11 November 2025
What German employers look for in an engineering Lebenslauf
German engineering employers often scan a Lebenslauf in under two minutes. They look for degree titles, practical phases, and evidence that you owned a problem end to end — not a catalogue of every tool you have touched.
Lead with a concise profile line that names your discipline and the environments you know (automotive suppliers, process plants, building services). Follow with reverse-chronological roles. Under each role, prefer two or three project outcomes over long duty lists: commissioning timelines met, scrap reduced, documentation handed to the next shift.
Photo, date of birth, and marital status remain common in Germany but are not mandatory everywhere. If you include a photo, keep it formal and current. Place education after experience once you have several years of practice; earlier-career applicants may reverse that order.
Finally, match terminology to the vacancy. If the employer asks for Projekterfahrung in Anlagenbau, echo that language where it is truthful. Overstating language levels or software depth is noticed quickly in technical interviews.