How to apply for a job in Germany: where to look and what to send

2 min read · 8 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

Search the job portal of the Federal Employment Agency and the large job sites, and look at company websites directly. A German application has a cover letter of no more than one page, a CV in table form, and copies of your certificates and references. Have foreign certificates translated first.

Applications in Germany are more formal than in many other countries. Employers expect a complete set of documents, and a missing certificate or an untidy CV can end the process before anyone has read what you can do.

Rules, amounts and deadlines change. Check the official source named at the end before you act, and ask the office in your city, because procedures differ from town to town.

Step by step

  1. Start with the Employment Agency

    The Agentur für Arbeit is the first contact for job seekers. Its job search engine, the Jobbörse, is the largest in the country, and its advisers can pay for translations and application training in many cases.

  2. Search the portals

    Large sites are StepStone, Indeed, Monster and Adzuna. The government portal make-it-in-germany.com lists jobs for people coming from abroad. Xing and LinkedIn are used for contacts and adverts. Local newspapers print job adverts on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

  3. Look at companies directly

    Many firms advertise only on their own website under Karriere or Jobs. Job fairs and open days are a way to speak to them in person.

  4. Write the cover letter

    The Anschreiben is usually no longer than one page. Say which job you are applying for, why you fit it, and when you could start. Address it to the contact person named in the advert.

  5. Write a CV in table form

    The Lebenslauf lists education and jobs with dates, most recent first, without gaps, followed by languages and other skills. It carries the date and your signature. A photo is common in Germany but not required.

  6. Add certificates and references

    Attach school and university certificates and references from former employers (Arbeitszeugnisse). Have foreign documents translated. Check whether your qualification needs formal recognition: is your degree valid in Germany.

  7. Send it the way the advert asks

    Most employers want one PDF by email or an upload on their portal. Put the documents in the order cover letter, CV, certificates. Our free tool joins them: merge PDF.

  8. Prepare for the interview

    Read about the company and the job, think of examples from your own work, and prepare questions. Advice centres and the Employment Agency offer free application training (Bewerbungstraining).

Good to know

Help in several languages: the Migration Counselling for Adults, the Youth Migration Services for people under 27, and the hotline Working and Living in Germany.

An internship or a temporary job is a common way in. Check the contract before you sign: losing or quitting a job in Germany: notice periods and your rights.

Whether you may work depends on your residence permit. Read the additional sheet of your permit or ask the immigration office.

What ends up in your account: your German payslip explained: taxes and deductions in 2026.

In short: Employment Agency Jobbörse, portals and company sites, one-page cover letter, CV in table form with date and signature, translated certificates, one PDF, prepare for the interview.

Sources
  • Handbook Germany: Job Hunting and Application

Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.