Finding a job in Switzerland: the method, step by step

Prepare your file, once and for all

Before your first application: an up-to-date CV, a base letter you will adapt to each job, your work references and diplomas scanned. The guide Swiss CV explains what recruiters expect.

Where to find jobs

• The public employment service's platform, which brings together the jobs reported to the regional employment offices and a large share of the ads published elsewhere.
• Private job sites and LinkedIn.
• The careers pages of the companies that interest you: some advertise nowhere else.
• Recruitment agencies, especially for temporary work and some sectors (industry, construction, finance).

The duty to report vacancies: for occupations where unemployment reaches at least 5%, employers must report their vacancies to the regional employment office. People registered there see them five working days before everyone else.

The hidden job market

Some jobs are filled without an ad, through recommendations or unsolicited applications. Two levers:

• Your network: former colleagues, trainers, professional associations. Say clearly what you are looking for.
• Unsolicited applications to companies in your trade, near where you live. The guide Unsolicited application explains how to target them and what to write.

Registering with the regional employment office

If you are out of work or your contract is ending, register with your municipality's regional employment office (ORP in French, RAV in German) at the latest on your first day without work. Registering gives access to advice, training measures and, under conditions, unemployment benefits.

In return, you must prove your job search every month. Your adviser sets the number of applications expected. Keep a record of each one: company, job, date, reply.

Permits and cross-border workers

EU and EFTA nationals can work in Switzerland with a permit issued on the basis of their employment contract: L for a contract of less than a year, B for a contract of a year or more, G for cross-border workers who go home at least once a week. For work of no more than three months per calendar year, an online notification is enough. For other nationalities, the employer generally has to prove it could not find a candidate in Switzerland or the EU.

State your situation in your CV and letter. A recruiter in doubt often sets the application aside rather than ask.

Finding your pace

Better a few careful applications every week than dozens of identical ones. A letter tailored to the ad, a complete file, a follow-up after seven to ten working days. The guide Cover letter gives the structure and an example.

Tracking your applications

A simple table is enough: company, job, date sent, contact, planned follow-up, reply. It stops you writing to the same company twice, reminds you of follow-ups, and serves as proof of your search for the employment office.

After a month, look at what gets replies: a sector, a type of company, a way of phrasing. Do more of it.

Preparing for the interview

• Reread the ad and prepare a concrete example for each requirement.
• Find out about the company: what it does, its size, its news.
• Prepare your questions: the team, the first months, the next steps.
• Have a clear answer on your availability and, if asked, on your salary expectations.