Mastering the German Cover Letter (Anschreiben): Tips and Templates

A German cover letter (Anschreiben) is a one-page formal business letter that explains why you fit a specific role at a specific company. It follows a fixed order: sender and recipient block, place and date, a bold subject line, a formal salutation, an opening that names the position, two or three paragraphs linking your experience to the job's requirements, a closing with your start date (and salary expectation only if requested), and Mit freundlichen Grüßen.

Some employers now make the cover letter optional or replace it with a few questions in the online form. If the ad asks for one, or gives you an upload field for it, write a tailored one. This guide breaks down each part and ends with a template.

What the Anschreiben has to show

Where a cover letter is requested, German recruiters read it alongside your CV (Lebenslauf) as evidence of:

• Your Professionalism: Can you follow instructions and adhere to formal business standards?
• Your Motivation: Why do you want this specific job at this specific company? A generic letter is a one-way ticket to the "no" pile.
• Your Communication Skills: It’s a direct sample of your written communication, and for expats, it’s a chance to prove your German language proficiency (or your professional English, if the job is in English).
• Your Attention to Detail: A typo or a formatting error can be interpreted as carelessness, a trait that doesn’t align with German work culture.

The Anschreiben isn’t a summary of your CV. Your CV lists what you’ve done. Your cover letter explains how what you’ve done makes you the ideal solution to the company’s problem (the vacant position).

Section by section

Keep it to one page. Layout usually follows DIN 5008, the German standard for business correspondence.

1. The Header (Briefkopf)

This is the top section of the page and contains all the essential contact information. It’s all about precision.

• Your Information (Absender):

  • Your full name
  • Your address
  • Your phone number
  • Your email address
  • (Optional but recommended) A link to your LinkedIn or professional portfolio.

• Company Information (Empfänger):

  • Full company name (e.g., Siemens AG, not just Siemens)
  • The name of the hiring manager or HR contact (if you can find it!)
  • Street address
  • Postal code and city

• Date and Place (Ort und Datum):

• Align this to the right. Format it as City, TT.MM.YYYY (e.g., Berlin, 15.10.2026).

Here's how it should look visually:

[Your Name]
[Your Street, Number]
[Your Postal Code, City]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]
[Link to LinkedIn Profile]

[Full Company Name]
[Attn: Frau/Herr Last Name or Personalabteilung]
[Company Street, Number]
[Company Postal Code, City]
                                                Berlin, 15.10.2026

2. The Subject Line (Betreff)

The subject line is not a creative title; it’s a functional label. It should be bold and state exactly what the letter is about.

• Always include: The position you're applying for.
• If available, include: The reference number or code from the job posting (Kennziffer).

Example: Bewerbung als Marketing Manager, Kennziffer MKT-123

(Application for Marketing Manager, Reference Number MKT-123)

3. The Salutation (Anrede)

Formality is non-negotiable here.

• The Gold Standard: Address the letter to a specific person. Do the detective work: check the job ad, the company's website (Imprint/Impressum page), or LinkedIn to find the name of the hiring manager or head of the department.

  • Sehr geehrte Frau [Nachname], (Dear Ms. [Last Name],)
  • Sehr geehrter Herr [Nachname], (Dear Mr. [Last Name],)
  • Important: Note the comma at the end. The first word of your letter will then be lowercase.

• If You Absolutely Cannot Find a Name: The acceptable, but less impressive, alternative is:

• Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, (Dear Sir or Madam,)

4. The Introduction (Einleitung)

Get straight to the point. The first paragraph should immediately hook the reader and state your purpose. Avoid clichés like "I am writing to express my interest..."

• State the position you are applying for and where you saw it.
• Immediately follow with a powerful statement that connects your core strength to the job’s main requirement.

Example: ...vielen Dank für das freundliche Telefonat vom 12.10.2026. Wie besprochen, sende ich Ihnen meine Bewerbungsunterlagen für die Position als Junior Data Analyst, die auf Ihrer Karriereseite ausgeschrieben ist. Meine Fähigkeit, komplexe Datensätze in umsetzbare Geschäftsstrategien zu übersetzen, passt perfekt zu den Anforderungen dieser Rolle.

(...thank you for the pleasant phone call on 12.10.2026. As discussed, I am sending my application documents for the position of Junior Data Analyst, advertised on your careers page. My ability to translate complex data sets into actionable business strategies is a perfect match for the requirements of this role.)

5. The Main Body (Hauptteil)

This is where you make your case. Structure it into 2-3 paragraphs. Don't just list skills; connect them directly to the duties mentioned in the job description. Use the "Problem-Solution" framework: the company has a need, and you are the solution.

• Paragraph 1: Your "Hard Skills". Pick the top 2-3 requirements from the job ad. For each one, state that you have the skill and provide a concrete, quantifiable achievement from a previous role as evidence.

  • Instead of: "I have experience in project management."
  • Try: "In my role at [Previous Company], I successfully managed the 'Project Alpha' launch from conception to completion, delivering it 10% under budget and two weeks ahead of schedule."

• Paragraph 2: Your "Soft Skills" and Company Fit. This is where you show you’ve done your homework. Why this company? Mention a specific project, their company values, a recent news article, or their market position that excites you. Explain how your personal work ethic and collaborative skills (e.g., "team-oriented," "proactive problem-solver") would thrive in their environment.

• International candidates: address work authorisation and relocation in one sentence, e.g. "I hold an EU Blue Card" or "I qualify for an EU Blue Card and plan to relocate to Munich in January; I am available for video interviews." Current Blue Card salary thresholds are on Make it in Germany.

6. The Closing (Schlussteil)

The final paragraph is your call to action. It should be confident and clear.

• Express your eagerness for an interview (Ich freue mich auf die Gelegenheit, mich Ihnen in einem persönlichen Gespräch vorzustellen).
• State your earliest possible start date (Mein frühestmöglicher Eintrittstermin ist der 01.12.2026). This is standard and expected.
• State your salary expectations (Meine Gehaltsvorstellung liegt bei [Betrag] Euro brutto pro Jahr). ONLY include this if it is explicitly requested in the job ad. This is a critical point. If they ask, you must answer. Research typical pay for the role and region, for example in the Federal Employment Agency's Entgeltatlas, and give a specific figure or a narrow range. See salary negotiation in Germany.

7. The Sign-off (Grußformel und Unterschrift)

Keep it simple and professional.

• Closing phrase: Mit freundlichen Grüßen (no comma after it, unlike English). Avoid more informal options.
• Signature: Leave a few lines of space, then type your full name. If you are submitting the letter as a PDF, it is highly recommended to insert a scanned, digital image of your handwritten signature between the closing phrase and your typed name.

Formatting conventions (DIN 5008)

Recruiters will not measure your margins, but a clean DIN-style layout looks familiar to them. Common settings:

A Practical Template You Can Adapt

Use this as a starting point. Fill in the blanks with your own details, and always tailor the main body to the specific job description.

[Your Name]
[Your Street, Number]
[Your Postal Code, City]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]
[Link to LinkedIn Profile]

[Full Company Name]
[Attn: Frau/Herr Last Name or Personalabteilung]
[Company Street, Number]
[Company Postal Code, City]
                                                [City], [TT.MM.YYYY]

**Bewerbung als [Job Title], Kennziffer [Reference Number, if any]**

Sehr geehrte/r Herr/Frau [Last Name],

mit großem Interesse habe ich Ihre Stellenanzeige für die Position als [Job Title] auf [Platform where you saw it, e.g., StepStone.de] gelesen. Meine [Number] Jahre Erfahrung in [Your Field], insbesondere meine Expertise in [Key Skill #1 from job ad], machen mich zu einem idealen Kandidaten, um Ihr Team zu verstärken.

In meiner bisherigen Tätigkeit bei [Previous Company] war ich für [A key responsibility] verantwortlich. Dort konnte ich durch [Specific action you took] ein [Quantifiable result, e.g., eine Umsatzsteigerung von 15% erzielen / die Projekteffizienz um 20% verbessern]. Diese Erfahrung hat meine Fähigkeiten in [Key Skill #2 from job ad] und [Key Skill #3 from job ad] maßgeblich geschärft, welche in Ihrer Stellenausschreibung als zentrale Anforderungen genannt werden.

Besonders an [Current Company Name] reizt mich [Something specific about the company, e.g., Ihr Engagement für Nachhaltigkeit / Ihre innovative Produktentwicklung im Bereich X]. Ich bin überzeugt, dass mein proaktiver Arbeitsstil und meine Leidenschaft für [Your field/industry] hervorragend zu Ihrer Unternehmenskultur passen und ich einen wertvollen Beitrag zu [A company goal or project] leisten kann.

[Only if requested:] Meine Gehaltsvorstellung liegt bei [Amount] Euro brutto pro Jahr. Mein frühestmöglicher Eintrittstermin ist der [Date].

Ich bin sehr gespannt auf die Möglichkeit, meine Qualifikationen und meine Motivation in einem persönlichen Gespräch weiter zu erörtern.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

[Scanned Signature]

[Your Typed Name]

Checklist before you send

1. Addressed to a named person if you can find one; salutation followed by a comma and a lowercase first word.
2. Subject line names the exact job title and any reference number.
3. Opening states the position; body links two or three of the ad's requirements to concrete evidence from your work.
4. Start date included; salary expectation only if requested.
5. One page, consistent font, no typos (have a native speaker proofread a German letter).
6. Saved as PDF together with your German-format CV if the employer asks for a single file.

If you are still choosing where to apply, see the German job market for English speakers.