Swiss CV: what recruiters expect

Two pages at most

One page is enough early in your career. Two pages for longer experience. Beyond that, recruiters stop reading and start searching. Help them: clear headings, aligned dates, a readable font.

The header

• First name, last name, address, phone and email.
• Nationality or work permit (B, C, G). It is one of the first things recruiters look for.
• Date of birth and marital status are still common in Switzerland, but not required.
• A photo is common and many recruiters expect one. If you include one, choose a recent, professional photo on a neutral background.

Work experience

From the most recent to the oldest. For each job: the company, the place, the role, the dates (month and year), then three or four lines on what you achieved.

Results rather than tasks. “Monthly close cut from twenty days to eight” says more than “managed the accounts”. Mention your workload if it was not 100%.

Education

Swiss qualifications speak for themselves: federal VET diploma (CFC/EFZ), vocational or academic baccalaureate, PET college (ES/HF), university of applied sciences (HES/FH), university. Give the exact title, the school and the year.

For a qualification obtained abroad, give its equivalent or mention its recognition in Switzerland if you have it (SERI explains the procedure for regulated professions).

Languages

In Switzerland, languages can decide a hire. Give your level for each one on the European scale, from A1 to C2, and your certificates if you have any (DELF, Goethe, Cambridge). “German B2” says more than “good knowledge”.

Work references

This is the great Swiss specificity. Your employer must give you a work reference (certificat de travail / Arbeitszeugnis) whenever you ask, at any time (art. 330a of the Code of Obligations). It describes your duties and assesses your work.

Recruiters read them carefully. Attach them all, from the most recent to the oldest, in the same PDF as your CV. If a reference seems unfair, you can ask your former employer to correct it.

Referees

Two or three people who supervised your work: name, role, company, phone. Ask their permission first. “References available on request” is accepted if you prefer not to list them.

The complete application

In Switzerland, you send a full application file, not just a CV:

1. the cover letter;
2. the CV;
3. the work references;
4. the diplomas.

A single PDF, in that order, clearly named: Surname_FirstName_Job.pdf. It opens without surprises on any computer.

What is better left out

• Hobbies unrelated to the job, unless they say something about you.
• Unexplained gaps: one line is enough (training, travel, family reasons).
• Skill bars or star ratings: they mean nothing.
• A jokey email address.