Where our Swiss rules come from
The official sources behind our CV and letter recommendations.
Which sources are your application rules based on?
Official and institutional sources, not templates or competitors: arbeit.swiss (the federal employment service, SECO), the Career Services of the University of Zurich and the University of Bern, and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) from the Council of Europe and Europass. Every rule we apply maps to one of these — they are our research, not an endorsement of us.
Is a photo really expected on a Swiss CV?
Yes. A professional application photo is customary and expected in German-speaking Switzerland — its absence is a disadvantage. The University of Zurich Career Services describes the standard: high quality, neutral background, current (max. 2 years old), head and shoulders, formal attire. This is different from Germany, where photos are increasingly optional. See the 'Application photo in Switzerland' topic for the full guidance (industries, framing, AI photos, ATS).
How should I state language skills?
Use the CEFR scale (A1–C2) from the Council of Europe, not vague terms like 'fluent' or 'business fluent' on their own. jobs coaches, the University of Zurich and Europass all recommend CEFR because it is objective and comparable. Add a certificate and year where you have one, e.g. 'English: C1 (TOEFL 102, 2024)'.
Do I list references on a Swiss CV?
Usually not as a section. The Swiss convention (per arbeit.swiss and UZH Career Services) is the line 'References available on request'. If the job ad explicitly asks for them, provide 2–3 with name, company and contact — and note that in Switzerland references are actually contacted, so inform them first.
Should I sign my Swiss CV?
No. Unlike in Germany, a signature on the CV is not customary and not expected in Switzerland (University of Zurich Career Services states this explicitly). The information in the CV must still be truthful, of course.
How long should the documents be?
CV: two to three pages (arbeit.swiss/SECO says no more than three; UZH recommends two to three). Motivation letter: one A4 page, three to five paragraphs (University of Bern Career Service). Reverse-chronological order throughout — most recent first, for both work and education.