Hi, I just find this forum and would like to ask about the job opportunity in CH. I really do not know some people in Switzerland, so I can only seek advice online.

I am Chinese and have two year experience in a Private Equity firm in Beijing. I was recently enrolled into the Master of Banking and Finance program in University of St.Gallen (HSG). Can I expect to find a job in the finance sector in Switzerland after my study?

I am still in China, but get a telephone interview from a Swiss firm (Sungard). But that is a IT firm. I think it is a positive sign for me since I have not been to CH yet. Is there anyone who can tell me sth. about the jobs in finance?

Thank you very much.

Welcome to the Forum. There's little to suggest other than don't worry and enjoy your course. By the time you're in the door at HSG, you'll be surrounded by people talking job strategy. It's a good country for finance grads.

thanks. It's just going to a distant country make me some kind of nervous. But I find the forum is friendly. I hope my study in St.Gallen will be fine.

Sungard huh ? The owner is a funny/strange guy. They are based in Winterthur I think. But yeah, chances are you'll find a job in CH after your studies at HSG. Many things will become clearer when you're here but people who graduate from HSG, especially when they have work experience and speak languages are still very much thought after. So in short, no worries.

These days they make student s sign a "post study plan" that clearly states they will be leaving after their studies. The ones that didnt hand it in got no B permit?.....

Then again I signed that paper also and......stayed haha

Thank you for your information. I feel a bit more confident about the future now

And I am planing to learn some German for the life in CH. But which German should I learn. Standard German or Swiss German? I find very little learning matirials for Swiss German, only this one:Pimsleur German (Swiss). Do you learn Swiss German there?

We do lern züridütsch or any other dialect, but usualy the requirement for being enrolled into the class is a B2/C1 high german efficiency. And anyway, its a nightmare, and probably would be easier and more beneficial to learn chinese.

Do not even bother trying to learn Swiss German until you have some basic German skills!
Learning Swiss German is a nightmare: no "real" spelling rules or grammar and very much varies from canton to canton.
Enrol to German classes but do not expect to become fluent very fast! It is very tough to learn German in this country where everybody speaks English and like putting it into practice!

I second that. Try to learn German, practice it in everyday situations, but many people will switch to English when they learn that your not a native speaker.

Hi everyone, I find some other questions to ask.

1. I am going to leave my current company in China to begin my study in HSG. If I find an job in CH, the new employer may do a background check for my experience. I am worried if they call the company in China, just people speak little to none English, will this be a negative factor for me. Does anyone know the background check process in Switzerland? So I can find some manager who speaks fluent English to write the letter for me.

2. My girlfriend is now working in KPMG in China. She does not want to go to the school again.... She is lazy. Does she have any chance to find a job position without going to the Swiss university. She has 3 years experience in financial consultant / audit.

Thank you very much!!!

In my opinion (others may disagree or have different one):

1. I think it is VERY unlikely somebody is going to call your current company in China. It is worth however to get a recommendation letter from your current employer, even in local language - you can get it translated later, which says that you have been employed there - this should contains dates, what position you had, what you exactly did and the reason for leaving. This might help you. You might find someone in your current company who speaks English, just in case you are asked for a reference.

2. Your girlfriend could try to be transferred within KPMG, other than that, I'd estimate her chances as near to zero. Actually, the current trend is to move the work to places like China, not bring people from China to do the work here. Reasons are obvious and this is touches us over here as well.

Hope it helps.

Thanks for your suggestions. It's really helpful. I shall find someone fluent with English to write the reference for me.

Yes, there are some job positions flow from the west to China and there are some Chinese go to west to look for jobs. Both will make the workplace in the western countries to be more competitive. I am sorry for that. that is our world.But I feel the Switzerland protect its people well.