Where to find open positions
Open positions are mainly advertised on the Internet, with a small proportion of job advertisements published in print media. The external pageNZZcall_made (German) and external pageTagesanzeigercall_made (German) newspapers run job advertisements in both their online and printed editions.
Advertisements are not the only channel available to you when it comes to looking for work: state-run employment services, professional employment agencies, personnel consultants or headhunters can also help you with your job search.
There are various online job platforms which you can use to look for open positions and set up a personal search request. Some job platforms are industry-specific, which means that they specialise in particular professional fields such as healthcare or education. Depending on the area of work you are interested in, it may be worth looking on these specialist platforms.
Unsolicited applications are also common in Switzerland. This involves sending an application to a company you would like to work for, even if they do not currently have any advertised open positions. There are certain formal rules you will need to follow when making an unsolicited application. external pageTips on applying for jobscall_made
external pageStellenlinkscall_made (German) offers an overview of job search engines and both private and state-run employment agencies.
Specialist job portals
- external page call_made For researchers and graduates
- external page call_made myScience
- external page call_made euraxess - researchers in motion
- external page call_made For managers (German)
- external page call_made Jobs within the Federal Government (German)
- external page call_made Healthcare – swissmedical (German)
- external page call_made Healthcare – medTalents (German)
Social networks
Setting up a profile on social networks such as external pageXINGcall_made and external pageLinkedIncall_made opens up more opportunities for you to find a job. You can use this online “business card” to show your qualifications and strengths. Employers and headhunters are increasingly making use of these platforms for recruitment purposes.
German language skills are almost always an essential requirement for jobs in German-speaking Switzerland. Knowledge of one of the other national languages, such as French, is often also required. It is worth investing in improving your German language skills and learning other languages too.