How to get your CV shortlisted in Germany?

A recruiter can decide to accept or reject your CV within the first 5-10 seconds.

So, ensuring that your CV is a well-crafted piece of art is crucial.

But, how would you make sure that your CV stands out from the crowd?

What are the different things you should consider while crafting an attention-grabbing CV?

I will try to answer all of this in the blog post today.

1. Optimize your CV

The first and foremost thing you should do is to ensure that your CV is optimized for the job.

You can ensure this by going through the Job Description carefully and by updating your CV to include the relevant keywords.

I am not suggesting you update your CV for each job application, but it is good practice to update it regularly.

When you optimize, do not include the keywords at random places.

Make sure that the keywords are inserted organically.

Let me give you an example:

Suppose you are applying for a Python developer job and the JD contains keywords like Django, REST API, Microservices, etc.

So, in your CV, you can add a sentence like:

I have 2.5 years of experience working as a Python developer where I developed web applications using Django and created REST API endpoints using Django Rest Framework.

This simple sentence includes all the necessary keywords from the JD and sounds natural as well.

On the other hand, I’ve seen candidates putting all the keywords towards the end of the CV.

For example:

Django, REST API, Python, Fast API, SQL, AWS, NoSQL, GCP, Azure, Numpy, Pandas

If you stuff keywords in your CV like this, no one is going to read them.

Also, the ATS systems are smart nowadays and they can easily filter out CVs that do keyword stuffing like this.

So, make sure that you include the keywords but in an organic way.

If you want to get expert advice on optimizing your CV, you can look at our Job Search Support service.

2. Apply for the Chancenkarte visa

The second strategy is to apply for the Opportunity card visa (Chancenkarte).

When you get the Chancenkarte, you can update your CV and mention that you are a valid visa holder.

Most companies prefer candidates who hold a valid visa v/s those who do not have any visa for Germany.

If you have the budget to travel to Germany after getting the Chancenkarte, your chances will increase further.

Once you reach Germany, you can update your location and phone number on the CV to make it more appealing to the recruiters.

For example, you can update your CV like this:

Your Name

Your address, Berlin, Germany
+49 012345678

Once the recruiter sees that your current location is in Germany, your chances of getting shortlisted increase exponentially.

Also, the ATS is usually configured to reject applications that are from outside of Germany.

With this update, you will be able to get past the ATS as well.

3. Apply to visa-sponsored jobs

If you can not afford to apply for the Chancenkarte, you can still try your luck by applying for visa-sponsored jobs in Germany.

A visa-sponsored job usually means that the employer is willing to hire candidates from outside of Germany.

So, your chances of getting shortlisted increase when you apply for visa-sponsored jobs.

Go through the linked post to learn more about visa-sponsored jobs and different platforms to find such jobs.

4. Look for job referrals

This is the toughest one but the most efficient way of getting your CV shortlisted if done wisely.

The idea here is to build your connections in Germany in parallel to your job applications.

When you have a considerable number of connections on LinkedIn, start looking for job opportunities in the companies where your connections are working.

Now, apply to relevant jobs in these companies and request your connections to refer you for the job post.

When you contact them, do it politely.

Here is a sample chat snippet:

Hi Anoop,

I hope you are doing well.

I read your last post on LinkedIn about visa-sponsored jobs in Germany. That was a really great post with detailed insights that helped me receive positive responses from several employers in Germany.

I also noticed that your company, "Acme Corp." is looking for a Python developer. I really liked the job description as it mentions Django, REST APIs, and microservices. I am currently working as a Python developer and have extensive experience in building microservices and backend RESTful APIs.

Would you be able to refer me for this job post? I have attached my CV here for your reference.

I look forward to hearing from you and reading your next blog post soon.

Do not ask for the favor immediately. Rather, build a strong relationship with a couple of interactions before you ask for the favor.

Most of the time, you will not hear back from the connection. That’s ok.

But, there might be 1 in 100 who will refer you and that can change the entire job hunting scenario for you.

The most important skills needed for this strategy are patience, sales, communication, and persistence.

If you practice this and do it right, this can prove to be the most efficient strategy for job hunting in Germany.

In Summary

Getting your CV shortlisted is the toughest task when it comes to finding a job in Germany from abroad.

If you follow some of the strategies detailed in this post, you can optimize your profile and have a better chance of getting your CV shortlisted.

End of the day, you need to optimize, practice, and stay persistent for a long period to see any positive result.

I hope you get value out of this post.

Good luck with your job search.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only. We strongly advise readers to conduct their due diligence or consult with a professional legal or immigration consultant before taking any action based on the content of this post. "Germany Is Calling" or the author of this post does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the information provided.