How To Choose A Career Coach in Switzerland
How to Choose a Career Coach in Switzerland: 5 Things You Should Consider When Changing Jobs
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal ran a story about the “$10,000 job search.” It highlighted professionals investing heavily in career coaching, CV rewrites, LinkedIn optimisation and personal branding because the average executive job search now lasts for nearly six months.
At first glance, to many non-executives, it might sound extreme. But it reflects the reality of today’s market. While that figure comes from the U.S., the same forces are at play here in Switzerland: longer searches, hidden job markets and more professionals turning to coaching. For senior professionals in Switzerland, the stakes are high, the competition is fierce and job searches are rarely straightforward anymore. More and more people are finding that going it alone is slow and unpredictable. Having a coach, once a nice-to-have for top executives, is becoming the new normal.
So the real question might not be whether to use a career coach or not. It’s which career coach to choose.
Based upon my experiences as a Headhunter, Talent Partner, Business Builder and Job Search Coach in Switzerland, here are five areas to think about:
1. Do you want a coach who advises or one who builds with you?
Plenty of career coaches in Switzerland focus on frameworks and advice, leaving you to implement. That can work well if you have time and discipline.
Some take a hands-on, “done-with-you” or “done-for-you” approach. They’ll write your CV, map out a networking strategy for the Swiss market and even script personalised interview answers for you using executive storytelling hacks.
Neither style is wrong. But if you’re juggling a demanding role, family and a niche job search, the done-with-you model often saves time and accelerates results.
2. Do they know hiring theory or hiring reality?
Some coaches come from HR, training backgrounds or have simply spent long stints in a particular function or business area. They’re usually strong on theory, assessment, psychology and big company thinking.
But hiring, particularly at the senior and executive levels, rarely follows theory. Roles shift. Decisions are made informally. Requirements are shaped by the candidate pool. Competition can come from hiring abroad, as well as from management consultants or external service providers. Senior positions are nearly always filled through networks or headhunters before they ever appear online.
A career coach with a background in recruitment or headhunting is well aware of this reality. They know how hiring managers in Switzerland really make decisions, what they look for in CVs and the intangible, supra-logical reasons why executives are selected. That insight often makes the difference.
3. Is the process templated or tailored for executive coaching in Basel, Zurich and Geneva?
If you’ve been on the wrong end of a “business transformation”, you’ll know that most RAV or outplacement coaching programmes run every client through the same structure. That can provide clarity and comfort in a time of uncertainty, on the company’s dime.
However, senior professionals looking to join companies like Roche, Microsoft or UBS require more nuance. Your story, your sector and your geography all matter. A templated CV or generic networking script risks making you sound like everyone else. A tailored approach, differentiating your story, ensures you stand out in the Swiss market.
4. Will they hold you accountable?
Momentum is often the hardest part of a job search. Many professionals stall not because of lack of skill but because of lack of structure, particularly around networking.
The best executive career coaches build accountability into the process: regular check-ins, clear milestones and ongoing support between formal sessions to keep you moving. It’s the career equivalent of hiring a personal trainer. You could do it alone but you’ll get better results with someone keeping you on track.
5. Do they focus only on documents or also on confidence?
Yes, a strong CV and optimised LinkedIn profile are essential. But so is walking into hidden job market conversations with clarity and confidence.
Some coaches focus narrowly on documents. Others help you own your story, rebuild confidence and communicate with conviction. At senior levels in Switzerland and Europe, presence counts as much as skills. In a competitive hiring landscape like Basel’s life sciences scene, qualifications merely level the playing field. A coach who strengthens both is a clear advantage.
Final thought
The WSJ headline may have raised eyebrows, especially in The Guardian’s partner piece, but the message is clear: investing in job search support isn’t only for the C-Suite, it’s strategic for all. For professionals in Switzerland serious about their next move, executive career coaching is becoming as standard as working with recruiters or attending industry events.
Because the real cost isn’t the fee. It’s the weeks, months or years you lose if your search drifts without results.