Our services for employees

We have been bringing people together since 2001. Be a part of this success story and plan your next career move with us: you can trust in our many years of experience, and our know-how in bringing people together.

You will benefit from our network that allows us to offer you positions in a wide range of industries.

Temporary jobs

Fixed-term and open-ended positions to bridge capacity gaps in an employer’s workforce, or to round off staff in times of very high workload.

Try and hire

A temporary position limited to three months, try and hire brings you and the employer together and offers you a chance to get to know each other. After that, you decide whether or not you want to continue the cooperation.

Permanent employment

A position with an open-end contract your prospective employer is looking to fill.

Payroll services for freelancers

More and more industries and businesses are looking to hire freelancers to keep their administrative workload in check. But if you simply invoice the employer without paying social security contributions, the authorities will consider this as illicit work.

As a freelancer, you have the option to let us handle the administrative work for you. Our professional back office takes care of all the legally required social security deductions, leaving you as well-insured as in classic employment. We invoice your client for hours worked, and we pay you the agreed salary.

Jobs and industries covered by Topas Personal

We help you find positions in the following areas and industries:

Construction

  • Pollution remediation
  • Civil engineering
  • Road construction
  • Building construction
  • Conversion
  • Deconstruction

Construction subcontractors

  • Sanitary fitters
  • Painters
  • Plasterers
  • Drywall construction

What’s the right way to apply for a job?

A fairly common question. If you ask ten HR specialists what your CV needs to cover, expect to get ten slightly different answers. Sure, some of them may be similar, but there is no such thing as a definite right or wrong. The following pointers are very close to the market and will help you stand out.

Prepare for your application

Do research! A company’s website usually features information on its history and corporate culture. This will help you decide whether you want to work for them, and give you what you need to adapt your CV in a way to make it into the second round of applications.

Your letter of motivation

In your letter of motivation, you respond to the job ad, explain why you think you would an ideal fit, and say what professional and social skills make you stand out. You also talk about why you want to work for this company specifically. Which of their values do you identify with? A letter of motivation takes the initiative and demonstrates self-confidence, and in its closing assumes to be invited for an interview.

Your CV

Your CV should be free of typos and spelling mistakes, cover your whole career, and be clearly structured. You can expect an HR specialist to take some 60 to 90 seconds to analyse it, which is to say: the clearer you make it, the better. There is no consensus regarding length: some industries prefer detailed CVs, others one-pagers.

For positions held in the last five to seven years, list your main tasks and responsibilities in some detail. Use bullet points. For any position before that, listing the employer and your job title will do. Be sure to add precise information about the time span of employment (eg. Jan 2020–Dec 2020), no HR executive likes to dig for this kind of information in your references.

Feature a short profile of yourself at the top of your CV, ideally with a photo. This can go a long way towards getting the attention of the HR specialist.

The same goes for success stories, which may help the HR specialist to better understand why you are a top candidate for the position and the company.

If you write a short profile or add a success story, make sure it includes what really matters, and what you stand for. Everything beyond that tends to sound submissive instead of confident.

A CV should be dynamic and adapted to the position you are applying for. HR specialists don’t have time to filter it for relevant points, so make sure your CV is short and concise.

Your CV as well as your letter of motivation need to be modern in design and clearly structured. It’s important that your CV reflects you as a person, so focus on your strong points and don’t try too hard to meet what you think are the company’s expectations. HR specialists tend to take more time when a CV is original and stands out.

The following information should always be included:

  • Contacts (and, optionally, some personal details) either in the header or the footer
  • Personal details (though not next to your photo, where you want to catch the HR specialist’s attention with you short profile)
  • Experience/work experience
  • Education as well as relevant further education and specialisation
  • Additional qualifications, such as IT skills, languages and the like
    Interests, activities, matters close to you
  • Possible starting date
  • References collected in a separate document to be handed over to the employer during the job interview. In your CV, simply say that references are available.

Check out the link below for a broad selection of CV templates:

Templates and samples

Submit your application with two, maximum three PDFs attached

  • First PDF: letter of motivation and CV
  • Second PDF: references, certificates and diplomas in chronological order, new to old

Apply with us today!

Send us your complete application, including your CV, references, and diplomas, or simply give us a call. We look forward to meeting you for an interview and help you improve your application.

The job interview

Preparation

Read up on the history, corporate culture, and the values the company stands for on their website.

Look up your interviewers on LinkedIn, Xing, or Google and make sure you know who they are.

Dress

First impressions count. Once you’ve convinced the employer with your application, you need to double up with a neat appearance. Go for a well-fitting, neutral business casual look. Discreet jewellery is acceptable. Make sure you feel good in your outfit.

The day of the interview

Make sure you arrive on time. Either make a test run to find out how much time you need to get there, or leave home early to be on time for the interview. Storming into an office building just minutes before your interview won’t help you get the job.

The interview
  • Don’t smoke right before the interview.
  • Put your phone into airplane mode, or better switch it off altogether.
  • Only sit once you are offered a seat.
  • Listen intently.
  • Make notes.
  • Make eye contact with the people talking to you.
  • Answer honestly and be authentic. An HR specialist will know right away if you try to fool them.
  • Don’t play with your pen or your finger ring.
  • Ask questions about the company, the team, and development opportunities.
  • Be ready to answer questions about salary expectations, and be sure to know what is realistic.
  • Ask when you can expect to hear from them.
  • Memorise the names of your interviewers, and say goodbye by their names.

More information is available at:

Brochures

FAQ

What does it cost?

To you, our intermediary services are free of charge.

Which papers and references do we need from you?

We need the classic application materials, including a letter of motivation, a CV, and references including diplomas.

What do you need to work in Switzerland as a foreign national?

You can find answers to most of the related questions in our information for EU citizens and international applicants, but we are also happy to advise you in person.

How can I get job offers from Topas Personal?

After an initial interview with one of our HR consultants, we will send you job offers via email or give you a call.

How are my papers forwarded to a prospective employer?

We only forward your documents with your prior agreement, and only to employers you really would like to work with. We always check back with you first.

What happens to my application if an employer decides not to hire me?

We adhere to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which means that we will destroy your dossier if our efforts are not successful or once the process is completed, unless you explicitly instruct us to do otherwise.

Information for EU citizens and international applicants

Swiss salaries are among the highest in the world. There is no legally required minimum wage, but most industries have collective bargaining agreements in place that specify a minimum wage.

Living expenses in Switzerland are also steep. For an overview of the prices of food, rent, utilities, public transport, etc., best look around once you are here.

Swiss salaries, health insurance, taxes, and more

You can find information regarding living and working in Switzerland at:

Working in Switzerland as a foreigner

Public transport

Switzerland has a dense public transport network that allows you to move around without a car.

More information at www.sbb.ch.

Road traffic

You can find all relevant information about Swiss road traffic at:

Traffic rules

Diplomas

Check the following link to find out whether or not your diploma or education is recognised in Switzerland:

Diplomas

Information specific to health care professions

The SRC recognizes foreign diplomas in health professions

Healthcare professions

More information about other aspects of life in Switzerland is available in German, French, Italian, and English at:

www.ch.ch

If you have any other questions, please get in touch. Our team is always happy to help.