My temporary contract (that lasted over four years) was recently terminated. I do have a normal (three month) notice period, so I'm finishing that off.

I went to the RAV office last Friday to sign up (giving plenty of time, my contract is over at the end of October), and was given some info in English and the rest in German, but spoke English with the girl at the desk.

I was informed that for my meeting with my assigned person next week, I must bring a translator, that nothing is conducted in English.

Has anyone else experienced this? Depending on the person I get, I might be able to muddle through in German, but terms related to unemployment and all aren't a part of my German vocab.

I'm in Basel, so any Basel experiences would be quite welcome!

PS - Anyone looking for a content administrator/manager for web and intranet?

'tis in ZH though.

http://www.englishforum.ch/jobs/2890...in-zurich.html

That is an interesting story... I have been once at the RAV in Zurich (found a job after my first meeting, so I did not need to bother anymore...):

I had plenty of time in the waiting room to look at the other "customers" and I got the strong impression that I was the only one there speaking German. And I did not see any translators for Serbian, Albanian, Portugese and various African languages... I do not know how bad you German is, but the average level was surely low.

Good luck with your meeting and even more with finding a new job!

Thanks I saw that, too, and have been thinking about it. That damned Zurich commute is a killer tho...

It just seemed quite odd to me, particularly considering that their website is in German, French, Italian and English! I'm going to take my chances, and see where I get with the German or English

I'm hoping I have your luck, and find a job before I have to properly sign on and start to make frequent meetings and all!

I've been through the RAV thing about 5 years ago. I am fluent in (High)German but am no legal translator. I did muddle through tho' and I could help. They were slightly unpleasant to me initially, then when they saw my qualifications and it became clear I really DO want to work, they were OK!

When is your appointment?

Unfortunately I finish my holidays today; Monday I'm back at work and my company is far inside Kleinbasel whereas the RAV is behind the SBB station, so that's going to be a bit tricky for me if it's during working hours. But let's see what we can do.

What they told me was I'd had to prove I'd applied for 8 jobs per month minimum. If you find none, you must send unsolicited applications to companies you think need people with your skills to keep up the 8 per month.

They also send you on courses to show you how to do a job application, and they have a centre somewhere where you play at doing a job, answering phones and filing papers, etc. This is to get you out of bed in the morning, keep up a normal daily routine, and to prevent you from getting depressed. Failing that, they eventually find you a job, probably fairly menial.

Naturally this is aimed at a very broad audience. You simply have to grin and bear it.

RAV rules can force you to take a job located up to 2 hours commute each way! Hence, you cannot ignore or decline a placement in Zurich, which is less than an hour away.

My counselor told me that if I don't know how to say something in German I can use English (which she understands), but she'll only answer in German.

Zurich is over an hour away, roughly one hour bahnhof to bahnhof. From my apartment to the bahnhof is roughly 20 - 40 minutes, depending on connections. Then there's the issue of getting to where in Zurich you're going to!

I hope that it doesn't come to that, though, and I find something before they start enforcing such rules (i'm assuming that comes when I'm off my notice period...)

Ok, that I could work with, so that's encouraging! My reading and listening skills are far better than my speaking skills!

Wow, that's a very, very kind offer! Thank you! At the moment, I think I'm going to take my chances and go alone, swallow my fear and look at it as a chance to improve my German

I've heard about those courses, I really hope I can avoid them, they sound utterly dreadful!

I plan on showing up for my appointment next Friday with paperwork showing at least one agency/job applied for per day, but with probably much more (the initial flurry is always strongest), so hopefully that will also go in my favor.

HI Shell, as noted above I give you an example: I was unemployed for one month in 2002 and got a job in Ostermundigen/BE commuting from Wallisellen/ZH. The time was just over 2 hours by train.
(Their limit allowing you to "refuse").
Before I even had a contract I was told they'd cut me and I'd have to appeal. I took the job. The other guideline is to be prepared to work less than 100% and get partial subsidy and of course to work for 70% of your old salary to a max of 108k.

I was handled in English though and was here almost 3 years by then.

So be careful, don't disqualify yourself. One objective for them will be to determine if you are at fault for your dismissal/end of assignment allowing them to postpone your entitlement for 3 more months.

Shell,

went through this earlier this year for a whole months worth of RAV money, don't panic.

with regards to being able to communicate, everything is carried out in High German, as there are people from varying backgrounds applying for RAV.

your first stop will be an induction half day, where you will be shown how to fill out the forms, what the rules & regs are. No sweat, if I can do it, more than certain you can too.

as far as RAV being pushy, unless you seriously f**ked up at your last place of emplyoment, they will be very lenient & helpful. The main thing is to start applying for jobs now, don't wait until the end of your gardening leave.

keep copies of all correspondence, print outs from job applications, print outs of web applications, copies of email etc. All strong supporting info that shows that you are not trying to milk the system.

am quite surprised regards the no English & bring a translator, even here in the boonies, you can ask for an English speaking beratur, being stubborn (read masochistic), I didn't go down this route.

all in all, you really shouldn't have any problems, you have been gainfully employed for 4 years, have contributed to the system etc etc ... If I understand from previous posts, you are also married to a native, this will (ahem) count in your favour.

good luck, if you want any more info, drop me a PM.

Paul

Evilshell,

You are on the right track and should have a relaxed process. Good idea to arrive at the first interview with a fat dossier full of ad clippings, correspondence, etc.

Here is the form the RAV expects you to fill in and submit at the end of each month:
http://www.treffpunkt-arbeit.ch/date...e_nachweis.doc
You are not yet obliged to fill this in. But it would warm your RAV counselor's heart, when you already now document your efforts using it.

Other forms and downloads can be found here:
http://www.treffpunkt-arbeit.ch/down...re/arbeitslos/

The site has some info in English too.

Good luck!

The RAV might finance German language courses for you. Would be beneficial if you see your future here. And encourages the RAV to view you as serious in your efforts.

Also the courses looks good on your CV. Helps convince a future employer that you made good use of your forced pause.

Yes this is a good chance to improve your German.

Word of advice, if they send you to a school for an assesment DO NOT try to do well. After my test I was told that my German was good enough and they would NOT provide lessons for me. The examiner marked me 'up' as he decided I had a good understanding of 'Swiss German'.

I eventually manage to get lessons, but these were later stopped again because my German was not improving enough beyond the level I was meant to have started at.

So beware.

The German courses RAV sent me on were excellent, I really enjoyed them.

I think Resident was referring to other courses though, more along the lines of :

What is RAV - is that the unemployment office? Because there is an Arbeitsamt in Kleinbasel on Utengasse. Isn't that the unemployment office? Or is there more than one in Baselstadt?

Arbeitsamt is the Cantonal Labor Department that administers all aspects of employment, e.g. working hours, overtime rules, inspection of premises, occupation health, etc.

RAV=Regional ArbeitsVermittelung. This is a regional organization mandated to assist the unemployed persons to obtain employment.

It is not so bad to be unemployed in Switzerland...

I have been through the RAV about a couple of years ago, and probably must have been very lucky - they just put me with a counselor that could speak French and English... I later met a few girls that were set up with Spanish or Portuguese speaking person. I managed to get some an intensive German course paid, as it would increase my opportunities of getting a job [all this happened in St Gallen]. If you stress that by having that course, you will be in a better position of leaving the RAV, you will be able to convince them.

I will also be unemployed at the end of the month and have a RAV day at the beginning of sep, i was also told to take a translater and that was before she even spoke to me, she saw my name and though i couldn't speak german.(i can so i will be fine) If i don't have a job by the time you have to go i could come to basel and help you out if you like, let me know (PM) thanks

chin up it will all be ok...

If you can get the RAV to send you on a German course it might be useful to you.

My wife was unemployed for a few months and didn't have to go on any of the "touchy feely help you find a job" courses. Her German is quite advanced so she got the RAV to pay for a "Rechtsschreiben" course (proper written German) at the Gewerbeschule - which she never finished as she found a job in-between times.

Wrt finding new work, in CH a lot depends on knowing people working at places where there are likely to be vacancies (i.e. networking) - so make use of that if you can.

Cheers,
Nick