If you haven’t been directly headhunted, getting a job in Switzerland can be a tricky and time-consuming process. Here are our readers’ best tips for securing a job in the country.
Identify your skillset
Michael in Lausanne, who was headhunted from the US for a job in Switzerland, said identifying key skillsets or the experience that employers want is the most important thing to do when job-hunting in Switzerland.
“In order for Swiss employers to hire you, especially relocate you, there needs to be a reason. The Swiss are too exacting to just hire for no reason,” he said.
Others who were headhunted advised caution with respect to checking recruiters’ credentials. “Be sure the headhunter is for a well-known jobs agency,” one Italian-born reader said.
READ ALSO: What are the chances of getting a new job in Switzerland if you’re over 50?
Network
The dreaded (by some) networking also featured high on many readers’ lists of things you should do when looking for a job in Switzerland.
Several readers who secured their jobs through people they knew said that cultivating a personal network could be really helpful when looking for work.
Lindsey from Zurich, who works as global sales director, also advised people to optimise their CV and LinkedIn profile.
She also made another recommendation that might feel intimidating to those less confident in their language skills.
“Follow up job applications with phone calls not email or messages,” she said.
Others highlighted the importance of precisely tailoring each CV – and covering letter – to the role applied for. And don’t forget to proofread it: Swiss employers are known for liking things ‘just so’.
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READ ALSO: Can companies in Switzerland favour Swiss workers over EU citizens?
Polish up your language skills
Having good language skills is always a major plus when it comes to looking for work in another country – it opens up far more opportunities – so, unsurprisingly, this advice came up in many people’s answers.
Of course, it depends what industry you work in, but mastery isn’t essential, readers said.
You just need to “make it clear you’re willing to learn and improve” as employers appreciate this, said Tommy, who works as a software engineer and responded to a job ad before moving to Switzerland.
READ ALSO: ‘Things have changed’: Can you get a job in Geneva without speaking French?
Know why you’re applying
Make sure you’ve thought about why you want to work in Switzerland and the specific job and company you’ve applied for, readers advised.
It’s important to be positive and honest in your answers, but saying it’s “because I like to ski” is not going to cut it, said one Vaud-based reader.
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But sometimes, even with the best preparation and will in the world, whether or not you get the job, can all come down to whether your face fits.
READ ALSO: Six hard facts foreign job seekers in Switzerland need to know
And if you’re not headhunted or relocated within the same company – as many of our readers were – getting a job can take a long time.
“I applied for a lot of jobs for about 18 months and all were rejected. It seems like you need a lot of luck,” said Yuri from St Gallen who applied for their job online.
And, as Henry, who found his financial services job on LinkedIn, said, the most important thing when job-hunting in Switzerland is to “be patient”.
But maybe it’s not all bad, or at least, it could be worse: Tommy said getting an apartment in Switzerland turned out to be tougher than landing a job.
What tips do you have for job hunters in Switzerland? Share in the comments section below.
