Create your personal competence profile:

1. Write down everything you have done so far: School, studies, internships, jobs, voluntary work, sports, stays abroad, language courses, further training, etc. Don't be discouraged if you can't write something on every point. Through a self-analysis, you can also find out in which point you would like to expand your competences.

2. Think about what qualifications, skills and competences you have acquired or have been able to demonstrate. Have you worked in the catering industry? You probably have good communication skills, customer orientation and stress resistance.

3. Now mark which of these you did particularly well and enjoyed doing. Also ask friends what they think you are particularly good at.

You now have a pool of competences and skills, as well as examples of how you acquired them, which you can draw on for every job application depending on the job profile.

In the covering letter, you show the matches between your profile and the advertised position. To do this, you need to analyse the job advertisement in detail beforehand. When writing the cover letter, always take the reader's perspective and convince him/her that you have all the relevant qualifications as well as key competences for the advertised position, that you are highly motivated and that you want to work in exactly this company/institution.

Never send the same application to several companies - experienced recruiters will notice this immediately. Each application should be tailored to the job you want to apply for.

Even if you apply online, the cover letter will look like a business letter. You should avoid spelling mistakes, meaningless phrases and unsubstantiated assertions ("I am a team player"). It is better to demonstrate competencies with examples from your studies, internships or voluntary work.

Our cover letter template to help you to get started.

The CV is the core of your application and is the first document many recruiters read. It describes your career and skills on a maximum of 2 pages. It should be very clearly structured. Remember that the reader wants to understand very quickly what you are studying, what qualifications and professional experience you have. The CV is structured in reverse chronological order. Always tailor it to the job you are applying for.

It is not compulsory to include a photo on your CV, but it is still common in many industries in Germany. If you want to place a photo on your CV, it should show you formaly dressed against a neutral background. For those just starting their careers, we recommend a professional application photo.

Congratulations! Your written application was convincing. You have been invited to an interview. In a personal interview, whether in the company or via video, your potential employer wants to find out whether you fit into the company and the team. They may ask you questions about your CV or relevant professional skills, but what counts most is your personality and motivation. However, the personal meeting is also your opportunity to get a picture of the employer - you should also check whether the job suits you.

Comprehensive preparation is important. You should do extensive research on the potential company/institution and familiarise yourself with the job as well as possible questions in the interview. Also prepare a short oral self-presentation with a clear reference to the job.

Typical interview procedure:

1. small talk

2. introduction of the people joining the interview

3. self-presentation of the applicant

4. questions to the applicant

5. time for the applicant to ask questions

6. conclusion