A CV for Switzerland: give your experience a clear structure
You do not need a new career history for every application. Organise your existing CV around a specific vacancy and work on verifiable information in the DraftApply editor.
The CV workflow starts with an existing CV and requires an account for editing. Starting a CV from scratch is not yet available. Plans and usage limits
From your existing CV to a stronger working draft
- An adaptable structure, not copied claims
- A specific example of an experience bullet
- A direct path to the existing CV editor
The vacancy and application portal instructions take priority over general recommendations.
Swiss CV template: use this structure
This page offers structural guidance, not a Word download. Start with a readable outline, then decide which details the vacancy needs. The University of Basel recommends thematic sections with the most recent entries first.
Treat the structure as a review sequence: can someone find your most relevant experience without working through unrelated personal details? The order of education and employment can reflect your particular background.
- Contact: your name and contact details, checked before sending.
- Brief profile, where useful: direction and relevant experience, not a list of adjectives.
- Employment and projects: dates, role, context and specific responsibilities.
- Education and training: relevant qualifications with an accurate completion status.
- Languages and professional skills: understandable descriptions rather than decorative scales.
- Other relevant activities: include them with a clear connection to the application.
Sources and context [5]
How long should a Swiss CV be?
The recommendations differ: Basel suggests no more than two pages, while UZH allows two to three. These are guidelines, not a universal obligation. Specialist profiles and explicit employer instructions can call for something different.
Remove repetition before reducing readability. An older job can be more compact than a recent relevant project. Keep accurate dates and explain the actual work instead of inventing positions to disguise gaps.
An experience bullet needs substance, not just a keyword
Try the sequence task → your contribution → understandable result. A result does not require an invented percentage: a completed piece of documentation or a clearly defined responsibility can also make your contribution concrete.
Then read only the first lines of your roles. Do they describe what you actually did, or could they belong to almost anyone? Improve the wording, not your past.
Photo, format and final checks
The dedicated photo guide below covers the photo decision. Keep that question separate from whether your experience is clearly presented.
Our technical self-check: open the exported file on a second device, select some text and check its order when copied. This is not an ATS certificate; it is a basic check for display and text problems. Also review every field extracted by the employer's portal.
Make a CV bullet more specific
Fictional software-development example. It illustrates wording, not a real person or a measured application outcome.
Too general
Backend development, teamwork, databases.
More specific
Implemented REST endpoints for order management, validated inputs and documented the PostgreSQL data model; coordinated changes through team code reviews.
Revise your existing CV in DraftApply
Bring an existing file
The current Swiss CV workflow begins with an existing CV. Starting without one is still marked Coming Soon.
Check the extracted information
Review the imported content before continuing. Do not carry incorrect names, dates or omitted responsibilities into your next draft.
Edit in the studio
Work with content blocks, the document preview and the existing CV tools. Keep track of what you have changed.
Align it with the application
Use the reviewed version for a specific application. Your CV, letter and portal answers should describe the same real experience.
Mistakes you can catch before sending
Copying a template's claims
A structure can guide you. The responsibilities, qualifications and results must come from your own experience.
Making text tiny to save space
Remove unhelpful repetition first. Check the file at a normal viewing size, not only zoomed in inside the editor.
Confusing a preview with the submitted application
After a substantial change, review the file you will actually use and any portal fields populated from it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I download a Swiss CV template here?
This page provides structure and decision guidance, not a separate Word-template download. Its button opens the existing DraftApply workflow for revising a CV you already have.
Can I create a CV from scratch in DraftApply?
Not yet in the current Swiss CV workflow. Use an existing CV as your starting point; the from-scratch option is marked Coming Soon.
Is the template guaranteed to work with every ATS?
No. DraftApply does not promise acceptance by every application system. Check the exported document and review the information extracted by the employer's portal.
Do I need to sign a Swiss CV?
UZH says a signature on a Swiss CV is not customary or expected. The information still needs to be accurate; check any special instructions for your application.
Work on the CV you already have
Open the Swiss CV workflow, review your data and revise the document in the studio. No invented achievements and no duplicate editor – your own materials remain the starting point.
The CV workflow starts with an existing CV and requires an account for editing. Starting a CV from scratch is not yet available. Plans and usage limits
Sources and context
Sources consulted: 11 September 2026. Prepared with AI assistance using the linked information; not individual recruitment or legal advice.
- [1] arbeit.swiss / SECO – Application tips
Guidance on application documents and preparing a job search.
- [2] University of Zurich – CV
Guidance on length, photographs, language skills and signatures; not a universal employer requirement.
- [3] University of Zurich – Letter of motivation
Role-specific content, length and the differences between a letter and an online form.
- [4] University of Zurich – Attachments
Relevant supporting documents and handling reference contacts.
- [5] University of Basel – Application tips
An alternative CV guideline, including a two-page recommendation and a non-compulsory photograph.
- [6] ETH Zurich – How to apply for a job
Preparing a coherent application dossier and following the requested application channel.
- [7] Workday – Concept: Resume Parsing
A product-specific explanation of how formatting can affect data extraction; not a claim about every ATS or hiring decision.
These sources describe application practice, not DraftApply features. The institutions listed are not presented as partners and do not endorse this product. Examples on these pages are fictional; requirements vary by vacancy.