Guide in English
Job applications in Switzerland: what the CV needs, what the RAV expects, which tools help
A Swiss application dossier has three parts: cover letter, CV and work references. There is no official CV format, but there are firm conventions, and if you are registered with the RAV there is a monthly proof deadline with real penalties. Every figure below links to the official source.
The Swiss rules at a glance
| Topic | Switzerland | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dossier parts | Cover letter, CV, work references and diplomas, ideally one PDF | berufsberatung.ch |
| CV length | No official rule, 1 to 2 pages in practice | berufsberatung.ch |
| Photo | Common, not mandatory for professionals | berufsberatung.ch |
| Language levels | CEFR scale A1 to C2 | berufsberatung.ch |
| RAV proof deadline | 5th day of the following month | SECO leaflet |
| Applications per month | Agreed individually, no national figure. Zurich: usually 10 to 12 | Canton of Zurich |
| Suspension days | 1 to 15, 16 to 30 or 31 to 60 days by degree of fault | Art. 45 AVIV |
| AI for applications | Allowed, the RAV checks effort, not the tool | AMOSA 2026 |
What does a Swiss CV look like?
There is no official Swiss CV format. The cantonal portal berufsberatung.ch lists only three parts of an application dossier for professionals: a cover or motivation letter, the CV, and work references plus diplomas. In practice a Swiss CV runs one to two pages, is reverse chronological, lists every position with month and year, and usually carries a photo, unlike the anonymised US resume.
Do I state nationality, work permit and date of birth?
The official portal still lists date of birth, place of origin and nationality, and if applicable the residence permit, but only in its apprenticeship variant. Many professionals now leave nationality and origin out. For non-Swiss citizens the permit type (B, C, G or L) stays practically relevant, because the employer must confirm you are allowed to work.
Is a cover letter still expected in Switzerland?
Yes. berufsberatung.ch names the cover or motivation letter as the first of the three dossier parts, ahead of the CV. Swiss employers expect one page that answers the specific job ad, not a generic letter. Work references (Arbeitszeugnisse) from previous employers are the third part and are far more important than in most other countries.
Should I apply in English or German?
In the language of the job ad. An ad written in English signals an English-speaking team, and an English application is expected. An ad in German expects German documents even if the interview may switch to English. Heyapply follows this rule: with an English job ad it writes the CV and letter in English, with a German ad in German.
What is the RAV and what must I prove each month?
The RAV (Regionales Arbeitsvermittlungszentrum) is the regional employment office. Anyone registered as unemployed must document their job search efforts every month, by the 5th day of the following month at the latest. The number of applications is agreed individually with your RAV adviser, there is no national figure. The Canton of Zurich, for example, states 10 to 12 per month as a rule.
What happens if I miss the deadline or send too few applications?
The RAV can impose suspension days (Einstelltage) during which no daily allowance is paid. Under Art. 45 AVIV they run from 1 to 15 days for minor fault, 16 to 30 for medium fault and 31 to 60 for serious fault. A missed deadline is one of the most common triggers. Efforts must also be documented, a phone call counts only if you note date, company and contact.
May I use AI to write applications for the RAV?
Yes. No Swiss regulation forbids it, and the RAV checks that efforts are real, on time and traceable, not which tool produced the text. The AMOSA study 2026, based on about 6,000 job seekers and 700 companies, found that roughly two thirds of job seekers already use AI and that regular users are invited to more interviews. What gets you into trouble is an invented qualification, not the tool.
Which tools help with Swiss job applications?
Six kinds exist: CV builders where you write the text yourself (cv-builder.ch, cvswiss.ch), AI rewriters that tailor CV and letter to each job ad (Heyapply, preparAItor, ApplyCH as a Chrome extension), general AI chats (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini), the letter generator inside jobs.ch, human writing services, and plain application trackers such as awaso.ch. For a single application a general chat is enough. Tailoring pays off from about four applications a month.
What is Heyapply and does it work in English?
Heyapply is a Swiss web app from Zurich that rewrites your existing CV and writes a cover letter for each job ad, then exports a PDF in one of six Swiss layouts. The interface is German only. The documents follow the language of the job ad, so an English ad produces English documents. 3 applications a month are free without a card, Pro costs CHF 29.90 a month.
Applying to several Swiss jobs?
Heyapply rewrites your CV and writes the cover letter for each job ad, in the language of the ad. German interface, 3 applications a month free, no card needed.