Do I have to put a photo on my CV for a job in Germany?

No. A photo (Bewerbungsfoto) is a long-standing convention in Germany, but it is optional, and many applicants now leave it out. Germany's General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) protects job applicants from discrimination on grounds such as ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age and sexual orientation. Partly in keeping with this, many employers, including some public bodies, now say they do not expect a photo.

How to decide:

• Read the advert and the online portal. If they ask for no photo, follow that.
• If you do add one, use a recent, professional head-and-shoulders photo, not a holiday or selfie picture.
• International companies and many start-ups rarely expect one.

A CV without a photo is not incomplete. Your experience, skills and a well-written cover letter matter far more. If you build your CV in ResumeBuilder.ae, note that photos are not supported in the PDF, which keeps the text easy for applicant tracking systems to read; you can still upload a photo separately if a portal asks for one.