5 Resume Mistakes You MUST Avoid in Germany [with real examples]

[@simplegermany]

🔥Get our German-Style CV Template in English: 👉www.simplegermany.shop/cv-template?

[@rolajaber9276]

This is Exactly what the HR freelancer that i hired once did. I asked her to restructure my resume and coverletter. She applied exactly what you talked about. Especially the order thing in the resume. This is what helped me land a job in Germany and relocate (Berlin)

[@simplegermany]

Super happy to hear!! 😊

[@howtoearnmoneyonlinerightnow]

@rolajaber Hey! Did the HR freelancer create the CV for you or did he/she only provide you the CV template?

[@erunaraina]

Excellent job, you both did here! Most of the hints you've given i've been teaching to people from literally all over the world who came to Germany and had no clue, where to start from with their cv. (I'm a certified "Bewerbungscoach" and started in 2007 to give workshops on this matter...) One additional suggestion to your interested viewers: Please always take online templates for cv's mostly as a source of inspiration. Whenever possible, don't just copy them. I met hundreds of people who just copied modern looking templates from the internet and filled in their personal data. Experienced HRs especially from bigger companies are able to recognice the sources (at least, if it's one of the templates, Google suggest on page 1 for searching "CV template" or "Vorlage Lebenslauf"...). This may lead to the assumption, not to be very creative or even to be just lazy! Also, this leads easily to subtile mistakes and misreadings, e.g. you hastely filled it up and missed one spot with prewritten dummy-data... Whenever you're able to handle your software more skillfully, just create your own version. As Jen and Yvonne mentioned: No need for a fancy design, where you better could fill in proper facts. Weniger ist meist mehr! Good Luck to you & hopefully have a good start to your new job soon!

[@prajwalhegde904]

By any chance, could you review my CV and let me know if there are some flaws in it?

[@deliatedeschi]

Love this! I am doing papers in german for american Opera singers for years now (which of course look a bit different). You need to convince with your information, not tiring the recruiter

[@turjo119]

Thank you for this video. I used your article to style my CV this weekend but now I see there are still some things I could definitely improve!

[@relaxedcalmness3375]

You guys deserve more subscriptions. You put a lot of effort into this.

[@simplegermany]

Thanks! 😊

[@liveoutloudfam]

Just purchased your CV template!!! Thanks so much for this video explanation.

[@simplegermany]

Amazing! Thanks a lot! And best of luck with your application(s)! 😊

[@Chrissfabbi]

I was able to purchase your template two days ago and I could definitely see the difference! Thank you so much! Editing my CV now ☺️☺️!

[@simplegermany]

Fantastic!! 💪

[@marilynaber7396]

Omg thanks… I am actually about to start my job search process.

[@siva5782]

You guys nailed it. Thanks for sharing these wonderful Tips. It would be great if you could share information about the ATS system, how it works and how to take care our resume so that it wont get rejected by these software's

[@lutwalastella5996]

Hi guys i have liked the you guided us the job seekers , i,m a Counselor. Looking forward to apply for job too.

[@Tanechkasuv]

Maybe you can talk about writing your CV for an HR review vs hiring manager?

[@ramosthe3rd]

As always, really helpful. :)

[@alaael-naghi8411]

You're amazing! Can you make German daily News in English?

[@souvikchakraborty3324]

Hi, I am a regular visitor of your channel.I have 1 request. Could you make one video on current living expenses please in Germany mainly in Bielefeld area or in general. It would be really helpful.

[@simplegermany]

We just recorded an updated version of the cost of living. Its currently being edited and will be released within the next weeks 😊

[@souvikchakraborty3324]

@@simplegermany Thank you very much.Appreciate your prompt response

[@WenLee-o6t]

Thanks Jen and Yvonne for your helpful videos! They are always so insightful. I have a question please, If I'm currently not based in Germany, but wanna apply for jobs in Germany, would it be workable? Or German employers might not keen on considering candidates in this case? Many thanks!❤

[@moxiebombshell]

Check out their videos on their channel page! I just watched one on finding English-language jobs in Germany that had a lot of advice and info on applying for jobs in Germany online, so I don't think you'd need to be there yet.

[@anand.prasad502]

Danke from India !

[@Chezaire]

ATS Readability Question: Thanks for sharing the information! This is really helpful. Mistake #5 is not having white space. However, the two "bad" examples you showed are precisely the templates that are recommended for ATS readability. How would you recommend crafting the resume so it's not too cramped but is still ATS readable?

[@nygynu]

Guys, could you make a video on how to attend a German *funeral*? It's a sad topic, but need to attend a funeral of my colleague's parent and I have no idea what to wear, when to be, what to say ... Maybe later also happier occasions, like weddings and the gifting situation:) + Thanks for all the great content so far! You're amazing! ❤

[@simplegermany]

So sorry to hear! In fact, we are currently crafting a written guide on the exact topic. Will let you know once it's live, so it can hopefully guide you somewhat!

[@simplegermany]

Hey JM, your comment gave me extra motivation to prioritize this guide aaand here it is: www.simplegermany.com/funerals-in-germany/ Hopefully it is helpful for you! All the best to you and your colleague!

[@nygynu]

@@simplegermany WOW! Thank you so much. Super thorough and complete. Okay, after reading it I have to confess now I want to die in Germany so that I can be cremated to be poured in a forest by a tree 🍃🥀

[@tuliominini]

Hello girls. I’m loving your videos, very informative! I’m planning to move to Berlin in the next couple of months. As someone who transitioned from technical design to development, I still don’t have any work experience as a developer, so I’ve been looking for junior positions. Could you please give me your opinion on how could be my approach to get a job before or after I arrive in Germany? Thank you!!

[@onymou_23]

Hello ladies If i did career shift recently, should I mention my previous jobs/skills in the CV ?

[@moxiebombshell]

I'm 42 and was a stay at home mom for about 5 years and then went back to school for a total career change and will receive my B.S. in Computer Information Systems Technology with a specialization in Data Science this December. (A) How should I handle this employment gap, and (B) how to handle the lack of experience in my new tech field? What are your thoughts -- Should I wait and gain some work experience in the US before trying to move to Germany with my kids?

[@reza310]

I have a question ? First of all , that is an amazing offer thank you . I am going to start applying from the beginning of the next year and i will definitely give this a shot 😃 I am a scientist , in the field of pharmacy , often templates are not compatible with our needs or academic style of CV . We have laboratory skills in addition to soft skills including bioinformatics … And also we include the projects and publication and short explanations, grants and scholarships which i assume are not common in other professions. Does your CV template fit such requirements or flexible to be changed accordingly ?

[@simplegermany]

Our CV Template is 100% editable; it follows German conventions for employers, so you would need to add in your more specific fields for the pharmacy industry. You can find it here! simplegermany.shop/

[@nz5358]

Does 2 columns for date and contacts create trouble for ATS reading?

[@bekind88]

I am already using all these tips but still not getting a job for months now :/

[@aidakhakzad1386]

When I apply for an English work in Germany,should I send my CV in German or in English?

[@TadiwaNherera]

Hi. I love your content. I was wondering, if you do not have a job in Germany or residence and you are applying for jobs in Germany; do you still need to have attributes such as your home address and mobile phone number? Since these things are going to be in international format e.g. your address will be an international home address.

[@mudassirahmed6905]

is mentioning date of birth required in German CV?

[@sciencelover3339]

Why is the dob on the resume? I thought the EU banned age discrimination a while ago. People don't put their dob or age on their resume here in North America and it's illegal for employer to ask. Is it required in the EU?

[@simplegermany]

It is not illegal to put it in the EU and it is common to put it - same with a picture 😉

[@Julia-ui5lw]

How about portfolio? Is it ok for germans to use emojis (not too many of course) there? As it's different for all countries, some wants to see unique eye-catchy portfolios, other HR's are more conservative :) Struggling to find UX job in NRW, did the CV according to your template, but have completely no knowledge about "german portfolio standards" :D

[@simplegermany]

We'd say that's highly individual. We believe as long as the use of emojis looks professional and helps to convey content its fine, e.g. a briefcase for work or a brain for ideas etc. But of course one should not just use the regular smileys 😉.

[@claudiakarl2702]

I‘m the spokesperson for handicapped persons at my company. So I‘m included in a lot of hiring processes. Emojis in the papers wouldn’t be considered a good idea in my company. They might be if you‘d want to go into advertising.

[@karinland8533]

I would not advise you to use emoji’s. There might be companies (creative startups maybe) were that would be ok, but don’t take the risk

[@baumaus9014]

This is directed to other viewers that might be in Graphic Design areas: Do CVs in that industry work the same way here in Germany? I've worked in advertising so far (Copy and Branding), and back home, what actually landed me my jobs were my hobbies, not my previous experience. Also, my work hasn't been quantifiable like Jen's, it's been on the creative side, so achievements... I don't have anything particular, bc even clients/projects I worked with depended more on my office's clients than on me as an individual.

[@claudiakarl2702]

Your hobbies are only interesting to an employer if they fit your job or the employer. If you’re a graphic designer, painting is a good hobby. If you want to work in a social field, voluntary work is good. Hobbies that keep you healthy are good too. For the rest: no one will really care.

[@amiresfahani9358]

Is it possible to get a job as a computer science masters student without knowing German Language?

[@MehediMonglaEPZ]

Hi Jen and Yvonne: I am from Bangladesh. Your videos are so useful. I want to know from you one thing that last year I was on Germany to attend a tradeshow at Dortmund and I really loved the country. Will it give me any benefit to get a Job Visa in Germany?

[@simplegermany]

No it won't. To get a job visa you need a work contract. How often you have been to Germany before doesn't matter as far as we know.

[@msf8297]

how about employment gaps

[@simplegermany]

Mention them if they occured in the past 10 years and explain why. We give examples in our writing guide which is part of your German-Style CV Template.

[@winterlinde5395]

👍🏻

[@lesykgoral8377]

Just have no photos,images, colours, no fun. Everything black and white and boring.

[@kaworunagisa4009]

About the achievements. It's easy if you're the only dev of your kind on the project and have access to the business side of things. But what if in the majority of my jobs I was part of a team and no one ever told me what "achievements" my particular code made? I get tasks (be that features, bugs, etc.) and sometimes deadlines, I do them in the allocated time, move the tasks from development to testing, and that's it, end of story. There's no way I can spin a "rock star" kind of story out of my workhorse recent job experience. The only notable achievements I can put in were made in toxic conditions, and that's obvious from the kind of achievements. "Led a team of Junior Developers, introduced a coherent architecture into an existing project, translated client requirements into terms of reference" (not that exact wording) = "The company had no idea what it was doing, the project was a spaghetti mess written by a couple Juns and had to basically be rewritten from scratch, the client constantly changed requirements, and PMs just dumped the client's vague ramblings into my lap without bothering to formalise them". "Implemented a project from internal client requirements to release in 3 months" = "Had no support whatsoever, had to translate a jumble of vague wishes into a working app, had a crazy deadline". And those are the most impressive looking and years old. Working in a healthy team does not produce "achievements". How do I get around that "rock star developer" HR mentality?

[@simplegermany]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I can relate to it. My first job at a media agency felt super overwhelming. Also crazy deadlines and not enough support. I don't think showing your achievements has to reflect a rock-star developer attitude. It's more about quantifying the work so others can understand it. This can be monthly visitors to the software you've developed. If the team you work with does end-to-end testing and you've contributed to setting that in place, that could also be a metric to use. Think of it more along the lines of how you can quantify the tasks you've done and how you're grain of salt has contributed to the bigger picture. Hope that helps!

[@kaworunagisa4009]

@@simplegermany Thanks for the reply but it doesn't really. The last few years I've been working in large distributed teams so I have no idea what does on outside my immediate team, which is Android development. Testers are their own team and we don't interact aside from a couple questions here or there. And I definitely don't have any data on how many users used the apps I participated in developing because as soon as they are released, the relationship between the dev company and the client is over.

[@kayanbsoul7483]

Hello ladies, I have a question about ranks please: so if at work or at university one of the people I interact with has the following titles: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. (a real example)! How should I approach this person in an honorable way please?

[@simplegermany]

Good question! We would approach as Professor. Typically if the person would like to be approached differently they would let you know. Or observe how others in a similar position as yours refer.

[@kayanbsoul7483]

@@simplegermany Thank you so much 🙏🏼🤗

[@pilter34]

My name is the most commonly used in the world hence the creative email ids 🥲. How would you suggest a work around this situation?

[@simplegermany]

Try out all possible variations of your entire name. Play with initials, different order of names etc. See whats available and make it look as professional as possible 😊

[@pilter34]

@@simplegermany could you elaborate what would be professional in this context? Initials_Name or Name_Initials??

[@simplegermany]

Both. Try around what’s available with the provider you want to use.

[@pilter34]

@@simplegermany Thanks for guiding 😃

[@jaredsynn9490]

You could also try buying your own domain so that you guarantee that nobody else has taken your name. Many email providers (fastmail as an example) can be set up to work with a personal domain as well. It will cost you some money, but it is an option.