Employability

More resources

External job platform

The UNIGE publishes part-time job, first-job and internship offers on its Career online platform. Many other job search platforms list various offers. Below is a list of the main websites.

General job search platforms

French-speaking part of Switzerland (Romandie)

Switzerland

State-related offers

Job search platforms based on subject

Culture

Law

Humanitarian and international aid

Information technology (IT), mathematics

Médecine, sciences, research

Health, social

Tutorials and tips

Resume builders

You can find a lot of online resume builders (sometimes free) with a wide range of templates that will help you save time.

Resume Builder (English)
Resume Builder (French)

However, they are not always modifiable in every way, depending on your requirements.

Our resume template

Creating a resume (on Word, for instance) will give you no limit to your creativity. However, starting from scratch can take time and require a deep understanding of the software. You can find below a template we have created that is simple and useful.

Our resume template

CV Checklist

Maximize your chances of landing a job by applying with a high-quality CV. Check that your CV is ready to send:

  • Carefully review and understand the position you are applying for (tasks, training and experience required);
  • Highlight and explain in detail the points in your CV that are relevant to the job requirements: this may relate to your professional or extra-professional experience, or to your education;
  • Depending on the position and its requirements, you may need to reformulate, elaborate on or remove certain content.

*Mandatory fields

PERSONAL DETAILS*

  • Include the following information: first name, last name (in capital letters, e.g. "Marcel ROBERT"), address, private e-mail, mobile number (+41 78...), age or date of birth, nationality/work permit;
  • Add a link to your LinkedIn profile (optional);
  • Please note that this section should take up very little space in the CV, and that it is not necessary to write "contact" or "personal details".

PROFILE

  • Highlight your 3-4 major strengths for a particular position: e.g. education, languages, relevant work experience, specific skills (project management, tools, methods, etc. relevant to the position);
  • This section is highly recommended (especially for a two-page CV).

OBJECTIVE

  • Explain the professional direction you are aiming for and specify your strengths that make the objective realistic (education, experience, languages, etc.);
  • This section is not recommended for a "junior" CV.

PHOTO

  • Choose a photo that conveys a positive image (professionalism, openness, seriousness, care...);
  • Choose a good-quality photo (definition, framing, neutral and plain backgrounds, etc.), presenting yourself well and respecting the employer’s dress code.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE*

  • Describe your experience concisely, clearly and concretely (give figures), using action verbs (e.g. synthesize, analyze, present, etc.);

  • Where possible, specify the benefit of your work for the employer ( innovation or improvement) and/or the complexity of the task (e.g. "complete organization of a conference involving 250+ participants": complexity = organization from A to Z, as well as the number of participants).

EDUCATION*

  • Specify the dates and titles of your education, starting with the Maturité/Baccalauréat (including current courses), the institution (University of Geneva) and the location (country, if outside Switzerland);
  • Add elements relevant to the position or that will enhance your profile, e.g.: exchange semester, excellent averages or awards, Bachelor’s/Master’s thesis relevant to the position, academic projects, selection of subjects studied in connection with the position, etc.

EXTRA-PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • Include your involvement in associations or volunteer work;
  • Describe your experiences as professional experiences, if the content is significant enough.

LANGUAGES*

  • Give a subjective assessment of your current level (e.g. mother tongue, fluent, intermediate, etc.);
  • Specify your level, according to the European standard (A2, B2, etc.). A subjective assessment (but in line with your actual level) is accepted;
  • Complete the description with a statement of your language level, if available (e.g. 6-month stay in England (2018), Certificate of Advanced English (2018), etc.).

Software knowledge*

  • Note (all!) software used: office, technical/scientific, programming, social media, website creation, etc.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • For technical or scientific positions, group the tools/methods/techniques used under "technical skills".

INTERESTS

  • Describe your interests with precision and in a positive light (e.g. "8 years’ experience", "conservatory level", "passion for classical literature");
  • Avoid talking about your political or religious commitments, unless this is a valuable experience;
  • Avoid hobbies that are too general: cinema, travel, etc.

REFERENCES

  • Do not include them in your CV. References must be provided at the employer’s request, and with the agreement of the relevant person(s).

PRESENTATION

  • The CV should not exceed 2 pages, but it is not obligatory to keep it to a single page;
  • Keep it easy to read: homogeneous, sober, legible, well-spaced. It must be possible to find information quickly;
  • Take care with CV design and give the document a positive overall appearance;
  • Classify headings in descending order of importance (the first headings are the most important);
  • On the first page of the CV, include the information the recruiter needs to see immediately;
  • Separate dates from the rest of the text for better legibility.
Cover letter checklist

GENERAL

  • Read the job advert carefully to fully understand the position and its requirements: tasks and responsibilities, profile, skills and experience required;
  • Find out more about the employer (organization, products/services, culture, news...) to learn about their particularities.

CONTENTS

  • Your letter develops two themes: your motivation and your strengths relevant to the position;
  • The "motivation" section is the most important part of your letter.

YOUR MOTIVATION

  • Explain your motivation for the specific position and for the employer;
  • If relevant, also develop your interest in the field of activity;
  • Your motivation is personal, sincere and specific to the position and employer;
  • Tip: imagine you’re explaining to your best friend why you’re interested in this job. What do you say?

YOUR STRENGTHS FOR THE JOB

  • Develop the 3-4 points that make you an excellent candidate in relation to the job requirements. In principle, this should cover the following areas:
    • Your educational background,
    • Your technical skills,
    • Your personality and/or soft skills,
    • Your professional/extra-professional experience.

Email sign-offs

  • Use an active form that invites you to meet: "I’d be delighted to meet you for an interview to discuss my motivation and skills. Yours sincerely."

FORM

  • Keep your letter to 1 page. This increases the chances of it being read;
  • Space your text (use paragraphs, choose a minimum font size of 10);
  • Use short sentences, simple style and vocabulary;
  • Use examples, evidence and results to make your letter concrete.
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