificates
- The highest school report
Work samples, certificates of language or IT courses, certificates of further education or certificates of stays abroad or awards belong in the attachments if you think it is relevant for the job. It always depends on the individual case. Reference letters are still rather uncommon in Germany, but they can also be included in the attachments. For phrases such as "short applications welcome", only include what is necessary.
You do not have to provide evidence of everything you mentioned in the application! Certificates and individual proofs of attended courses, workshops or conferences etc. do not belong in the appendices, especially if these have only covered a short period of time.
Copies of lectures, presentations, scientific papers or the like also do not belong in the attachments, unless directly requested in the announcement.Do not use originals or certified copies as attachments.
Attachments should be organized by importance, not chronologically.
For online applications, combine all attachments into one PDF document. When scanning, make sure that the file is not too large (max. 3 MB), but that all documents are still readable.
If you only want to send a few attachments (less than five), you can simply insert them after the resume. This applies to both written and online applications. If you have more attachments, a list of attachments is a good idea.
- You can also insert your personal letterhead here
- The individual attachments can be listed with bullet points
- As far as possible, arrange them according to importance and subject matter
- Describe the attachments in such a way that it is clear from the description what follows. So don't just list the term internship reference, but internship reference in area X at Y.
- Sometimes testimonials are 5 or 6 pages long, here it is often possible to select only the essential page with the most important information
- Do not include grade summaries that you have created yourself
