The application portfolio that you submit for an advertised position or as a spontaneous or unsolicited application is your figurehead. It is often your only opportunity to present yourself as you are and as you want to be seen. Comprehensive preparation and care are therefore essential and yet all too often neglected. Take your time when writing your application and be prepared for the fact that you may have to write not just one, but several application letters. First of all, you should be aware of what you expect from a job, what percentage you can work, in what area it can be located, what working hours are suitable for you and to what extent your previous education and experience match the requirements of the job. Always find out enough about the individual companies you want to apply to, because ultimately you probably don't want to go looking for a job again in six months' time just because you don't like the company's philosophy.

Once you have thought all this through, it is best to start creating your CV. This includes all school and professional education, continuing education, further training and activities in chronological order. You should then write a letter of application, also known as a letter of motivation. It contains the reason for your interest in the advertised position, i.e. your motivation, your suitability based on your personal and professional experience and any other details that may be of interest to the company, such as language skills, stays abroad, internships, etc. The application letter should be clearly structured, concise and precise. Recruiters have neither the time nor the inclination to spend several pages on your person, but want a first, meaningful impression. Writing an application also includes references, references, multi-checks, trial apprenticeships and other diplomas that may be important for employment.

For people who have been out of work for a long time or have been in the same job for a very long time, it can be very helpful to get support from specialists who are familiar with the requirements for application documents and who can also train you for job interviews if necessary. You can find providers here on Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch.

You can also find seminars on the Swiss education market that teach you how to write the perfect application, but most of them offer coaching and advice in which you receive individual training. This has the advantage that the specialist takes time just for you and takes your personal situation into account, helps you with the wording and can also ask questions if anything is unclear. Applicants usually benefit more from this kind of cooperation than from courses in which they cannot be given special attention to each individual.

If you have little time and leisure to write a cover letter yourself, you can of course also have your application written by a professional. You can have this done by experienced professionals who are very familiar with the requirements that recruiters place on application folders and know exactly which details they value. Some providers also offer special training courses that prepare you specifically for job interviews and thus increase your chances of getting the job you want.

Basically, writing an application letter is not difficult and can be understood and implemented within a very short time.

However, in addition to the actual creation, preparation is also essential, which takes into account many details in addition to the CV and the dossier, such as taking application photos, selecting and copying documents, requesting letters of recommendation, searching through job advertisements, finding out about the companies and preparing for the interview.

Depending on how much previous knowledge you already have and what preparations you have already made, a coaching session on writing an application can last fifteen minutes, during which the relevant application folder is briefly reviewed and any errors pointed out, or it can take a few days of coaching, during which comprehensive support is offered from the ground up, including a photo shoot and application training.