Career Search

Bewerbung um Arbeit

Searching for a career in Germany is much the same as in the United States, but many of the formalities are slightly different.  The German version of the resume, der Lebenslauf, is even more brief than the traditional resume.  Additionally, the Lebenslauf includes a passport photo in the upper-right hand corner, something that Americans, who have been taught that appearance does not matter, might find unusual.

The Lebenslauf below presents a good example of what to expect when first applying for a job.  The sample comes from the course textbook, Geschäftsdeutsch.

The information that the Lebenslauf lacks will be made up in die Bewerbung, an application that acts essentially as both a cover letter and a writing sample.  The Bewerbung tells the history of one's education and work experience.  Personal experiences and other relevant histories may be included as part of the Bewerbung.

Career Search Links

Short-term Employment and Volunteering Abroad

• AllAbroad.com:  Work & study abroad

• Council Exchange:  Work abroad for up to six months

• Internabroad.com:  International Internships

Long-term Employment Abroad

• Eurograduate.com:  Graduate Opportunities in Europe

• Monster.com:  Monster has an International Directory too

• OverseasJobs.com:  A listing of Opportunities Abroad

Knowing the proper form of a business letter is important knowledge anywhere.  The German business letter includes much of the same information as the American business letter, but the format is somewhat different.  The currently accepted greeting is "Sehr geehrte(r)", and the common salutation is "Mit freundlichen Grüßen".  The letter below provides a good example of how a business letter may be formatted in Germany.