Hi everybody,

I am having troubles to find a job in Geneva and am trying to understand why. Perhaps you can help me.

I am finishing a PhD in Psychology in the US. Since the summer I am in Geneva with my husband who got a job in Geneva. Because I will graduate soon, I started to look for a job in international firms in Geneva area. Two are the areas I could work in. market research and human resources – I worked for 4 years as a HR consultant before starting the PhD.

Despite I have the permit to work in Switzerland (C permit) all my applications returned back without even a possibility to have the first interview. I must have missed something.
I am surprised because in the US having a PhD helps to find a job, it does not hinder. Here it seems as if I can only apply to academia.

So far I have applied only to job openings for which I thought I could be a good match, and only through online applications. Do you have any suggestions to improve the chance to get at list at the first interview?
Do I need to know someone who recommend me to find a job in Geneva and/or what other channels would be helpful?

Many thanks for any thoughts you may have on this.

Marina

I don t know what the job market in Geneva is like. I imagine it is good but with all of these new working regulations that will start in January 08 (people on the forum know more about it than I do) it will be harder if you are not Swiss or an EU citizern to find a job in Switzerland.

Since you have had experience in HR this website might be useful. Here you can find HR jobs all over Switzerland.

What I do know is that with a Ph.d employers will have to pay you more and that could place you out of their salary range. Ph.d s are much less common here than in the states for example. You will find something but expect that it will take some time.


Good luck and I hope that helps a bit.
Darkphoenix

Hi. Sorry you haven't had much luck finding a job. I'm sure you've probably seen this website already but if not, maybe it will help

jobs in Geneva

Thank you guys for the information and the moral support

Hi,
a couple of my friends and me are in the same situation... It seems that there are a couple of main factors in jobhunting in Geneva:
1. You have to bear in mind that jobs will only reply if you (from their point of view) fit the profile 100%. Otherwise you will never even get a mail acknowledging that they got your application in the first place! I have sent out many applications and never ever heard anything back at all.
2. The Swiss work slowly. Don't expect a quick reply. It can take weeks, even months for them to get in touch if interested.
3. Do you speak French? Unless you are lucky and find a job where no French at all is required people expect at least basic French skills.
4. Have you tried presenting yourself to job agencies? I don't know which agency you would have to talk to as I am looking in a different field, but since I presented myself to an agency things seem to have speeded up for me... still no luck, though!
I hope this helps a little... fingers crossed!

Forgot one thing: There seem to be zillions of highly qualified people around looking for jobs... maybe it's also a question of too many good people available for too little jobs?

Hi Marina,

Admittedly I haven't seen your CV but a PhD for what little market research / hr activity there is here in Geneva is a bit of an overkill... So that's not necessarily something that will land you ahead of others.

4. Have you tried presenting yourself to job agencies? I don't know which agency you would have to talk to as I am looking in a different field, but since I presented myself to an agency things seem to have speeded up for me... still no luck, though!


Admittedly, going to recruiting agency in person is something I had never thought before. Do you need to schedule an appointment or do you just go there with your CV?

Thanks!

- You have to schedule an appointment.

You may consider that for a position :

1. A firm here gets up to hundreds applications
2. You don't yet have your diploma
3. ...and your diploma is from the US
4. ...and in english.

That could be a part of the explanation.
I see better chances here not in a Swiss but an international big company.

Good luck

Dear swisscat and FMX, the idea to schedule an appointment with job agencies to introduce oneself looks interesting.
Still, I need to know more details: how/with whom do you schedule and appointment? I mean, do you send an email to the generic email address of the recruiting agencies, or do you send (call?) it to someone in particular? Do you pay the service?
Thanks

I looked at this website http://www.pagepersonnel.ch/ and applied for a job that was advertised there. Only half a day later somebody contacted me and asked me around to present myself. I went a couple of days later, they asked me about my CV, what I expect from a job, what I want in the future,... They also tested my language skills by having the interview run both in English and in French (German is my mother tongue, they didn't test me on that). We discussed how they would proceed in the future, i.e. only send my CV tp prospective employers with my consent.
You most certainly do not have to pay them for their services! In fact, if any agency proposed that I would back off immediately.
Friends of mine have also just phoned Adecco and another agency which I have forgotten the name of and just asked if they could come around with their CV.
Good luck!

As others have already suggested, to go via an agency is probably not a bad idea. One way of getting in to one is to look for adds for jobs in your field that are via agency and then simply call them and talk to them. Normally that gets you an invitation to send in your CV.

Regarding your problems at finding jobs I would take my guess that the problem is this:

There are not very many HR jobs available in the first place. Within HR there are basically two levels; HR clerk and HR manager. For a clerk position you would be considered over-qualified with your PhD and under-qualified because of you lack of specific HR administration courses and for Manager under-qualified because of your lack of experience (4 years and none in CH).

Personally, with a PhD in Psychology, I would look into freelance in coaching, which is becoming a hot issue.

Oh, another tip when it comes to looking for jobs - always, always call the number indicated in the add to ask some basic questions about the job. That will get you an opportunity to introduce yourself and more often than not an invitation to send your CV rather than just being one more CV in the mail.

Good Luck!

Hi

My very personal tips are:
1.- Finish the PhD,
2.- Improve French
3.- Keep in mind that HR is very complex in CH; MR may be better
4.- Try academia and gather some experience there
5.- Try small companies and gather some experience there
6.- Take your time and don't become desperate, as already stated CH processes are perceived as slow

HR International company + No experience in CH + Unfinished PhD is not a good combination for CH

Just my 5 Rappen
Best Regards