TIPS & TRICKS

Whether you’re applying for a specific position or sending a speculative application, you should always make sure that it is tailored to the company or the job description. The closer your profile matches the job, the more likely it is that you’ll be invited for an interview. Candidates applying for lots of vacancies often overlook this and highlight their less suitable skills. Don’t be put off if you don’t meet all the requirements, just make sure that around 70-80% of your profile does. It’s worth rewriting your CV and covering letter to match the job specifications (watch out: be honest, false claims are always found out). You also need to ensure that you have a full set of documents:

• Covering letter
• CV (complete & accurate)
• References
• Certificates
• Other supporting documents (if available)

Decision-makers do not normally spend much time determining whether to accept or reject an application, so you must make sure that the presentation and content are perfect.

Top tip: it’s worth enquiring about the progress of your application after three to five days. This demonstrates your interest in the position and makes an impression, so stay engaged.

We’ve put together a well-structured template for you containing all the relevant information.

Gaps in your CV are not necessarily bad as long as you note and explain them clearly, whether they’re because of travelling, periods of unemployment, or other reasons. Depending on how big the gap is, you should give a clear and reasonable explanation and, if possible, note any skills you gained during this time, such as learning a foreign language. It’s a bonus if you can show how these gaps relate to your career. Avoid completely omitting these career breaks from your CV, as your professional experience shows when and where you were working anyway, so being honest is an absolute must.

A covering letter is not always required; different companies have different approaches. However, at yellowshark, we always recommend that you write a covering letter that is specific to you. This allows you to say more about yourself beyond your general application documents. Your CV alone doesn’t really explain why you have gaps, why you’re changing jobs, or why you want the job advertised or to work with the employer. We’ve put together a template that you may wish to use.

• Changing jobs too many times

Moving from company to company too often or having many short periods of employment within a year may raise questions with the employer. Listing genuine and credible reasons for changing jobs in your covering letter will be looked upon favourably.

• Wrong qualifications

Overqualified candidates, such as those with advanced degrees, may often be rejected. The same applies for underqualified applicants who don’t meet the job specifications. We recommend listing in your covering letter the reasons why you think you’re suitable for the role despite being under- or overqualified.

• Poor spelling

This is all about the first impression that you make. Spelling mistakes can make a bad impression and may lead to your application being rejected. We recommend asking someone else to check your documents so that any mistakes can be corrected.

• Style over clarity

A CV needs to be quick and easy to read. Using a creative layout shouldn’t impair readability.

• Too many unresolved issues

This means there are missing documents, or some of the gaps in your CV haven’t been accounted for. You should always ensure that you have all your documents and that no information is missing when you submit your application.

Duplicate applications are when you submit an application for the same position using different channels. If you have already applied for a job with one of our clients separately, yellowshark cannot submit another application to this client on your behalf. The same applies for any applications made through other recruitment agencies. That’s why it’s important that you double-check the jobs that we send you to avoid making a duplicate application.

We recommend adapting your CV to the standard Swiss format, which you can find at this link. It’s also important to explain how you are suitable for the Swiss job market in your covering letter. This is a good place to start.

• You’ll benefit from a network of well-known clients built up over many years
• You’ll receive extra information about the companies (economic position, strategy for the future, chances of development, corporate culture, etc.)
• You’ll receive professional advice on application processes
• You’ll improve your chances of applying successfully
• You’ll receive advice on how to optimise your CV
• You’ll receive career advice that explores your options
• You’ll receive a clear overview of the market so that you can estimate your own market value more accurately

Candidates can access our services free of charge. We expect you be proactive when working with us, clear and open when communicating, and honest when telling us about your career prospects.

We evaluate applications on a case-by-case basis and consider them as part of the bigger picture. What our clients want is essential, and we need to fulfil their requirements. These are fairly rigorous, as we apply very high professional standards. Our clients really appreciate these high standards, which also gives your candidacy a boost.

If approved, you will be invited to attend an interview where we’ll discuss and determine your potential and career prospects. We’ll then talk to you about any suitable vacancies, and you can decide which ones you’d like to follow up on. You are free to choose which companies you’d like us to place your profile with. Find out more about the application process.

Usually, our interviews are in person, but we can conduct an initial interview over the phone if there are logistical or organisational issues with holding one face-to-face.

As a recruitment agency, yellowshark helps companies to recruit new talent, saving our clients valuable time until the position is filled. That’s why these companies prefer receiving our candidates’ applications, as they see our service as taking the hassle out of the recruitment process.

At yellowshark, we save your documents in our ERP system. If something suitable comes up, we create a candidate dossier (keeping the same content) and submit it to our client. Your files are completely deleted if we don’t approve your application.

An extensive, long-standing network is essential to this aspect of our work too. In addition to various online platforms (advertisements and active sourcing), we make the most of recommendations and candidates we’ve worked with before.

Every job is different, so contact your recruiter and use our interview guide to help prepare yourself.

You can find a handy description of interview-appropriate clothing in our interview guide.

Always be constructive and sympathetic. You should avoid making direct demands and instead highlight your qualities. Think about the whole package that you can negotiate, and not just salary expectations.

You can find the most frequently asked questions in our interview guide.

• Avoiding eye contact
• Speaking timidly and quietly
• Criticising your current or previous employer
• Completely overstating or overestimating your own qualities (e.g., ‘I’m perfect, I don’t have any character flaws’)

You can find more handy tips in our interview guide.