A Lebenslauf is the German CV: tabular, one to two pages, and often including a photo, date of birth and a signature. A resume is the US format: one page, no photo, no personal data, focused on measurable achievements. If you are applying for a job in Germany, you almost always need a Lebenslauf, not a US-style resume.
If you moved to Germany with a polished one-page US resume, you may have noticed something: it gets silence. That is not because your experience is weak. It is because German employers expect a Lebenslauf, a longer, tabular document that follows local conventions, often with a photo, your Geburtsdatum and a signature. Sending an American resume as it is quietly signals that you do not know the market, and recruiters notice. The good news is that adapting is straightforward. The differences are about format and convention, not about the quality of your work. Once you know what changes, you can turn the same history into a document a German recruiter reads as complete and professional.
Lebenslauf vs resume vs CV: the differences
The table below shows how the three documents differ on the details that matter most to a German recruiter.
| Feature | Lebenslauf (DE) | Resume (US) | CV (UK/academic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 1 to 2 pages | 1 page | 2+ pages, no limit |
| Photo | Common (optional) | No | No |
| Personal data | Often included | No | No |
| Signature | Common (with place/date) | No | No |
| Target market | Germany / DACH | USA / Canada | UK, academic and research roles |
