Relokea
The Swiss CV, explained by people who reformat them every day
Your French CV isn’t bad: it’s unreadable to a Swiss recruiter. Nine codes separate them — photo, permit, references, languages, length — and each one is fixed in a few minutes once you know what to change. Here is the full list and the special case of the cross-border worker.
Why your French CV ends up in the unread pile
A Swiss recruiter sorts fast and looks for three markers: your right to work (permit), your real language level, contactable references. A French CV doesn’t give them — not through carelessness, but because French conventions exclude them, sometimes for good reasons that stayed on the other side of the border. Your file therefore demands an effort to decode. Nobody makes that effort for a stranger.
The 9 differences that count
| # | Element | French practice | Observed Swiss practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photo | discouraged (non-discrimination) | common and expected — a sober professional photo |
| 2 | Length | 1 page | 2 pages standard; more accepted for experienced or technical profiles |
| 3 | Nationality + permit | never mentioned | expected at the top: nationality and permit status (see cross-border case) |
| 4 | References | ”on request” | a section in its own right: 2-3 people, role, contact details — genuinely called |
| 5 | Languages | ”read, written, spoken” | precise CEFR level (B2, C1) per language |
| 6 | Document title | ”Curriculum vitae” | the TARGET ROLE as the title; the word “CV” doesn’t appear |
| 7 | Signature | sometimes signed/dated | no signature and no date on the CV (the cover letter, yes) |
| 8 | Phone | 06… | international dialling code: +33 6… (the recruiter calls from Switzerland) |
| 9 | Design | creativity tolerated | clean sobriety: content comes first, “designer” CVs work against you outside creative jobs |
Each line is a small change; the nine together change the category of your file. It becomes readable without effort — exactly what a quick sort rewards. One point no table settles remains: your status.
The cross-border case: state your status, without over-playing or hiding it
You don't have a G permit yet
You don't write "G permit" (you don't have it). The right wording: "French national — eligible for a G permit". The EU/EFTA cross-border authorisation is issued on the basis of the employment contract, for an activity of more than three months; it is the employer who registers the activity (source: SEM). The G permit guide.
You already have a G permit
State it as-is. Validity: five years for a permanent contract or a contract of at least one year; for a contract of three to twelve months, it follows the contract's duration (source: SEM).
Your French address
Leave it — hiding it shows and worries. Add what reassures: the real distance ("Annemasse — 15 min from Geneva"), your mobility, your car if the job calls for it.
Your availability
Give it as a date ("available from 1 October") rather than as a notice period — that's the information the recruiter is looking for, and it avoids misunderstandings between French and Swiss conventions.
French-speaking or German-speaking Switzerland: two different CVs
- French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura…): CV in French, the codes above.
- German-speaking Switzerland (Basel, Zurich, Bern…): the expected document is the Lebenslauf in German — a close but not identical structure; applying in French there hurts you badly outside English-speaking multinationals (observed practice).
- The CV’s language follows the ad’s language. Ad in English → CV in English possible, but state your level in the local language: it counts for team life.
Before / after: what reformatting changes
Same experience, same person — but permit shown, references named, CEFR levels, title = target role. The substance doesn’t change; Swiss readability does. A real anonymised example (with the person’s consent) will be added here.
References: the section that makes the difference
In Switzerland, references are not a courtesy formula: they are verified. Two to three people, with role and contact details, warned of your consent — former managers preferably. The Swiss work certificate — which any employee can require from their employer, during employment as well as at departure (art. 330a of the Code of Obligations, a mandatory provision) — plays a similar role for your future Swiss experience; for your French experience, your work certificates and attestations do the job, translated if the ad is not in French.
Key points
- Nine concrete differences separate the French CV from the Swiss one — all fixed in a single work session.
- Cross-border worker without a permit: “eligible for a G permit”, never “G permit” you don’t have.
- Language levels in CEFR, contactable references, title = target role.
- German-speaking Switzerland = a Lebenslauf in German, not a translated French CV.
Practical tips
- Have your language level assessed by someone who’ll put you through a real 10-minute test: over-rating your CEFR is paid for at the interview.
- Warn your references BEFORE listing them — a referee surprised on the phone is a counter-reference.
- Reuse the ad’s vocabulary in your skills section: the sort, human or software, looks for the ad’s terms.
Common mistakes
Frequently asked questions
Bring your CV up to the Swiss format. The CV Coach reformats your CV to these nine codes, section by section — you see every change and you stay in control.
Official sources
- SEM — G permit EU/EFTA (accessed on 15/07/2026)
- CO art. 330a — work certificate (accessed on 15/07/2026)
Related guides: the hub · metiers · permis g · postuler en suisse