Cover Letter

Format and structure

The cover letter must not be longer than one page (A4) and should be structured similar to a business letter, i.e. with addresses, place and date.
You also need a subject line in which you state the exact job title.

If you know the correct contact person, write to them directly, e.g. "Dear Ms. Smith". If you do not know who exactly to address, use the greeting "Dear Sir or Madam".

The text of about 3 to 5 paragraphs is followed by a closing formula, e.g. "Kind regards" or "Yours sincerely" and your name and signature.

Content

In the cover letter, describe your qualifications and skills as they relate to the job.
Use the job advertisement as a guideline!

Select the most relevant required qualifications and use descriptive examples and experience to explain why you fit the job, how you work, and what skills you bring to the position. Start with your best argument.

Show your motivation to work for exactly this company. To do this, find out in detail what the company does. It is also good to draw a connection between your past achievements and your future goals. What added value do you bring to the company?

Only if required, provide information about your salary expectations and availability in the last paragraph. Finally, say that you look forward to a personal interview and end with a closing formula. A thank you statement for the attention or consideration given to your application is not required and is very uncommon in Germany. At the end, add your signature.

It is very important to write an individual cover letter for each application that is tailored to the employer and the position!

To understand even better how exactly to incorporate your skills into job applications and how to convince application readers, check out our job application workshops!
Here you can find our current programme.