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 […]

We think it is vital to give you five key tips to handle your repatriation to Zurich, Switzerland. We have clients like Peter, a Swiss national, who decided to go on an international assignment that led him to spend several years in another country. He fell in love with a resident during his stay, and they married. As a result, their children obtained dual nationality. Eventually, when the assignment was over, Peter returned to Switzerland with his family, triggering a series of immigration and other challenges, particularly for his partner, who did not speak the local languages such as German or French. Here are five essential tips for repatriating to Zurich 1 – Plan and understand all legal requirements: Before […]

Returning to your home country after living abroad can be an exhilarating yet overwhelming experience. If you are repatriating from the USA or other countries to Germany (or Switzerland), you might have forgotten what real life in Germany is like. You will also have to acknowledge that the country and culture have changed a lot since you left over twenty years ago.  The Emotional Challenges of Repatriation Repatriation can bring a wave of mixed emotions. After spending a significant amount of time in a different country, it’s common to feel disoriented upon returning home. You may experience a range of emotions, from excitement and happiness to sadness and loss. It’s important to acknowledge and accept these emotions as a normal […]

If you have read any standard American career guidebook or scrolled through LinkedIn for more than five minutes, you’ve heard the advice: “Just invite them for a virtual coffee chat!” It sounds so easy. It’s low-stakes. It’s friendly. In many business cultures—particularly the US—it is the “Swiss Army Knife” of networking; an efficient, accepted way to break the ice and uncover opportunities. But I’m going to give you a piece of unpopular advice, specifically for those of you trying to build a professional network from scratch here in the Germanic countries, which are all considered “low context” countries in intercultural theory: Stop asking strangers for coffee chats. First, A Necessary Disclaimer (Because Culture is Complicated) Before the comments section explodes, […]

A guest post by Adriana Gasser This coming Sunday, March 8th, we celebrate International Women’s Day. In Switzerland, this date coincides with important structural debates, such as the vote on individual taxation, which could remove a historical financial barrier to female participation in the workforce. However, as I advance in my professional studies (CAS) at the University of St. Gallen (HSG), a recent finance module brought me a crucial reflection. Changes in tax laws must be accompanied by an adaptation in how we position ourselves in the market. In previous discussions, specifically in the article I co-authored with Angela Weinberger and recently published on my LinkedIn, we covered how the Swiss recruitment market often values linear and local career paths. […]