Should you sign your cover letter in Switzerland? And what belongs in it?

The direct answer

Swiss custom is a one-page letter, signed. The signature may be handwritten on a scanned PDF, or a signature image depending on the channel. Nothing in the law requires that signature: it is a usage code, not a legal duty.

In online applications, some forms skip it if the CV is complete and a free-text field replaces the letter. When you send a PDF, many employers still expect a signature.

What makes it useful

One paragraph on the specific role: why this ad, not a generic letter. Evidence comes from the real path — the same facts as in the CV, without inventing. See How to adapt your CV to a Swiss ad without inventing experience?.

One clear sentence on availability, activity rate or location, if the ad asks for it. Drop company history copied from the website, superlatives, and abstract motives (“passionate about excellence”).

The letter complements the CV. It does not retell the whole career. One page is enough.

When to skip it

If the ad says “CV only”, send the CV. For a very short speculative application, or a portal with a free-text field, five or six lines can be enough: target role, two proofs, availability.

Channel choice stays the same. See Where to look for a job in Switzerland: platforms, compared honestly.

Send checklist

Before you send, check these points.

• PDF attachment, readable, one page for the letter.
• Clean file name (name, letter, company or role).
• Clear email subject: role and reference if the ad gives one.
• Contact details aligned with the CV.
• Signature present if you send a PDF letter.
• Proofread: typos, accurate facts, no invented sentence.

Frequently asked questions

Is a handwritten signature mandatory?

Not in a legal sense: no law requires signing a cover letter. In Swiss usage, a one-page signed letter (handwritten or scanned signature depending on the channel) is still expected when you send a PDF. Some online forms skip it.

Letter in French or in the language of the ad?

Usage is to write in the language of the ad, consistently with the CV. If the ad is in German and your CV is in French, align both with the language of the role, unless the employer says otherwise.

Cover letter and application email: the same thing?

No. The email is short: subject, two or three sentences, attachments. The PDF letter develops the link to the role and the evidence. On a portal with a free-text field, that field often replaces the letter; then keep a short, structured message.