In short: A German cover letter (Anschreiben) is exactly one page, formally laid out (the DIN 5008 business-letter norm), and opens with a named salutation. It’s factual, not a US-style sales pitch — and German recruiters weight it heavily. Put salary expectations and your start date, if asked, in the closing paragraph.
Germans treat the Anschreiben as seriously as the CV — sometimes more. Where a US cover letter is a short, punchy pitch, the German one is a formal, structured letter that proves you understand the role and the local standard. Here’s how it’s built — and if a German term is unfamiliar, the glossary has it.
The structure (top to bottom)
The Anschreiben follows the DIN 5008 business-letter layout. Top to bottom:
- Your details (sender), then the recipient block — company, named contact with title, address.
- Place and date, right-aligned (
Berlin, 4 July 2026). - The subject line (Betreff) — see below.
- Salutation (Anrede) — “Sehr geehrte Frau Meyer,” / “Sehr geehrter Herr …,”. A comma always follows, and the first body word continues lowercase. Use “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren” only if you genuinely can’t find a name.
- The body — three threads: why this role, why you (with proof), why this company.
- Closing paragraph — signal you’re ready for an interview and ask for a reply. Salary and start date go here.
- Sign-off (Grußformel) — “Mit freundlichen Grüßen”. Never a comma after it. Leave space, then your full name (and ideally a handwritten signature).
One page, hard limit — roughly 250–400 words in 3–4 paragraphs. Left-aligned, not justified.
The subject line (Betreff)
Small line, big conventions:
- Don’t write the word “Betreff” before it — that’s outdated.
- No closing punctuation — no period, no exclamation mark.
- Name the exact job title from the ad, plus any reference number (Kennziffer) it gives.
The opening: kill the clichés
The fastest way to look like everyone else is to open with a stock phrase. Avoid:
- “Hiermit bewerbe ich mich …” — redundant (the subject line already says it) and dated.
- “Mit großem Interesse habe ich Ihre Stellenanzeige gelesen …” — empty filler.
- Rhetorical questions and subjunctive hedging (“würde”, “könnte”).
Instead, lead with a concrete hook that proves this isn’t a mass letter — a specific reason this company, a value you’ll bring, or a short authentic connection. Get to the point.
Salary expectations (Gehaltsvorstellung)
The rules that trip people up:
- Only state it if the ad asks. If it’s requested and you leave it out, you look careless. If it’s not asked, save it for the interview.
- Where: in the closing paragraph of the letter — never in the CV.
- Always a gross annual figure (Brutto-Jahresgehalt) — never net, never monthly.
- Range vs. single number is genuinely debated: a precise single figure reads as confident and prepared (a specific non-round number even more so); a range signals negotiation flexibility. Either is fine — pick to match your intent.
- Don’t itemize bonuses or benefits — bundle everything into one gross figure.
Example: “Meine Gehaltsvorstellung liegt bei einem Brutto-Jahresgehalt von 46.500 Euro.”
How to arrive at that figure — researching your band, anchoring, and the negotiation itself — has its own guide.
Start date and notice period
If the ad asks for your availability (Eintrittstermin), state it — usually in the closing paragraph, just before the interview request.
Your earliest start is driven by your notice period (Kündigungsfrist). Germany’s statutory default is four weeks to the 15th or the end of a calendar month, but contracts (especially senior ones) often stipulate three to six months — check yours before naming a date, and target the 1st or 15th of a future month.
If you have a fixed notice period, a concrete date reads as professional and honest. Use “zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt” only as a genuine fallback — and don’t understate your notice to look available.
Example: “Aufgrund meiner Kündigungsfrist stehe ich Ihnen ab dem 01.10.2026 zur Verfügung.”
For internationals
A few things specific to applying from abroad — treat these as practical guidance rather than codified rules:
- State your German level with its CEFR band where it’s a selling point (B2/C1 is a real differentiator). Language details usually live in the CV, but a brief mention in the Anschreiben is worth it when it helps your case.
- Work authorization: if you already hold it (EU citizen, existing permit, Blue Card eligibility), a short positive mention removes the employer’s uncertainty. If you’d need sponsorship, it’s usually better raised once there’s interest, not front-loaded.
- Relocation: if you’re not local, a brief line signalling readiness to relocate reassures the employer.
Tone and common mistakes
Germans expect understatement backed by evidence — factual, restrained, confident, with strong verbs and no inflated adjectives. The mistakes internationals make most:
- Spilling past one page — the cardinal sin.
- A US-sales-y tone — superlatives and hype read as unserious here.
- Generic / non-individualized letters, or the wrong company or contact name.
- Just restating the CV in prose — the Anschreiben should add, not repeat.
Let JACVault write the first draft
JACVault reads the job posting and your profile and drafts an Anschreiben that hits the German conventions — one page, formal structure, the right tone — tailored to the specific role, in your voice. Your first application is free. See how the cover letter generator works — DIN 5008, editable in place, in the same layout as your CV.
Start for free → · Back to: the full application process · Next: the German CV
General information about German cover-letter conventions, not legal advice. Notice-period rules depend on your contract — check it. Last reviewed: see the date at the top.