Practical advice for job search, application, interview preparation!

1. Practical advice
What makes a good
application?
Job search
Application
Presentation interview

2. 2 3
Contents
Modifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The personal network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Analysis of a job ad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
What should a complete application include?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
About the documents to be sent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Composition of the covering letter for your application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Useful sentences for your covering letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Curriculum Vitae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Online applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Succinct application / Unsolicited application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Telephone applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Interview checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Dress code. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
The ten golden rules for a successful interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
The presentation interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
The typical course of an interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
How to handle sensitive questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
34 questions you should be prepared for. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Eight principles for answering questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Communication – ask open questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Summary of the main stages in the application – from the ad to the end of the trial period. . . 34
Application organisation checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Interpreting the ad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
The classic career, with many years spent
within the sane company, is increasingly
rare. The number of jobs advertised on the
Internet is already two times higher than
ads placed in newspapers. Many positions
are filled through targeted requests made
by telephone, following unsolicited appli-
cations or through a personal network.
Whether you want to change jobs or are
looking for a job: an examination of the
situation can help you in this approach. To
do this, looking to the future isn’t enough:
you should also look to your past.
Questions to ask yourself:
–– What do I want to leave, continue, try?
–– Which tasks do I enjoy?
–– What are my assets/talents? In which
areas do I have gaps? Which courses
or continuous training will allow me to
remedy this?
–– What can I, should I, do I still want to learn,
develop, discover? Both in my professional
and personal life?
–– Do my leisure activities/hobbies allow
me to acquire experience that will get me
a qualification for a given job (e.g. experi-
ence in leadership as a J+S instructor or
scout?)
–– What initial and continuous training have
I completed, which competences have I
acquired over the years? Why did I choose
this particular continuous training?
Because I’m interested in the subject area,
because it corresponds to my career idea,
because I want to do something creative
or etc.?
Formulate your desires and objectives.
What do you want to do? What timescale
have you set yourself? Be realistic about
your ideas and competences.
In addition to qualifications
Qualifications, experience and references
are one thing. Motivation is another. Only
someone who is really motivated will be
able to find the job that they want. Why am
I applying for this job? What interests me
about it? What competences, qualities and
experience can I provide? If these points
form an integral part of the covering letter,
there is no reason for there to be any silen-
ces during the interview.
Advice for preparing your application and
models can help you with this and help you
to gather the necessary documents together.
However, always write your own personal
text – this shows you are unique. Write a
text that differentiates you from others –
clear and revealing in its content using pre-
cise and understandable language.
Modifications
The labour market is becoming increasingly dynamic and employees are expected to
show themselves to be flexible and mobile. These circumstances mean that greater
commitment and personal initiative is required on their part however, they are opened
up to more opportunities.

3. 4 5Analysis of a job ad
1The requirements – the qualifications
and experience required – constitute
the most important part of the ad. When
responding to an ad read it carefully and ask
yourself if you meet the requirements for
this position.
2 Remember the newspaper or magazine
the ad appeared in and on what date. Is
there a deadline for applications?
3 Underline anything in the ad that seems
important to you. The first section often
gives information about the company, its
size, its address, its products and its position
in the market. Generally, what follows is a
description of the responsibilities and a list
of the main tasks associated with the posi-
tion in question.
4 Get a clear image of the company.
For example, you can find information
about it on the Internet or in the trade reg-
istry. Other elements likely to be important:
its financial situation, modern management,
a range of innovative products as well as
the company’s reputation.
5 Examine the situation concretely and
objectively. Get a piece of paper and
draw two columns; write your qualifications
and professional experience in the one on
the left and the qualifications and experience
required in the ad in the one on the right:
General rule:
If you satisfy 80 % of the requirements, your
application is sound.
Analysis of a job ad
How can you find a job if no advertisement
is published?
If you are looking for a job, you can wait for
an interesting ad to appear in the newspa-
pers. This is the easy way, but don’t expect
quick results. It is better to be active. Have
you built an effective personal information
network, which will allow you to share your
expectations with others? To do this, you
just need a bit of courage and organisation.
Every jobseeker knows a lot of people: par-
ents, school, work, associations. Some of you
will also have met people during your mili-
tary service and civil defence training. These
people also have their own acquaintances –
therefore each of them is a good potential
intermediary, likely to help you in your job
search.
Prepare a «list of personal contacts». You
can include your friends as well as people
that you like, including you family and close
friends that you can easily call, that you
would like to see again. Not forgetting those
you have lost touch with.
On a second list, the «networking list», write
the names of people you are less close to.
Think about former employers, work collea-
gues, suppliers and clients, professors – not
forgetting members of authorities. You can
also write to these people to tell them about
your needs and expectations. You can also
try to establish contacts through acquaint-
ances.
It is important that all these contacts know
you and your profile. Give them a copy of
your curriculum vitae. You can also ask them
to send your details to others and to recom-
mend you.
Inform your contacts as soon as you find a
job.
The personal network
Warning:
The Manager of the company that you
are interested in working for may use
the same hairdresser as you!

4. 6 7It always contains the following
documents:
–– covering letter
–– curriculum vitae
–– copy of all your certificates of
employment
–– copy of your professional training or
university certificates
–– copy of the diplomas and continuous
training certificates you hold
Other documents can be sent if you
deem them useful or if they are required,
for example:
–– copy of your school certificates as well
as results of final exams (especially if the
application is made immediately after
professional training or at the end of your
studies)
–– copy of your letters of qualification and
promotion
Documents that should only be sent
upon request:
–– character reference from the police
(provided by your home area’s municipal
administration)
–– extract from your police record
(cantonal or federal), provided by the
cantonal police
What should a complete application include?
6Take your own analysis and your curricu-
lum vitae and note your successes and
assets down. Compare them to the compe-
tences required in the ad and to those that
seem important for the position.
7 If you have any specific questions about
the ad or the position, phone the person
whose name appears in the job ad. This will
give you both the chance to learn a bit more
about the company and the chance to target
your covering letter more precisely.
8 Write your co0vering letter. Use the
ideas, notes and tables mentioned in
points 1 to 7 to do this. You should sell your-
self as if you are a «product»! Mention the
career goals you are pursuing and the com-
petences that you would like to acquire.
9 If you don’t receive confirmation that
your application has been received,
telephone a few days later. Ask if your cover-
ing letter reached its destination and if you
need to send any other documents. Make
it known that you are interested in the posi-
tion. Do not ask questions that won’t help
you such as «how does the selection process
work?»

5. 8 9
About the documents to be sent
Each application must give the HR Manager information which is as exact and reliable as
possible about the applicant’s personality, employment history and competences. This is
why the documents below should be attached to any unsolicited application as a minimum:
Curriculum Vitae
Copies of certificates
References
Curriculum vitae in table form is normally sufficient. Write it using a
word processor. Only provide handwritten curriculum vitae in report
form if specifically requested to do so.
Support your statements with quantifiable information. List your
responsibilities for each position held. Every word counts – Avoid
repetitions! Use action verbs. Avoid terms that are pessimistic, nega-
tive, imprecise or vague.
Take care with the presentation (sufficient space between lines,
Arial font and a font size that is pleasant to read)!
The curriculum vitae should indicate what you have learnt and
practised in your professional career. Always tell the truth!
The hobbies section can help to outline your personality.
Mention those that are relevant to the job you are applying for
or which show certain competences.
Certificates are irreplaceable documents. So never send the
originals. There is no need to authenticate the copies.
The certificates should attest to your past and present profes-
sional career in full. As a result, never leave a job without getting
a certificate or, at the very least, a service certificate. You are
entitled to an appraisal of your work.
List people from the save business sector as the position you are
applying for, and whose judgement is important. Make sure
beforehand that they are able to provide information about you,
your personality and your competences.
The best references are from your superiors if you are looking for
a new job and leaving your current job with their approval. You
can also mention clients of your current employer or former em-
ployers, particularly if they have a good reputation in their sector
(see example on page 18).

6. Application
10 11
Covering letter
It should include:
a) An introduction
b) The body of the letter
c) A conclusion
a) You advertised job xy (reference in the ad).
Example: In your ad in xy, you describe
a job that really interests me. Your com-
pany is renowned for its innovative solu-
tions. My knowledge and my commit-
ment could be an asset for your future
marketing activities.
b) What I can bring to the position
(description of your experience).
Example: I am currently employed by a
competitive business consultancy firm.
After my continuous training in xy, I am
looking for new professional challenges.
c) I would be pleased to make my know-
how available to your company.
Conclusion (personal preference).
Example: Thanking you in advance for
your response … A personal interview
would allow me to give you more infor-
mation on the services I have provided
up to now as well as my competences.
Useful sentences for your covering letter
The covering letter must give information
on the following points (see examples on
page 12):
–– Where you heard about the vacant
position. This should be indicated in the
letter’s subject line (ad, discussion with
a client, information from a friend or indi-
cation from the ORP etc.).
–– Reason for your application.
–– Your competences, knowledge and
professional experience.
–– Your current role and activity.
The covering letter is your business card.
It is on this basis that it is decided whether
to call you for an interview or not.
You should therefore send a properly writ-
ten letter free from faults, accompanied by
the usual documents. Correct it if you think
it needs it. You should give it the utmost
care and attention.
Composition of the covering letter
for your application
Use the sentences below to help you formulate your own sentences adapted to your situation.
Reread your letter with a clear head two hours later or the next day.
– Do you meet the requirements?
– Are you satisfied with the description you have given of yourself?
– Is your message clear?
– Will your letter make the recruiter want to meet you?
– Short and clear sentences
– Personal and targeted formulations
– Direct style (e.g. «Thank you for the
attention that you will give to my
application …» rather than: «I am
happy …»)
– An A4 page will suffice.

7. 12 13How to deal with gaps in a curriculum vitae
How should gaps in your career be presented?
It is often best to admit that your curriculum
vitae contains gaps – this is preferable to a
lie which you may be stuck with and may be
found out. This is why you should mention
any gaps in your covering letter, e.g.: «I would
be glad to discuss my period of inactivity in
years xy during the interview».
In this case, you should no longer use the
standard curriculum vitae at all. Choose a
type of curriculum vitae that best reflects
your personality, your professional career
and the job you are applying for.
The curriculum vitae should answer the
following questions: What do I want? What
can I bring? What makes me qualified for
this position? Which skills learnt in the past
can I carry over?
The list should be no longer than two sides
of A4 and the indications that it includes
should be specific and complete objectives.
A curriculum vitae should not include refer-
ences. References should be provided upon
request or presented during the interview.
Training
–– Indication of the position, the training
company and apprenticeship or profes-
sional training
–– Type of maturity
–– University training recognised by
a diploma
The absence of a diploma may be interpreted
as failure of the examinations.
List of activities
–– As far as possible, indicate the role or
type of activity first, then the name of
the company and the town
–– Reverse order: Indicate the name of the
company first if you are showing that you
have worked for a renowned company
–– Give the name of the role and the time
you held this position for, two pieces
of information that can be found on the
certificates.
–– Create a thematic list of the main activi-
ties as on the certificates if this is relevant
and you want to highlight them
Indicate any maternity leave you have taken
during your professional career.
IT knowledge: List the software you can use
as well as your level of mastery. Make the
distinction between:
–– User (able to do it alone)
–– Good knowledge (able to help others and
resolve problems yourself)
–– Beginner
Its different points
The curriculum vitae should provide an
authentic and realistic overview. Some
aspects are however, essential, in terms
of the sections and the presentation.
Sections
–– Personal information
–– Professional activities
–– Schools / Training
–– Continuous training (if applicable)
–– Linguistic knowledge
–– IT knowledge (if applicable)
–– Other knowledge
It is possible to group the Continuous Train-
ing / Training / Schools sections together
if this saves space. If training, or any other
point, is very important, it should be the
subject of a separate description.
Personal skills and competences have no
place in a curriculum vitae. If you want to
highlight them, you should create your
qualification profile.
Order: The most important points must
appear in the first third of the letter, the
least important at the end. Likewise, in
terms of the sections, the most relevant
will be present at the start. For some, this
will be education, for others a diploma,
professional experience or even languages
(e.g. in the case of a translator) or IT know-
ledge (e.g. for a computer scientist).
The order should be anti-chronological, that
is to say, the most recent information will be
indicated first.
Continuous training should not be indicated
in chronological order but grouped by topic.
The headings should be obvious and written
in bold, italics, underlined or in a different
colour. The colon is no longer used in a curri-
culum vitae.
The dates should be indicated on the left
with no day being specified. It is best to
respect a certain harmony, e.g. months and
years (05.2009–11.2009) or only years if
the months are unknown.
Graphical presentation may facilitate read-
ing and it also gives it a personal touch.
Identity
–– Surname
–– First name
–– Address (street, n°, postcode and town)
–– Landline, mobile
(if you are sure you will be contactable)
–– E-mail address
–– Date of birth
–– Civil Status: married, separated, divorced,
single, widowed, cohabiting
–– Children (name and year of birth)
–– Place of birth: (not compulsory)
Description of the schools you attended
(gymnasium, secondary school, primary
school), address of the establishment.
In the case of older people or people who
have studied, it is possible to start the list
from adult age.
Curriculum Vitae

8. 14 15Attachments
Send your attachments in PDF format. If this
is the first contact, don’t send your whole
application. A curriculum vitae with a photo
and, possibly, a covering letter (if this is not
included in the email’s text) will suffice.
Inform your contact that you can send them,
if they wish, your diplomas, certificates and
references. Always bear in mind that the
Internet is a rapid means of communication.
Therefore, you should always have these
documents in PDF format because they may
be requested very soon after the sending
of your first email. Group all the information
together in one document. This should be
no more than 5 pages and less than 2 MB.
Pay attention to the presentation of these
attachments because applications sent by
email are often printed out.
How would registering with an online
job bank help me?
There are a huge number of online job banks
that jobseekers can register with for free.
Take this opportunity that will allow employ-
ers looking for employees to consult your
profile and contact you.
If you register at a Regional Placement
Office (ORP), your profile can also be put
online if you wish. Employers can consult
your anonymised data on www.espace-
emploi.ch whilst your complete profile (with
your contact address) can be viewed by
private and approved placement agencies.
When should an application be made
by email?
You should submit your application by email
if the ad suggests it or requires it. If the ad
only includes a postal address, an email appli-
cation is not recommended. Nowadays, many
large companies let you apply through their
website.
Addresses
Use the email address indicated in the ad.
In the case of an unsolicited application,
find the HR Manager’s email address. Avoid
addresses like info@entreprise.ch. This is
impersonal and your message is likely to be
deleted.
You must also pay a certain amount of
attention to your email address. Don’t
send your application from a computer
at your current employer’s company.
Your address should be serious and your
name should be clearly included, e.g.:
jean.dupont@bluewin.ch (rather than
girlie82@bluewin.ch or something similar).
Email applications
Subject: The subject is the first thing the
recipient will see. Be specific. «Vacant posi-
tion» or «My application» are not very
professional. Some good examples: «Appli-
cation for the position of Assistant Manager
in response to your ad in «Le Temps». Or:
«Sarah Meier’s application for the position
of Medical Assistant». Send a different email
for each application. A grouped message
would obviously be easier but it shows a lack
of interest in the company or the position.
Style: The relaxed style often used in emails
has no place in an application email. You
must be respectful and polite, check your
spelling and your sentence structure. An
application sent by email will start with
«Dear Sir/Madam» and will end with a classic
salutation (e.g. «Yours Sincereley»).
You can send your covering letter either
directly in the body of the email of as a PDF
attachment. If you choose the second solu-
tion, the text of the email should be short
and should not give a taste of the letter’s
content.
Signature
Footer: Indicate your address, your tele-
phone number and your email address.
Send the message to yourself first to check
that it looks as you expected.
Online applications
Important: If an application sent by
email seems easier and faster at first,
it still requires the same care and atten-
tion as a classic application. Even in the
case of an application sent by email,
take the time to avoid careless mis-
takes or inaccuracies.

9. 16 17As its name indicates, a succinct application
differs from a classic application by its
briefness. It has two main motivations: on
the one hand, many applicants are reluctant
(rightly so) to send their whole application
in the case of an ad under numbers. On the
other hand, many are those who, being in a
stable position, send a succinct application
first to «test the water». However, don’t
send the same letter everywhere: you should
still send a targeted covering letter.
Send it to the person who will be best
placed to decide if your application is of
interest or not. Don’t hesitate to call the
company to find out their name.
If you are unemployed, a spontaneous
application is an excellent way to get closer
to your professional goals.
As a general rule, a succinct application
includes:
–– a covering letter: why are you interested
in this company? What can you bring to it?
What can we accomplish together?
–– a curriculum vitae in table form
Succinct application / unsolicited application References
If references are requested in the ad, take
action in the covering letter with a phrase
such as: «I will provide you with references
during an interview.»
Indicate your last two employers. The dis-
tant past is no longer relevant. What have
you done since, both professionally and
personally?
If you have worked for the same employer
for a long time, it is vital that you indicate
references outside of the company, e.g.
clients, suppliers and commercial partners.
References
Jean Dupont Notary Office, Lausanne,
Mrs Jean Dupont, Notary (my boss)
Telephone: 031 312 12 12
Blanc Catering-Service
Mr. Pierre Blanc, Manager
(my boss when we both worked at Robert,
Noël Cie)
Telephone: 033 735 22 28

10. 18 19Maybe you are one of those people with
a youthful voice that suggests you are
younger than you are. Maybe you have a
CV that shows lots of job changes, also
see the section on gaps. Or maybe it is the
way things are done in your industry.
In all these cases, you would be justified in
applying by telephone, to the person whose
name is indicated. This type of application
must also be carefully prepared.
–– Choose a day when you feel good (your
smile, your dynamism and your motiva-
tion all come across in the tone of your
voice).
–– Go to a quiet place where you can make
the call without being disturbed.
–– Have a notebook and a pen as well as your
diary with you.
–– Prepare yourself mentally: how do I start
the interview? Which questions do I want
to ask? How am I going to close it?
–– Note the position’s interesting aspects
using a few keywords.
–– Practice this telephone discussion with
friends who will give you their honest
opinion of your performance.
Once you are on the phone with the right
person, an interview can start. Give a brief
and powerful overview of your professional
background and test the water to see if it
corresponds to the profile they are looking
for.
As soon as your contact tells you that they
would like to see your application first, be
cooperative and say that you will send it to
them in the next few days.
–– Refer to the telephone interview in your
covering letter and mention the reasons
why this position particularly interests
you.
–– Address the letter to the person you spoke
to and thank them for the information
they gave you.
«Selling yourself» over the phone requires a
certain amount of nerve that not everyone
has. If you are one of these people, don’t
ruin your chances with a clumsy telephone
call and opt to apply in writing instead.
Telephone applications
Before the interview
1. Be punctual – not too early, but don’t
be late.
–– Allow plenty of time for the journey
–– By public transport: Which train should I
get? How much time will I need to get to/
from the station?
–– By car? How much time will the journey
take? Where will I park?
2. What should I take?
Tip: It is important to look polished.
Choose clothes suitable for the position
you are applying for and avoid clothes
you would wear in your free time.
Wear clean shoes!
3. Do I know enough about the company
(preferably from their website)?
4. Do I know the questions I want to ask
about the position and the company?
5. What salary am I asking for?
Tip: Calculate your salary on:
http://www.bfs.admin.ch/
or on other specialist websites
6. Have I thought about how to answer pos-
sible questions (examples on page 31)?
Tip: Note down a few examples based on
your assets and your experience. It gives
a bad impression if you say «I am good
at communicating/teamwork». It is best
to say: «The fact that I developed, when
I worked on project xy at AZ, a plan en-
couraging the participation of personnel
proves my communication skills».
7. Have I practiced for this interview in front
of the mirror or with someone else?
Tip: Think about your posture. Look your
interviewer in the eye. Give then a firm
handshake; avoid keeping your hands
clasped on your lap: your body language
can show your open-mindedness and
your interest.
Interview checklist

11. 20 21
Pay particular attention to the following
points
Your appearance should be clean and
tidy – your shoes should be clean and your
clothes freshly laundered. Ensure you have
clean nails and your hair looks good.
Your clothes should be suited to the com-
pany you are applying to. Banks and insur-
ance companies, for example, place great
importance on the seriousness that can
be shown through a person’s external ap-
pearance. On the other hand, in creative
professions, a sombre outfit and a tie may
produce a less suitable effect.
Choose clothes you feel comfortable in.
Clothes that you don’t like or that you’re
not used to risk distracting you and will
have a negative effect on the effect you
produce. Therefore it is worth buying the
clothes you will wear for the interview in
advance and wearing them to try.
Do you feel unsure of yourself? Go to the
company at lunchtime. How are the staff
dressed? Would you feel at ease in this en-
vironment?
Advice for women
Use subtle make-up and avoid long nails. Like-
wise, a low-cut blouse or a mini-skirt will give
a negative impression. It is best to wear, even
in summer, thin tights under your skirt. Wear-
ing jewellery may encourage you to play with
it during the interview.
Advice for men
If you wear a classic suit or a shirt and
trousers in a sombre colour, you are almost
guaranteed to be suitably dressed. If you
wear a tie, this may be two-tone but avoid
motifs that are too eccentric or cartoon
characters.
Dress code
«How should I dress?» Lots of persons ask this question when preparing for an interview.
Outfit choice and external appearance count for a lot at an interview. Therefore, you should
think carefully about your choice of outfit. By choosing the clothes you are going to wear
carefully and thinking about your appearance, you are showing the respect you have for
your contact.
Tip: Ensure that your documents are com-
plete and clean. It is recommended that you
carry them in a cardboard or leather file (you
will make a bad impression by taking loose
and crumpled sheets out of your rucksack).
8. Prepare everything you need to take to
the interview.
–– the invitation (if this was communicated
to you in writing)
–– your contact’s name and telephone number
–– the ad
–– a copy of your whole application
–– information on the company
(e.g. printouts of pages from its website)
–– questions that you want to ask the
employer
–– a notepad and pen

12. 22 23
6 Don’t interrupt.
7 Ask open questions
(see page 34).
8 Respect the time your contact has
available. Observe them and if they
appear to be restless, cut your questions
short.
1 Prepare yourself carefully for the
interview.
2 Look forward to the prospect of an
interesting interview with an interest-
ing person.
3 Present yourself to this person in a
decided tone; greet them with a warm
smile and give them a handshake that is
firm but not too vigorous. A few kind words,
a little light conversation – be natural, this
always makes the best impression. If you
are unsure of yourself, repeat your «entry».
If it goes well and you realise this, you will
feel a lot surer of yourself for the rest of the
interview.
4 Concentrate on the first four minutes.
It has been proven that it is during these
first four minutes that a sense of sympathy
or antipathy occurs.
5 Be attentive to what is being said to you.
Look your interviewer in the eye. Show
that you are aware of and interested in the
concerns of the company to which you are
applying.
The ten golden rules for a successful interview
9 Don’t show yourself to be either hum-
ble or arrogant, in too much of a rush
or too confident; behave as if you are talking
to a trading partner. You are not an appli-
cant; you have something to offer.
Don’t forget the most important
element of the interview: don’t
be content to just answer the questions,
take advantage of the opportunity to
«sell yourself»!
10

13. 24 25Be aware of the tone and intensity of your
voice. Your voice must be raised, not too
sharp, not too dull. This will help you to con-
trol your nervousness and to make it less
noticeable.
Never criticise a former employer. The way
in which you behaved with your former
employers or superiors is how they will as-
sume you are going to behave in the new
company.
In the event of comments about your age,
for example «You are too young for the posi-
tion», reply with humour that the number
of years is not important … And immediately
point out what you have to offer: your dyna-
mism and your hunger to learn.
During the presentation interview, the aim
is to establish if the company and the appli-
cant are right for each other and if they are
able to work together. With this aim, the
company’s HR Managers want to refine the
opinion they have of the applicant by forg-
ing a personal opinion. The applicant must
also take this opportunity to find out more
about their potential future job and the
working environment.
Make the most of the journey between the
reception and the room where the interview
will take place, or even the time spent in the
lift, to have an informall discussion. You can
talk about your journey, the day’s news or
the offices etc.
Show a clear and candid look. Look the HR
Manager in the eye. Look at the contact. If
this bothers you too much: look at their eye-
brows.
Preparing for a presentation interview
Being invited to a presentation interview
means that your application grabbed the
attention of a potential employer and that
you are part of a select circle of applicants.
They now want to get to know you a little
better. But the main obstacle, the interview,
still hasn’t been overcome. You should now
show that you meet the expectations raised
by your written application and that you
meet the position’s requirements.
Are you nervous? That’s normal. Control
your breathing: breathe in with your stom-
ach and exhale slowly and deeply. Fill your
stomach with air first, then your ribcage,
hold your breath for a moment then exhale
slowly until your stomach returns to its
normal position. On the day itself, if you get
too nervous, and particularly whilst wait-
ing for the interview, repeat this relaxation
technique. Or sit at the edge of a forest for
a few minutes and listen to the birds. Calm
yourself down by talking to yourself, singing
a song to yourself or listening to relaxing
music.
Practice the Coué method. Don’t tell your-
self: «I can’t do it, I’m too old, too young,
too ugly, too fat, too stupid etc.» but «I am
great as I am; I’ve had a good life up to now
and a great future awaits me; I know and
can do lots of things. It’s going to be a great
interview!». Try it! It works!
The presentation interview
Good preparation will give you assurance:
– Gather information on the company.
– Be organised (journey time, suitable outfit etc.)
– Prepare your answers to typical questions.
– Think about your attitude and your interview «tactics».
Prepare your own questions and write them in a list.

14. 26 27After the interview
What is my impression of the interview?
What went well, what went less well?
My voice, attitude and answers to the ques-
tions etc. What does my intuition tell me?
Would I be happy working for this company?
And don’t forget:
Age and qualifications are not everything.
Your personality counts for a lot!
In fact, your professional and technical
knowledge as well as your experience are
not enough to make you sought after.
These days, social skills such as dynamism,
creativity, team spirit, communication skills
and the ability to impose yourself are often
decisive qualities when a vacant position is
being filled. Before a presentation interview,
you should start out with a clear idea of your
strengths and weaknesses and your profes-
sional and personal goals; only then will you
be ready to be interviewed in optimal condi-
tions.
Reserve and discretion. Don’t try to find out
why the previous person in the position left,
particularly if your interviewer alludes to
differences of opinion. Never ask how much
they were being paid. Keep your distance
from your past. If you are asked to talk about
one of your professional failures, show that
you have learnt from it.
The content of your response is a source
of information, as is the way in which you
answer. Succinctly, in detail or irrelevantly?
Are you nervous? What is your gestural
expression? Have the courage to be genuine.
Your interviewer will notice if you are put-
ting on an act or if you are trying to conform
to their ideas.
The smile. Show that you are engaging
and open. Even if you are having personal
problems, don’t let this show. Your inter-
viewer can’t do anything about them.
Banish any negative thoughts. You need
to focus all your energy on your plans for
the future.
End of the interview
Don’t ruin the good impression you have
given by appearing to be in a rush to get
finished. Ask what happens next with your
application: Will they call you? When? Have
they got other interviews planned? With
who? How soon? Do you need to contact
them? Thank your interviewer for their time.
Listen. Some persons are so focused on
what they want to say that they don’t pay
enough attention to their interviewer.
They have to ask them to repeat their ques-
tion or don’t answer it which gives a bad
impression. If you are taken aback by a ques-
tion, don’t hesitate to repeat it. This will
also give you time to think (e.g. «… You want
to know why …»).
Your manners are essential.
Some points you should pay particular
attention to:
Be focused, but also calm and sure of your-
self for the interview. The effect that an
individual produces depends largely on what
they want, how they behave and how they
speak.
Only sit down after having been invited to
do so and thank your interviewer. This also
applies to the end of the interview: even if
your interviewer is tidying their documents
away, stay seated until they get up.
Your posture.
Make appropriate gestures.
–– Don’t cross your arms and legs at the
same time: this is a sign of being closed
off to the other person or dissent.
–– Adopt asymmetric postures (the upper
part of your body in a different position
to the lower part, this is the mark of an
active and dynamic personality) and vary
them during the interview. Sit on the
whole surface of the seat and not just on
the front.
–– Watch your hands: don’t keep crossing
and uncrossing them, don’t play with your
wedding ring or a pen. Allow your hands
to punctuate your words naturally.
–– A slight smile on your face and in your
eyes is a sign of goodwill.
–– Respect your interviewer’s personal space.
Don’t lean on their desk or push their files
to the side to fit yours on, don’t take their
seat.

15. 28 29How to react to sensitive questions
When personal questions are asked during
the interview, the applicant may feel un-
comfortable. Don’t directly refuse to answer
an indiscreet question, because this may
disturb the interview’s atmosphere – be dip-
lomatic but firm.
If you are asked, for example, about your
political sympathies, you can reply by asking
if this information is relevant to the position
you are applying for. If your interviewer is
stubborn, answer politely, but firmly, that
you don’t want to answer this question.
E.g.: «This question relates exclusively to
my private life and I don’t want to discuss
this matter.»
A question about motherhood is difficult
to say the least. All women should expect
to be asked if they have any plans to start a
family. As these questions are not allowed,
you don’t have to tell the truth. You could,
for example, answer by saying: «This is not
something I’m planning at the moment».
In such cases, the Labour Court sets out a
«right to lie» which applies to all unauthor-
ised questions.
If you are pregnant at the time of the
interview and you tell your interviewer,
the employer cannot refuse to employ
you for this reason. You can find similar
cases in the database on the following
site: www.gleichstellungsgesetz.ch.
Unauthorised questions relate to
–– membership of a political party
–– religious denomination
–– physical disabilities and illnesses
–– sexual orientation
How to handle sensitive questionsThe typical course of an interview
Welcome and progress. A relaxed entrance.
The employer presents themselves.
Description of the vacant position, presentation of the company.
Personal questions:
What are the main assets that you could bring to this position?
Questions from the applicant: ask the questions you have prepared.
The applicant presents themselves:
Succinct curriculum vitae (no more than a few minutes).
Presentation of the framework conditions based on the assumption
of an appointment (salary, holidays and working hours etc.)
Conclusion of the interview, information on the next step
given to the applicant.
Professional questions:
Show enthusiasm and motivation! Answer the questions objectively
and support the answers with examples
You should also be prepared for atypical interviews and interviews with
inexperienced or unprofessional interviewers.
Exception: cases where the questions are relevant to the position you are applying for.
For example, if you are applying for a job as a secretary at a reformed church, you can
be asked questions about your religious denomination. Likewise, if you are applying
to be a campaign manager for the Democratic Union of the Centre, you can be asked
about your political sympathies.

16. 30 3127. What are your short, medium and
long-term goals?
28. What could you bring to this position?
Give me some good reasons to employ
you?
29. Which qualities do you appreciate the
most in your work colleagues and your
boss?
30. Which «faults» can you not stand in your
work colleagues and your boss?
31. Out of the positions you have held up
until now, which one did you find the
most interesting? Why?
32. What professional success are you
particularly proud of?
33. What has been your biggest responsibil-
ity? Your most difficult decision? Your
biggest failure?
34. Do you like working in a team?
Do you work well in a group?
Other possible questions concerning the
curriculum vitae:
«Can you explain to me why»:
–– you changed your sector, activity, home?
–– you chose this profession?
–– you don’t have a diploma?
1. Can you give me a brief overview
of your career?
2. Why are you looking for a new job?
3. Why have you applied?
4. What are your professional goals?
Where do you see yourself in 5/10 years?
5. What do you think makes you qualified
for this position?
6. What do you understand by … (your area,
e.g. controlling, product safety, organi-
sational development and marketing)?
7. What did you like/not like about your
last job?
8. What did you like/not like doing?
9. What did you like about your last boss
and what didn’t you like?
10. Out of the jobs you have had up to now,
which one did you like the most? Why?
11. How would you describe yourself? How
would you describe your boss (character,
method of working, leadership style)?
12. Do you like working in a team?
Can you give some examples?
13. How do you organise your work?
14. What were your main tasks in your
last job?
15. What improvements have you made in
your field?
16. What has been the most striking
success in your career?
17. How would you solve this problem?
To introduce this? / To organise that?
18. What, in your opinion, do your
colleagues think of you?
19. What are your expectations in terms
of salary?
20. How much time would you expect to
stay with us? What are your plans for
the future?
21. Have you ever hired staff?
What were your selection criteria?
22. Have you applied for any other
positions? What sort?
23. If a friend had to describe you, what
would they say you three main qualities
and your three main faults are?
24. What do you know about our company?
What is it about this position that
interests you?
25. Why do you want to change job?
Or, if applicable: Why were you let go?
26. How has your career developed so far?
If you could start it again, what would
you change?
34 questions you should be prepared for
Tip: If you want to prepare even better,
you will find lots of information on in-
terviews on the Internet and in books.

17. 32 33
1 Be honest («Lying requires a good
memory»). Be aware that your inter-
viewer can contact one of your former
bosses (There is no need to go too far with
this honesty and mention irrelevant faults
or minor events).
2 Be positive: no complaints, no criticism,
no negative remarks about former
employees, bosses, colleagues or companies.
3Try to say something positive about
yourself in each answer. If you are asked,
for example, if you get on well, in general,
with your colleagues, don’t just answer posi-
tively, but give an example. «I would say yes.
I showed this last year when we had to work
together to meet a delivery deadline for a
project. After explaining the situation, all
my colleagues were happy to work over the
weekend so we could achieve our objective.»
4 Don’t be too modest and even less ser-
vile. Show that you have potential and
that you are proud of the successes you have
achieved.
5 Don’t be presumptuous. Your inter-
viewer, who is used to this type of
interview, will quickly notice if what you’re
saying is true.
6Think about your answers. Don’t
hesitate to give yourself time to think
before answering. This will avoid giving
the impression that you have learnt your
answers by heart.
7 If a question is unclear or you would like
more time to think, use the counter-
question tactic («What should I understand?
/ What are you trying to say? / Can you ex-
plain?»).
8 Show that you are flexible. Observe your
interviewer closely and try to guess
their objectives: What do they want to hear?
Do they want succinct or detailed answers?
Does it seem like they have too much / too
little time for the interview? Adapt and be-
have according to what they expect of you.
Eight principles for answering questions
It is important that you are actively involved
in the interview. Ask questions that call
for a detailed response and that can’t be an-
swered with just «yes» or «no».
Start your sentences with: Why, how, to
what extent and whereby etc.
Be prepared. Consult the company’s website
as well as their activity report and find out
about the position’s specific requirements.
Targeted and clearly formulated questions,
e.g. instead of «in a few years», say: «how
long» or «in three years» …
Don’t ask questions that have already been
answered during the interview.
Some questions you might want to ask:
–– I read on your website that … / When
consulting your activity report, I saw that …
Could you give me an example /
clarify this point?
–– The ad mentions specific knowledge of … –
I don’t have much experience in that area.
Are there any continuous training oppor-
tunities (internal/external)?
–– What means of communication are used
within the team? Are regular meetings
organised?
–– What hierarchy system do you have in
place? What co decision rights do employ-
ees have? Who will be my direct superior?
–– How often do assessments take place?
Which management and objective defini-
tion systems are used?
–– Can you tell me my typical working day?
–– How many additional hours should I work
on average? Are they paid or compensated
for by extra holidays?
–– How long, if applicable, does the trial
period last?
–– What are the priority areas?
–– What is the biggest challenge I will face
within your company?
–– What do you think best characterises your
business?
–– In which direction is your company likely
to expand in? Is it planning to develop
new products/services?
–– What can I learn/study to prepare me for
this position?
–– Which tools/techniques will be made
available to me in the context of my work?
Communication – ask open questions

18. 34 35
Summary of the main stages in the application
– from the ad to the end of the trial period
Examination of the
situation
Where am I? What do I
want? What can I do? etc.
Applicant checklist
What do I need to do
before I start looking
for a job?
Sending the application
By email or by post?
Preparation for the
interview and the
presentation interview
Assessment of the
presentation interview
Looking for jobs
(In the press or online)
or companies that expect
unsolicited applications
Answer
In the absence of a
response within around
10 days, contact them
Presentation interview Before your first day
in the job
Continue to show an
interest in your new
company and your new
position
Personal network
To be prepared, main-
tained, contacted and
developed
Preparation of an
application
–– Curriculum Vitae
–– Covering letter
–– Photo
–– «Third page»
–– Clarify the issue of
possible references
Reading the ad
What is required?
What can I bring? etc.
Preparation of a profile
What type of company
am I interested in?
What are my needs?
Trial period
Familiarise yourself with
the subject and the pro-
cesses. Go to people, ask
questions; give yourself
enough time to collect
information and get or-
ganised.

19. 36 37
Application organisation checklist
Ways to find a job
1. The network: WHO, out of the people I know (friends, former work colleagues, members
of associations I frequent and neighbours etc.), could I ask to help me with my job search?
Who (Name)? Type of contact
(email, phone call
etc.)?
Date contact was
made
Response
(Date and content)?
2. Where can I find ads?
On the Internet: Which sites can I use to find ads relevant to me?
Which sites are suitable for me?
In the written press: Which newspapers or magazines will I find ads in?
In which publications will I find ads most suited to me? On which days do job ads
appear in the newspaper I read?
Which newspapers or magazines will
I find ads suitable for me in?
Day that job ads appear in this
magazine/newspaper:
3. Unsolicited applications: Which sectors am I interested in? Draw up a list of companies
you want to send your unsolicited application to. Phone the company and ask for the
name and address of the HR Manager. A covering letter addressed to a specific person
always gives a better impression than the same letter sent to a non-specific recipient.
Company that
interests me:
Address, telephone,
email address:
HR Manager with tele-
phone n° and email address:
Applications
List of the applications I’ve sent:
Where have
I sent my
application?
Where did I
see the ad?
Or was it an
unsolicited
application?
In what form
(written,
electronic,
telephone)?
Application
date
Response?
Keep the ads and your covering letters. If you are unemployed or have been fired, also keep
any refusal letters.

20. 38 39Example of an ad
Interpreting the ad Requirements
for the position
(O: obligatory;
F: facultative)
Qualifications, experience
(yes / no; justify with examples)
Continuous training
opportunities
Full professional
training as a chef
+ continuous
training in
dietary cuisine, O
Yes:
Training as a chef 1980–1983,
Hôtel Bellevue, Berne
Training in dietary cuisine 1985–1987,
Inselspital, Berne
Good knowledge
of spoken and
written English
and French, O
English yes, French insufficient (only
basic oral knowledge): Holiday in Australia
with a three-month language course
Initiative and
the desire to
innovate, O
Yes:
Member of the «Nouvelles recettes avec
les produits ProSpecieRara» association-
Interest in innovating in the dietary field.
Regular attendance and occasional assis-
tance at food fairs.
Licence to drive
a van, F
Not completely, only have a licence to
drive cars but experience in driving lorries
during military service
Obtain a license to
drive vans
Leadership
experience and
able to work in a
team, F
Yes:
In my last position, at hôtel Jungfrau
Viktoria, I lead a team of ten people;
Training «L’encadrement dans le secteur
de la gastronomie», GastroSuisse 1991–1993
Knowledge of
marketing and
communica-
tion, F
Not completely:
In the context of a football club, for sever-
al years I have been in charge of the pub-
licity and media for a large supraregional
friendly tournament as well as the organi-
sation and management of the website.
In the position before that, at Hôtel Adler
de St. Moritz, member of a working group
called «Nouvelle stratégie de marketing».
To date, no training in
this area. Opportunity:
I’ve found CAS training
on the topic of market-
ing in the sectors of
gastronomy and tour-
ism. I would take this
voluntarily.

21. Imprint
Publication
SECO, Labour,
Labour Market / Unemployment insurance
Circulation
OFCL, Diffusion, 3003 Berne
form. 711.253d 04.2009 200000