Anschreiben: how to write a German cover letter

• Top left: your name, address, phone and e-mail. Below: the employer's name, the contact person if the posting names one (Ansprechpartner) and the address.
• Date on the right: Ort, den TT.MM.JJJJ (e.g. Kocaeli, den 03.09.2026).
• Subject line in bold: Bewerbung als Schweißer (m/w/d) — add the reference number if there is one: Referenznummer 4711.
• Salutation: Sehr geehrte Frau Müller, / Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt, if the contact is known; otherwise Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,.
• Body: 3–4 paragraphs, 200–300 words in total. Never more than one page.
• Closing: Mit freundlichen Grüßen — one blank line — your name. No signature needed in a digital application.
• Attachments line: Anlagen: Lebenslauf, Zeugnisse, Zertifikate.

• 1 — Opening (2 sentences): which position, where you saw it, one sentence on why you fit. Do not start with 'Hiermit bewerbe ich mich…'; the employer has read it a thousand times. Open with the competence.
• 2 — Experience (3–4 sentences): match 2–3 things the posting asks for with your own experience. Concrete: how many years, which material, which standard, which certificate. No adjectives ('dynamic', 'team player'); verbs and numbers.
• 3 — Situation (2–3 sentences): state clearly that you apply from Turkey, your visa/recognition status, your German level and when you can start. Hiding this does not help; it comes out in the first call. A candidate who states it looks serious.
• 4 — Closing (1–2 sentences): request for an interview and, if the posting asks for it (Gehaltsvorstellung), a single gross annual salary figure. If not asked, leave it out.

The example below belongs to the fictional profile from the German CV guide (Mert Aydın); it exists to show the layout. Company and personal names are placeholders.

• Als Schweißer mit sieben Jahren Erfahrung im Stahlbau bewerbe ich mich um die ausgeschriebene Stelle in Ihrem Betrieb in Stuttgart. — As a welder with seven years in structural steel I apply for the advertised position at your site in Stuttgart. (Opening: title + experience + position, one sentence.)
• Zu meinen Aufgaben gehörten das MAG- und WIG-Schweißen von Stahlkonstruktionen nach EN 1090 sowie die Prüfung und Dokumentation der Schweißnähte. — My tasks included MAG and TIG welding of steel structures to EN 1090 and the inspection and documentation of welds. (Experience: standard and process names.)
• Ich bin nach EN ISO 9606-1 zertifiziert. — I am certified to EN ISO 9606-1. (Name the certificate officially.)
• Derzeit lebe ich in der Türkei und verfüge über Deutschkenntnisse auf Niveau B1 (telc, 2025). — I currently live in Turkey and have German at B1 (telc, 2025). (Situation: place + level + certificate.)
• Für die Einreise benötige ich ein Visum für Fachkräfte; meine Berufsqualifikation ist für das Anerkennungsverfahren vorbereitet. — I need a skilled-worker visa to enter; my qualification is prepared for the recognition procedure. (State the visa situation openly.)
• Ein Arbeitsbeginn ist ab dem 1. Januar 2027 möglich. — I can start from 1 January 2027. (A concrete date.)
• Über eine Einladung zu einem Gespräch – gerne auch per Video – freue ich mich. — I would welcome an invitation to an interview, also by video. (Closing; offer the remote interview yourself.)

• A Turkish letter of intent run through Google Translate: long sentences, 'esteemed authority', 'in an established institution like yours'. The employer sees it in the first line.
• A generic letter unrelated to the posting: the same text for every job. Both the ATS and the reader look for the posting's keywords.
• Hiding visa/recognition status: it comes out on the phone and trust is gone.
• Exceeding one page; a two-page cover letter goes unread.
• The smell of AI: empty lines like 'Ich bin hochmotiviert und leidenschaftlich'. Put a concrete standard, number and certificate name; that is what gets read.