Staufenbiel JobTrends Switzerland 2016" study
The job outlook for graduates is developing positively in Switzerland: Almost half of the companies surveyed as part of the "Staufenbiel JobTrends Switzerland 2016" study expect a higher demand for university graduates in the next five years - currently, only just under one in four anticipates an increasing demand. Economists, engineers and computer scientists are among the most sought-after graduates.
The most common starting salary is currently between 80,000 and 94,999 Swiss francs. This means that Swiss graduates earn very well in a European comparison.
These are the findings of the "JobTrends Switzerland" study, which Staufenbiel Institut is publishing for Switzerland for the first time this year. In Germany, this benchmark study has been providing guidance on how the job market for young graduates is developing since the late 1980s. "For 27 years, we have been closely connected to the Swiss market for young academics as the organizer of the Absolventenkongress Schweiz, the largest job fair in the country," explains Birgit Giesen, Managing Director of Staufenbiel Institut. "We are now also incorporating our know-how into an annual study specifically on the Swiss graduate job market."
Social media use
The use of social media is not yet a matter of course in Swiss HR departments: social media is part of employer branding in just under three-quarters of companies. At 79 percent, Xing is particularly favored by HR managers. Facebook and LinkedIn are used by 66 percent of companies each. Social media plays a role for job postings at seven out of ten companies. Nine percent of companies use social networks to check the profile of their applicants.
Good application rate
Around one in four applicants makes it to an interview at the companies surveyed. Of these, 14 percent then lead to an employment contract. At 88 percent, major fields of study are the most important factor in the selection of applicants. The exam grade plays a subordinate role with only 46 percent. When it comes to personal criteria, Swiss employers focus on soft skills such as initiative, the ability to work in a team, analytical and conceptual skills, and communication skills, ahead of the ability to work under pressure and a willingness to take on responsibility.
With a master's degree, the doors are open to applicants with Swiss employers. 63 percent of the companies surveyed pay master's graduates a higher salary - on average, the salary difference between bachelor's and master's degrees is 13 percent.
Generation Internships
The "internship" generation is still very much in demand in Switzerland. 88 percent of the companies that took part in the study offer internships as a chance to gain practical experience. However, the internship should last at least three to six months. This is demanded by 86 percent of the companies. The companies hope that applicants will experience the "application of theory in practice" during the internship, "get to know everyday working life" and thus ultimately gain professional orientation and deepen their specialist knowledge.
More than three-quarters of employers offer interns a chance at permanent employment. However, the majority of companies surveyed advise against offering internships after graduation. In principle, interns are well compensated in Switzerland. Around half of the respondents find an internship salary of CHF 3,000 or more per month appropriate.
You can find the complete study and further information here
