Key takeaways
- Swiss CV — photo, DOB, nationality, address are standard.
- Two pages, formal Lebenslauf format.
- ETH grade on 1–6 scale, annotated.
- Languages with CEFR levels in a dedicated block.
- Master's thesis named with supervisor.
Format rules at a glance
- Length
- 2 pages
- Photo
- Standard for Swiss employers
- Personal details
- DOB, nationality, address
- Grade scale
- 1–6 (6 is highest), annotated
- Languages block
- Required, CEFR levels
Introduction
The ETH Zürich Career Center teaches the Swiss CV format — sometimes called a Lebenslauf. It is distinct from both the US résumé and the UK CV in ways that catch international applicants out: a personal-details block with a photo, date of birth, nationality, and address is standard, the CV runs to about two pages, and dates are formatted on the European pattern (DD.MM.YYYY or MM/YYYY). Languages are listed prominently — Switzerland's multilingual reality means a CV often distinguishes German, French, Italian, and English with CEFR levels.
ETH Zürich resume format
- Length: 2 pages.
- Font: a clean sans-serif (Arial, Helvetica) at 10–12 pt.
- Margins: ~2 cm.
- Photo: standard on a Swiss CV — professional headshot, top-right.
- Personal details: DOB, nationality, address, sometimes Heimatort (place of origin) for Swiss applicants.
Personal summary
A short profile (Kurzprofil) sits under the personal-details block — 2–4 lines naming your discipline, technical specialism, and target role. Swiss recruiters use it to read the rest of the CV with intent.
Experience section
- Open with a verb that fits engineering or scientific work — the ETH audience expects technical specificity.
- Name tools, methods, and measurable outcomes.
- Treat Praktika (internships) and Semesterarbeiten (semester projects) as full Experience entries with the supervisor named.
- Cap each bullet at two lines.
Education and certifications
- ETH Zürich, then degree (e.g. MSc ETH in Mechanical Engineering, BSc ETH in Computer Science), graduation date.
- Include the grade on the Swiss 1–6 scale (e.g. 5.4/6.0), annotated for international recruiters.
- Master's thesis title with supervisor (Professor name) — ETH recruiters expect this.
- Previous institutions listed below, with grades on their native scales.
Skills guidance
Skills sits prominently — often immediately after the profile block. Languages get their own block with CEFR levels (a Swiss CV with no language block looks incomplete). Group:
- Programming / Engineering Tools.
- Languages: German, French, Italian, English, others, each with CEFR level.
- Certifications.
Mistakes to avoid
- Submitting a US-style résumé (no photo, no DOB) to a Swiss employer.
- Citing ETH grades without the 6.0 scale.
- Skipping the language block. In Switzerland this is fundamental signal.
- Using a casual or low-resolution photo. A professional headshot is expected.
Frequently asked questions about the ETH Zürich resume format
Yes — for applications to Swiss firms, a professional headshot is standard. For international firms with Zürich offices (Google, Goldman, McKinsey), the international no-photo norm applies — match the employer.
Always annotate the scale: '5.4/6.0'. The 6.0 scale isn't recognised outside Switzerland and a recruiter anchored to 4.0 GPA can misread it.
A Swiss-specific place of origin (separate from current residence). It's optional and only used by Swiss nationals; international applicants can omit it.
Career coaching and hiring-side experience, written into practical resume and job-search advice.
Based on public career-center best practices. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ETH Zürich.
Source · ethz.ch