What you need to know when looking for an IT job in Switzerland (or anywhere abroad)
Tags: career, hiring
Published: 2020-01-29 12:40:05

Recently, I celebrated 5 years at Experis Switzerland (ManpowerGroup) as a recruitment consultant… and what an amazing journey it’s been! I made the switch from a sales background within the technology sector and my goal was to be more focused on people and grow over time within the industry. 

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Here are the top 8 things I’ve learnt as a recruitment consultant and can be useful to any software developer looking for a job here:

• *Recruitment is truly a global industry*

I’m based in Switzerland and even though the majority of the jobs I place are here, the stakeholders I deal with are often working outside the country. I have stakeholders based in London/Amsterdam/Madrid/New York that use my expertise of local market conditions and salaries to help their companies find the right talent. Finding a recruiter who has this local knowledge is the key to find a job.

• *Your reputation is key*

In a “people business” you live by your reputation. So pick up your phone and reply to emails! You never know where the recruiter you’re dealing with today will be tomorrow (maybe head of HR at your dream company!).

• *It’s (almost) impossible to land an IT job in Switzerland when you are not an EU or Swiss citizen*

It's a matter of fact.

• *This business is fast-paced*

I deal primarily with contract recruitment (contingent staffing), identifying the right people within hours/days is key. If you’re a job seeker, connecting with the recruitment consultant by phone is essential because it makes you stick out from the majority of applicants who “just” send their CV via a job board.  Even though we may not have a job posted that matches your background, we’ll pipeline you for roles down the road, so it pays to get in touch (literally)! We’re humans and we remember people 😊

• *Switzerland doesn’t have enough qualified IT professionals* 

There are simply not enough IT experts available at any time. Recruitment outside of our local geography is essential in finding the right talent for local projects.

• *Language requirements (German or French) reduces the pool of candidates for any role*

If you’re a non-local interested in the job market, you should make a real effort to learn the local language as it opens up more opportunities and has a significant influence on rates. People without local language knowledge have less opportunities open for projects, that’s a fact. Having said that, it’s not impossible to find a job with English language skills only and it’s certainly easier than in other European countries.

• *Not all roles get advertised*

Some projects are hush-hush (literally) and consultants need to find people by targeting them directly over LinkedIn or through your existing network. Make sure you’re known to consultants and registered on www.experis.ch. 

• *Karma definitely exists*

Be fair to people and good things will come your way. If you make dealing with yourself easy and uncomplicated, chances are you’ll get rewarded over time. 

If you’re looking for projects or a job in Switzerland, get in touch with me directly: eric.schuster@experis.ch or the old-fashioned way by phone at +41 44 229 9937! Important: due to visa restrictions I can only find jobs for people who are Swiss or European union citizens (British nationals included).

Still unsure about a career in Switzerland? Here's why it's the best country in the world:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/overall-rankings