How to apply for a job

Prospective employers expect to receive a complete, carefully compiled and attractive application dossier (German). Applications are usually submitted electronically as a dossier containing the following items:

Letter of motivation (covering letter)

Write a personal letter of motivation that refers to the job advertisement and emphasises or supplements your CV. Your letter should be well-structured and no more than one page long. State your contact details, including your telephone number and e-mail address, in the top left corner and start the letter with a heading. In the introduction, explain why you are interested in the vacancy and the company in question. Then, in the main body of the letter, relate your professional experience and strengths to the job description and person specification. Finish by underlining your interest once again and explaining why you would be the right person for the job. Make sure your letter sounds friendly, positive and genuine. Draw on the language used in the job advertisement. Tips on applying for jobs

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Make a good impression with your personal CV. It should provide a concise, clearly arranged and comprehensive overview of your personal information, your professional career, your training and continuing education, and your language and IT skills. The best approach is to use subheadings and list items chronologically, starting with the most recent. CVs are normally arranged in table form. You can, optionally, include a professional passport photograph in the top right corner and add some information about your hobbies or other activities at the end. Explain any career changes shown in your CV in the covering letter. The CV should provide evidence to support the statements you make in your covering letter. List your referees at the end of your CV or add a note that you will be happy to provide references on request.

Information which must be included in your CV:

First name and surname / address / telephone numbers / e-mail address / date of birth / marital status / number of children and their ages / place of origin (for Swiss nationals) / nationality and residence permit (for foreign nationals)

Employers’ references and degree certificates

Include all your employers’ references and important diplomas and certificates in your application dossier. Again, the most recent reference should be placed at the top. Make sure that the dates and content in the references match up with those shown in your CV.

Pay attention to what kind of application – online or by post – is required and only apply for jobs for which you are qualified. If a company provides an application form, use it. Be sure to use an e-mail address that is appropriate considering your target audience. If possible, convert your documents into a PDF format no larger than 2 MB. Do not send bulk e-mails. Make sure that your application documents are sent to the recipient without any technical problems. If they are unreadable, your application is guaranteed to be rejected. Your e-mail should contain a brief text summarising the attached letter of motivation.

Whether you should send a paper dossier, submit an electronic application or apply by telephone depends on the requirements stated in the job advertisement. Tips on applying for jobs

Dates for job interviews are usually arranged by telephone. Be as flexible as possible when arranging an interview date. Make sure you turn up on time, well-rested and suitably dressed. Find out about your prospective employer beforehand and put together your own list of questions. Analyse the job specification against your own profile. Always be genuine and honest. The purpose of the job interview is not just for your prospective employer to gain an impression of you, but also for you to gain an insight into the type of activities the job involves and the environment in which you would be working.

The job interview is made up of various phases. It usually starts off quite informally, to help create a good atmosphere. Next, you may find that you are given the chance to talk freely about your professional career before being asked questions about it. You may also be asked specialist questions or be tested on your foreign language skills, if this is relevant to the requirements stated in the job description and person specification in the advertisement. Once your prospective employer has gained sufficient information, he/she will describe the position in question and outline his/her expectations. This is the time when you can also ask questions. The next steps in the recruitment process will be discussed at the end of the interview.

How do I prepare for a job interview ? What should I find out about beforehand? How could the interview proceed? Tips on applying for jobs