Application documents consist of the following components:

1. cover sheet (optional)
2. cover letter
3. resume / curriculum vitae
4. attachments

It is up to you whether you add a cover sheet to your application. If you choose to do so, it should be clearly laid out and include the following information:

• a photo of yourself
• your contact details
• the title of the job advertisement you are applying for

Why does an application need a cover letter at all? Often, the cover letter is used to reiterate the resume. But that is not what it is meant for. The cover letter should show why you are applying for the training position or what the reason is for your career choice.

So please do not repeat all the stages from your CV, but only those that support your career aspirations.

The following answers and information should be included in your cover letter:

In the introductory section

• How did you hear about the job?
• Why do you want to apply for the job?

In the body

• Brief description of your qualifications and characteristics
• What makes you particularly interesting for the position?
• What makes you stand out from other applicants?

Everything you need to know about the cover letter at a glance:

•  Content:
  • Reason for career aspiration or motivation.
  • Do not repeat your resume!
  • No spelling mistakes
     

• Structure:
  • clearly structured
  • clearly arranged
  • not longer than one DIN A4 page
  • Do not forget the date and your signature

Your resume, curriculum vitae or short CV, should give a clear and well-structured overview of your life so far as well as your knowledge and qualifications.

Your resume should include the following categories and information:

• Personal data
  • First and last name, address, telephone numbers
  • Optional information includes: Place of birth, date of birth, marital status
• Application photo
• School and education
  • Duration of school attendance,
  • name of school
  • degrees (and grades, if applicable)
• Military or civilian service / voluntary social year (FSJ)
  • Duration and name of institution
• Vocational training
  • Duration
  • training occupation with field of specialization,
  • training company and
  • qualification
• Work experience
  • All professional stations with
  • duration,
  • position,
  • company and
  • short job description
• If already available: Professional qualifications
• If already available: Professional training measures of any kind
• Hobbies, interests, voluntary or social commitment

The rule here is: Only mention really important things.

In total, the CV should not be longer than two A4 pages. In the case of high school students, it is usually only one DIN A4 page.

Here are our tips for a complete resume:

• Clear structure

It's best to lay out your resume in table form in order to present periods and activities clearly.

Our recommendation: Structure your resume in reverse chronological order, i.e.: the most recent comes first.

• Clearly present your career to date
   
  • date from - to, school/company, short job description if applicable
  • All dates should be correct and without gaps.
  • Include internships and vacation jobs
  • Mention special qualifications (computer skills, languages, etc.)

• Please do not use smileys or abbreviations
• Don't forget to include your phone number and contact address
• Use a serious email address
• Please use a professional application photo instead of a leisure photo or cell phone snapshot.
• Don't forget the date and your signature!

Every application should include attachments. These are various documents that prove that the information in your resume is correct.

They include:

• recent school reports
• internship certificates
• testimonials or certificates of part-time jobs
• certificates for honorary positions, etc.

As a general rule:

• Attach these documents to your application in the same order as they are mentioned in your resume.
• Do not forget the most recent school report.
• Combine all documents in one PDF document.

Bravo! You have almost made it! Your application is almost on its way. But there's one last step you should definitely take care of:

Check your documents thoroughly before you send them off! Carelessness and spelling mistakes as well as incomplete documents can disqualify you before you've even had a chance to get started. Therefore, check that:

• address and salutation are correct and complete,
• the documents are complete,
• cover letter and resume are complete and error-free,
• the scanned documents are legible and
• the total size does not exceed 12 MB.

Have you checked off all the to-do's? Then you can finally send your application documents.

If you haven't already done so, find out about the application procedure of the company you want to apply to. Companies often provide their own online application system for this purpose. Take a close look at the job posting. You will usually find information on how to submit your application correctly.

This is how the online application system at Schunk works:

• Open the job posting in our job board.
• Click on the green button "Apply online" in the job posting.
• The online application system opens.
• The application system will automatically guide you through the entire application process.
• Fill in the fields in the electronic questionnaire.
• Upload your attachments as a PDF when prompted.
• As soon as you have sent your documents at the end with a "click", you will receive a confirmation of receipt from us by e-mail.

If you would like to apply at Schunk, you only need to open the desired apprenticeship position in our job board.

You did it! You have successfully submitted your application documents. Now it's our turn. We will check your documents and get back to you as soon as possible. In the best case, you will receive an invitation to the recruitment test at Schunk in the next step.

If you successfully pass the recruitment test, we will invite you to an interview. If you are also convincing in the interview, we will be happy to offer you an apprenticeship. In this case, we will send you an acceptance letter and an employment contract.

Good luck!