The labor market in Switzerland is much more dynamic than in many European countries and is characterized by a very low unemployment rate (around 2%). This lack of job seekers poses problems for companies, as many of them have difficulties in finding the necessary personnel to fill the vacancies, especially when it comes to specialized workers with particular skills. So let us take a look at the most in demand jobs in Switzerland.
Most in demand jobs in Switzerland
Not all professions suffer from scarcity. But only certain professions are in demand on the Swiss market. The professions in which it is most difficult to find people in Switzerland are the following:
Highly skilled professions
IT, community manager, web designer, web developer, etc. These professions still have a great future ahead of them. Many companies are looking for this kind of employees and the job offers are very interesting.
Health, in this sector the demand is almost constant: nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, etc.
Education: The demand for new teachers to fill the positions of those who retire is constantly increasing.
Engineering, the shortage of engineering positions is also noticeable, especially in industry. There are many possible applications: transportation, computer science, hydraulics, chemistry, electronics, etc.
Low-medium qualification professions
In construction, it is difficult for companies to hire Swiss nationals because they do not want to do this type of work. For construction professionals, there is no shortage of job opportunities in this sector in Switzerland.
Paramedical personnel, Switzerland has an ever-increasing population of elderly people and this is leading to an increase in demand for personnel to care for the elderly and infirm. The search for new personnel is necessary to care for an aging population, but also to compensate for the many retirements.
Hospitality industry is on the upswing after the Covid crisis, and there is demand for seasonal and permanent employees.
Skilled workers and craftsmen, especially: Electricians, welders, mechanics, plumbers and others.
Motorists, lorry drivers and drivers for transporting heavy machinery and construction materials.
Financial professionals, financial experts, financial analysts, accountants, etc.
Domestic staff, cleaners, maids, nannies
Most wanted jobs in Switzerland – difficult recruitment of personnel
In 2023, a survey shows that more than 80% of Swiss companies have difficulty finding employees, a much higher percentage than in 2020, where it was 50%. This data shows a very clear deterioration of the situation, and therefore Swiss companies seem to have much more difficulty recruiting today than in the past.
This makes Switzerland one of the countries in Europe most affected by staff shortages, with more than 80% of employers reporting recruitment difficulties.
The shortage of skilled workers in Switzerland mainly affects the following industries:
- logistics sector
- IT sector
- industry sector
- trade sector
The main reasons why Swiss companies have difficulty recruiting are as follows:
Candidates lack technical skills, the digitalization of many industries and companies has brought about a major technological change that requires new skills, in all areas and in all fields of activity, and not all people have the appropriate skills to face these new challenges.
Candidates lacking non-technical skills Swiss companies are looking for candidates with technical but also behavioral skills. These sought-after skills that candidates lack include:
- leadership skills
- critical thinking and analytical skills
- stress resistance and adaptability to a new environment
- problem-solving approach
- proactivity
Recruitment difficulties in Switzerland – countermeasures
Swiss companies have been aware of the difficulties in recruiting personnel for many years and have tried to solve the problem with various measures, including:
- Establish training and development courses for personnel already in the service
- Searching talent outside of traditional recruiting channels
- Increased benefits for newly hired employees
- Developing new models of work organization, such as telecommuting
- Salary increases
Most in demand jobs – conclusion
You can check the status of your profession in the list of professions most affected by unemployment in Switzerland. If your profession isn’t in short supply, there isn’t much you can do, but you must be patient and redouble your efforts.
Switzerland undoubtedly remains one of the most attractive professional destinations in Europe, but the available jobs remain the same. Although the shortage of personnel has never been greater, it doesn’t seem to affect the way Swiss companies hire, which aims to maintain very high standards. That is, if the company finds the right candidate, it hires them, but if it doesn’t, it doesn’t hire anyone. Don’t expect a staff shortage to result in hiring less qualified people, because if no one is suitable, no one will be hired.
For applicants, this means that the level of competition remains constant and they must use both traditional job search methods and the most innovative tools.
