Hi Everyone! I am about to move to Switzerland with my husband - he is going to work for a company near Nyon. I need a job too!!
I'm 26, and have spent the last 4+ years working as a senior Emergency Nurse - the latter part in London. I have excellent clinical skills as well as managerial skills.
I would like something that is going to be a challenge - possibly not clinical and maybe more towards buisness/managerial/leadership/pharmaceuticals.
I want something that is going to excite and challenge me to go hand in hand with our new adventure - I thought someone out there might have some ideas/possibilities!
I have an excellent CV and references.
I can't wait to meet up with some of you once we are over there!
Please get in touch!!!
Rxx

Hi Rachel,
good luck with the job search. Have you looked at any of the employment agency sites or approached any of the pharmaceutial companies directly.
How is your French? If you are wanting to work in any sort of clinical situation you will need pretty good French. There are lots of nursing jobs available in the canton of Vaud at the moment, both in the state hospitals and the private clinics. There is a wellknown private clinic called Genolier close to Nyon which might be interested in you if you are bilingual. There are some sales reps jobs around too but again I think for most jobs you will need good French.
If you are looking for a clinical post I know a few agencies. ( I am clinical nurse specialist and former charge nurse from the state hospital in Lausanne CHUV). I am in the process of job hunting at the moment and will be moving to the Lausanne-Vevey region in the summer.
If you need any more info just ask
jo

Hi Rachel and JoJo,

My girlfriend is looking for jobs in Switzerland too though she has the advantage of being fluent in German though less with French. She's found tons of nursing jobs posted in Bern and Luzern and naturally Zurich so look there too if those locations are an option!

Best of luck!

Hi World Traveller,
your girlfriend should have no problem getting a job in Lausanne with her A level French. the CHUV have quite a few jobs on offer at present as do some of the private cliinics. If feeling less confident in French she may want to consider something like a rehab clinic or nursing home ( EMS) initially . If you want any links/ info let me know.
jo

Hi Rachel,
some links to agencies/job sites.

http://www.educh.ch/emploi-travail-s...?demande=12079

http://www.chuv.ch/chuv_home/chuv_em..._infirmier.htm

www.permed.ch

http://www.leadermed.com/


http://www.lurati.ch/Vaud.53.0.html

pS. saw this today on www.jobup.ch

Junior marketing and strategy consultants (life sciences), Lausanne here`s the link
http://www.jobup.ch/SearchFrame.asp?...u=&Source=&L=F

jo

Thanks for the reply Jojo! My gf is just being slightly chicken with regards to her french as she is more than capable of carrying a normal conversation. She's just worried that her french isn't good enough for those post doctor consultation chats between nurse and patient. She's also comparing it to her german which is native level (as she grew up in germany).

Did you enjoy your time at CHUV? Was it challenging and interesting while you were there? How about Lausanne as a city. Did you ever get bored with the view as spectacular as it is?

How's the shift work in swiss hospitals. My gf is having a hard time currently with her crazy 12hr night shifts. I don't know how she does it when she's on those shifts. Nurses have my highest respect cause I certainly couldn't do that job!

Hope you find something you like soon. Any links you have would be great!

Hi,
World Traveller, yes I did enjoy my time at the CHUV. very different from what I had been used to, which had been an old NHS prefab hospital,falling to bits, very understaffed, low wages . To suddenly be working in a hospital with all mod cons, good patient/staff ratio, relatively well-off (from a poor nurses point of view) was great. My three + years there felt like a long holiday-. I got on really well with my boss and found being a foreigner no obstacle to be promoted despite being surrounded by lots of Swiss nurses.
It was not easy initially from the language point of view.
Speaking with the patients was the easy part. I hated the ward rounds with about 20 doctors and I would have to be the one doing all the intros/explanations about the patients etc to the consultant. My French was not bad but when they started speaking in colloquialisms then I had a problem. Many of the girls I worked with had much poorer French, but they managed. Some only had O level. Your girlfriend really wouldn`t take long to get up to speed once she is there and working in a French environment. Maybe she should do a refresher course once there just to feel more confident.
I loved Lausanne as a city, being so close to the mountains we would often ski in the morning and be on the wards for a late shift. hated the night shifts tho`.The expat night life back then was pretty good , as there was a large contingent of Irish/ Uk and Canadian nurses all ready to party at the drop of a hat. My party days are pretty much over with 2 kids but still looking forward to coming back. Our favourite haunt was the Triesieme Siecle in the old city, not sure if it is still there. Lots of EPFL students then.
Jo

Hi Everyone, Thanks for all the helpful info. I think that my barrier is going to be the language problem - I only did GCSE French - Must get learning, possibly go to language school for a bit.

We are going to be living in the Lausanne region. My husband starts in a week and I shall be following him a week or two after that. Looking forward to it although worried about not having job after being an "independent" young lady!!!
All tips welcom +++
x

Hi Rachel, the best thing you could do is get organized and figure out what you want to tackle. There's a migros klubschule offering languange classes rignt in the center of Lausanne website here: http://www.ecole-club.ch/framedef_1....D6FED1568CF11C and while your husband is off to work, you could get to class and also explore the town to figure out where all the shops are that you'll need etc! There's also a migros fitness park (gym) in Lausanne.

Mostly, be prepared for the spectacular views when you get there and thank your lucky stars that you're in one of the most beautiful places in the world!

Hi,
I did the Migros club when I went over at first. Good idea to build up your confidence and language skills .If hubby is working take the time to get to know the place, learn the language and get a job you really want. Many of the nurses I worked with only had GCSe level French so with a little extra tuition you should get by. Not saying its not hard initially ,you do go thro` a very steep learning curve , but most of my friends stayed until at least the end of their contracts. There are other language schools ofeering intensive courses - check link I gave you in other thread.
jo