You might be in a position right now where either you are worried about losing your job or you are already looking for a new job. Maybe you have even been looking for a while already. Perhaps you feel it’s time to update your resume and your job-searching skills, just in case. I thought you could use this reminder from my older publication, “The Global Career Workbook,” on how to get a Swiss recruiter’s attention. Cover letter writing is an art. With modern technology, applicants often do not see the need to write a cover letter these days, but in my opinion, it is the most artistic part of a good application. Emphatically,  in Switzerland, IT’S A MUST. Many recruiters […]

Getting out of the November Blues is an annual exercise for me. I’m sure you’ve noticed the arrival of winter by now – the avalanche of brilliant red-golden leaves falling from trees, the shortening of precious daylight hours, and the sudden briskness in the breeze. While the beauty of a European fall is unparalleled, the shorter days and cold weather herald a period of demotivation and negative feelings for some people. For me, the “Zurich fog” in November can get to me.  The thought of November Blues could be overwhelming. So, I have thought about ways to make November bearable for all of us. Dealing with loneliness is doubly challenging when you are an expat who has just arrived here. […]

As I mentioned in this post during the early days of the pandemic my mother could not find yeast. Her village in Southern Germany had a yeast shortage. We don’t have a shortage of anything here in Zurich, neither toilet paper, nor yeast, even though demand for both was higher than in “normal” times. My mother likes to bake in normal times but I felt she needed to bake even more in these times.

Guest Post by Balakirthika Jayakumar Switzerland is considered a paradise on Earth. Every human aspires to set foot on the land of Switzerland. Why is it that one aspires to visit this place? It is the bounty of nature in this country that attracts people, as well as the high standard and quality of living. The people of India are fortunate enough to glimpse Switzerland through movies. It is a cliché to have a song shot in this country to add richness to the movie. People, personally or virtually, have ideas about this country that exude “excellence” on all levels (including, but not limited to, chocolate and cuckoo clocks). These days, thanks to social media, we find resources on the […]

The hidden job market, particularly in Switzerland and Germany, consists of positions that are not publicly advertised. Research shows that up to 60-80% of roles are filled through personal networks and informal methods rather than open job listings. Many companies find it more efficient and cost-effective to rely on referrals or internal recommendations to fill roles, especially for niche or highly specialized positions. For example, industries like agriculture, education, and healthcare often use informal hiring channels more frequently than high-tech sectors, where roles are often advertised more widely. In Switzerland, studies by the University of Zurich’s Swiss Job Market Monitor reveal that while jobs in certain sectors remain hidden, about 80% of available positions are NOT publicly advertised on company […]