Country guides / Germany vs United Kingdom
German Lebenslauf vs UK CV: Key Differences (2026)
What is the difference between a German Lebenslauf and a UK CV?
A German Lebenslauf typically carries a professional photo, date of birth, nationality and a signature. A UK CV includes none of these; employers processing applications under UK GDPR want only your name, city and contact details. The Lebenslauf is strictly tabular over 1 to 2 pages, while a UK CV opens with a short personal statement.
Germany vs United Kingdom: side by side
| Rule | Germany (Lebenslauf) | United Kingdom (CV) |
|---|---|---|
| Name of the document | Lebenslauf | CV |
| Length | 1–2 pages, strictly tabular | 2 A4 pages is the standard |
| Photo | Expected: professional headshot, ~4.5×6 cm, top right | Not expected; it invites bias questions |
| Personal details | DOB, place of birth and nationality are customary | City + postcode only; no DOB, no full address |
| Dates | 03.2020 – heute (MM.YYYY) | Mar 2020 – Present |
| Language | German if the posting is German; English otherwise | British English (organisation, analyse) |
| Signature | City, date + signature at the end is traditional | Same as general practice |
| Opening | Same as general practice | Personal statement: 3–4 lines, who you are + what you offer |
The differences that actually get applications rejected
Photo and personal data. A German Lebenslauf carries a professional headshot of roughly 4.5 x 6 cm in the top right, plus date of birth, place of birth and nationality. Photos are not legally required under Germany's AGG anti-discrimination law, yet most employers still expect one, and a Lebenslauf without a photo can read as incomplete. In the UK those same details invite bias questions, and recruiters processing applications under UK GDPR want nothing beyond your name, city, postcode and contact details.
Length and structure. The Lebenslauf is strictly tabular: 1 to 2 pages of dated entries with no introductory paragraph. A UK CV runs to 2 A4 pages and opens with a personal statement, 3 to 4 lines on who you are and what you offer. A UK-style CV sent to Germany looks unstructured, while a bare tabular Lebenslauf in the UK loses the opening pitch recruiters read first.
Dates and language. German entries use the numeric format 03.2020 – heute, and the document is written in German whenever the posting is German. UK entries read Mar 2020 – Present, in British English with spellings like organisation and analyse. Mismatched date formats are the clearest giveaway that a CV was never adapted for the country, and they make your career timeline harder for recruiters to scan.
Signature and closing. A traditional Lebenslauf ends with the city, the date and a signature, a convention German employers still read as a mark of completeness. A UK CV is never signed; it simply ends after the final section. A signed CV in Britain looks unfamiliar with local norms, and an unsigned Lebenslauf can strike traditional German employers as unfinished.
Convert between the two in one click
The free GlobeResume builder holds your content once and re-formats it per country: pick Germany for the Lebenslauf, switch to United Kingdom and the same details become a correct CV. No signup, and everything stays in your browser.
Free, no sign-up. Switch countries any time; your content converts instantly.
Germany vs United Kingdom FAQ
- Do I need a photo on my German Lebenslauf?
- Photos are not legally required; Germany's AGG anti-discrimination law protects applicants who leave one off. In practice most German employers still expect a professional headshot, around 4.5 x 6 cm in the top right, and a Lebenslauf without one can read as incomplete. For UK applications, leave the photo off entirely.
- Why should I remove my date of birth from a UK CV?
- UK employers process applications under UK GDPR and neither need nor want personal data beyond contact details. City and postcode are enough; a date of birth or full address raises bias questions rather than helping your application. In Germany the opposite holds, where date of birth, place of birth and nationality are customary.
- Can I use the same CV for Germany and the UK?
- No, because the two formats conflict directly rather than merely differing in style. The photo, birth details and signature Germany expects are exactly what UK employers avoid, and the date formats, language conventions and opening sections differ too. Keep one set of career details and produce two country-specific documents from it.
- How do I convert my resume between the two formats?
- Enter your details once in the free GlobeResume builder, then switch the country setting between Germany and the United Kingdom and your document re-formats instantly. There is no signup and the builder is privacy-first, so your data stays with you. Paid tiers simply remove the watermark.