CV Cover Page: When to Use One and What Goes on It
A cover page is a title sheet placed in front of your CV. It carries your name, your photo and the position you are applying for, like the cover of a report. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland it is a familiar, optional part of an application, known as the Deckblatt. In most other countries it is unusual, and recruiters would see it as an extra page to scroll past. This guide explains when a cover page helps, what belongs on it and where it goes in your application.
What a cover page is and where it is used
A cover page is not a cover letter. The cover letter argues why you are a good fit; the cover page simply introduces the application, like a title page. It contains no arguments, only identification.
| Where you apply | Cover page? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Germany, Austria, Switzerland | Optional, fairly common | Most often in applications sent as one PDF and for apprenticeships |
| UK, Ireland, Nordic countries, Netherlands | No | A cover letter and a CV are enough; an extra page can look odd |
| Southern and Eastern Europe | Rare | Not expected; use only if the employer asks |
| Online application forms | No | Forms have their own structure; upload the documents they ask for |
Do you need one?
No employer requires a cover page, and leaving it out never counts against you. It can help in a few situations:
- You send your whole application as one PDF by email, and the cover page works as an orderly first page.
- You apply for an apprenticeship or a first job, where a tidy, complete application file makes a good impression.
- You work in a creative field and the cover page is part of how you present yourself.
- You want to place your photo prominently without crowding the CV.
Leave it out when you apply through an online form, when the application should be short, outside German-speaking countries, and whenever the employer says to send only a CV and a cover letter.
What goes on a cover page
- A heading such as "Application" and the exact job title, with the reference number if the ad gives one.
- The name of the company, and of the contact person if you know it.
- Your full name and contact details: address, phone number and email address.
- A professional photo, if you use one in your application.
- Optionally, a short list of what the application contains: cover letter, CV, certificates.
Nothing else. No signature, no date, no summary of your skills: those belong in the cover letter and the CV.
Design tips
- Use the same fonts, colours and header style as your CV and cover letter, so the three pages look like one set.
- Keep plenty of white space. A cover page should be readable in two seconds.
- Put the photo in the upper half, large enough to be clear but not dominating the page.
- Avoid clip art, decorative frames and quotations.
- Check the PDF on screen and in print. Colours and margins that look fine on screen can look different on paper.
The photo: on the cover page or on the CV?
If you use a cover page with a photo, you can leave the photo off the CV, or use a smaller version there. Don't make the reader see two large copies of the same picture. In Germany a photo is no longer expected, and many large employers ask candidates not to send one; if you leave it out, the cover page simply carries your name and the position.
Should you put a photo on your CV? Country-by-country rulesWhere the cover page goes in your application
In a German-style application sent as one PDF, the most common order is:
- Cover letter (Anschreiben)
- Cover page (Deckblatt)
- CV (Lebenslauf)
- Optional motivation letter or "third page"
- Certificates and references
Some guides put the cover page first, before the cover letter, and both orders are accepted. What matters is that everything is in one well-named PDF and that the order is consistent.
Motivation letter: when you need one and how to write itMistakes to avoid
- A generic heading with no job title, which suggests the same file went to many employers.
- A different design from the CV and cover letter.
- Too much information: skills, hobbies or a profile text on the cover page.
- An informal or poor-quality photo.
- Adding a cover page to an application outside German-speaking countries where nobody expects it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cover page in a job application?
A title page placed before the CV with your name, contact details, optional photo and the position you are applying for. It is common mainly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Is a cover page necessary?
No. It is always optional, and leaving it out never counts against you. It is most useful when you send the whole application as one PDF in a German-speaking country.
What should be on a CV cover page?
The word Application and the job title, the company name, your name and contact details, optionally a photo and a list of the enclosed documents. Nothing else.
Does the cover page come before or after the cover letter?
Most often the cover letter comes first, then the cover page, the CV and the attachments. Putting the cover page first is also accepted; keep the order consistent.