What belongs in a job application?
A complete application in Switzerland, the Bewerbungsdossier, consists of several documents in a fixed order: the cover letter, the CV, the work references and the diplomas or certificates. A cover sheet is optional. Hiring managers expect this structure, and following it makes you look careful straight away.
Each document has its own job. The cover letter argues, the CV proves, the references confirm. Our CV checklist shows exactly what belongs in the CV.
The correct order of documents
Arrange the documents so the most important come first. This order works well in Switzerland.
The optional cover sheet goes at the very front, then the cover letter, followed by the CV. Only then come the work references, the most recent first, and finally diplomas and certificates. A clean CV structure is central here, more in our article on the Swiss application.
