How to create your curriculum vitae professionally
In any case, a CV should be clearly arranged and well-structured. Enter your data as complete as possible and make sure that there are no spelling errors. If you are unsure, have a person you know or a service provider (e.g. translator) proofread it. You will also need this CV for your application for professional licensing and to look for a job offer/ an expression of interest from potential employers – a well-written CV increases your chances of success during the entire process of your professional recognition in Germany!
In any case, you should write the motivation letter in your own words. Your concrete personal goals must be stated clearly. If you have German language skills up to level A2, you should write the motivation letter in English. If your language skills are at level B1 or higher, write the letter in German. It must be structured as follows and should not significantly exceed one DIN A4 page.
Pay attention to the form: a résumé is always written in bullet-point style. You cannot go wrong with the standard fonts Times New Roman and Arial. Sans-serif fonts like Helvetica or Lato are slightly fancier and more modern. Font size should not be smaller than 10 point or larger than 12 point. Choose a simple and uncluttered layout. Colourful frames, graphical elements or underlining only cause distraction.
Head
- Headline: "Résumé" or "Curriculum Vitae"
- Professional job application photo (insert in upper right corner).
- Personal information: Name / Place and date of birth / Nationality / Address / Telephone number/ Email address.
Main part
- University studies: name of degree program, name of university, exam date, exam grade
- Doctorate: title of thesis, name of institute, name of supervisor
- Publications (if available)
- Congresses and professional trainings
- Scholarships and awards
- Clinical experience / professional experience: internship year and clinical clerkships / professional activity including your field of work, name of clinic or practice
- Language skills: indicating level of proficiency (native, fluent, proficient, intermediate, beginner). If language certificates are available (e.g. German A2) these should be mentioned.
- Non-academic and social commitment (if available).
- Stays abroad: only in connection with university studies, i.e. study abroad, clinical internships and internships abroad or trips that were taken for language education
Ending
- Sign with place and date: place and date are above the signature, i.e. the signature is at the bottom. For a digital résumé it is sufficient to add the signature as a scan.
Notes
It is no longer mandatory to include a job application photo. However, the American style of an anonymous application without a photo is not very common in Germany yet, at least not in the healthcare business. Therefore, we advise to include a professional-looking photo.
With regards to a phone number, it is best to use a mobile number to make sure that nobody else takes important calls. Always answer calls with your first and last name. If your mailbox is activated, be sure to check the text and change it if necessary.
Choose your email address wisely, e.g. your first and last name. Nicknames, fantasy names or series of numbers are rather unsuitable. If in doubt, create a new email address for this purpose.
Personal information no longer includes marital status, mentioning parents and siblings or religion.
School education does not need to be mentioned.
Clinical clerkships and internships do not necessarily have to be listed in the CV. If you have already gained enough practical clinical experience, you should omit this information. However, if you are applying as a young professional for a specialization in which you have already done a clinical elective or internship it makes sense to include this information since it strengthens your practical experience and motivation for your chosen specialty.
In the last section of the main part you can list interests that reflect on your personality and make you interesting. Be sure not to name any dangerous sports like free climbing or base jumping and do not list more than 4 things. It is advantageous to mention your interests if they are related to your profession. You can then also call this section "job-related interests".
At the end there is no complimentary closing.