10 Phrases to Avoid in a Swiss Cover Letter
At large Romande organizations, an HR manager receives between 40 and 80 cover letters for a qualified position. Generic formulations are identified in 5 seconds: they signal an unpersonalized text and devalue reading the rest. This guide inventories the 10 most common formulations on the Swiss Romande market and proposes a concrete alternative for each.
In Suisse Romande, HR managers at large organizations (Geneva banks, Vaud pharma, cantonal administrations) read dozens of letters per position. Generic formulations are identified in seconds. A letter beginning "I take the liberty of submitting my application" immediately signals it was not written specifically for this position, in this organization. The rest of the letter is then read with a negative bias difficult to overcome.
- Weak formulations are those that assert without demonstrating, or that are identical across all letters from the same candidate.
- Replacing each formulation with a concrete fact or specific example makes the letter more convincing.
- An effective cover letter doesn't repeat the CV: it explains what the CV cannot explain alone.
- In Switzerland, sobriety and precision are more valued than displayed enthusiasm.
1. "I Take the Liberty of Submitting My Application"
What it signals: an opening formula copied and pasted, present in 60 to 70% of letters received by Swiss recruiters. It says nothing about the candidate, the position, or the organization. It occupies the most-read line of the entire letter to convey no information.
The alternative: begin with the concrete reason why this position, in this organization, at this moment, is relevant to the candidate's trajectory. Example: "The transition from [Company] toward [identified domain or project] directly corresponds to the priorities I have worked on these past three years at [employer]." A first line that says something specific is the only one that holds attention.
2. "I Am Particularly Motivated by Your Company"
What it signals: lack of preparation. This formulation is credible only if immediately followed by something specific and verifiable justifying this motivation. Without this, the recruiter knows this same sentence appears in letters sent to the ten other companies in the pile.
The alternative: cite a specific fact. A recent project, a publication, a strategic positioning identified in the annual report, a concrete value observed in the organization's communications. "Your deployment of [project] in Vaud canton, which I followed via [source], illustrates the direction I have sought to integrate in my recent roles" is a sentence that cannot be sent to ten companies simultaneously.
3. "I Believe I Can Bring Real Added Value"
What it signals: a promise without proof. Every candidate believes they can add value. What distinguishes applications is demonstrating this value, not asserting it.
The alternative: replace this formulation with the concrete example that justifies it. "In my current role at [employer], I reduced dossier processing time by 40% by reorganizing [process], which enabled the team to [result]." The added value is implicit in the example. It doesn't need asserting if it's demonstrated.
4. "With My X Years of Experience"
What it signals: attempting to value duration rather than content. Experience counts for what it produced, not its length. A candidate with 15 years in a static role doesn't necessarily bring more than one with 7 years of rapid responsibility growth.
The alternative: describe what these years produced concretely. "After leading [type of projects] across three different organizations" conveys more than "With my 12 years of project management experience." The first describes what the candidate did. The second describes how long they did it.
5. "I Am Passionate About [Domain]"
What it signals: in Switzerland, declared passion without proof is viewed with skepticism. Helvetic professional culture values demonstrated competence and reliability far more than displayed enthusiasm. A candidate claiming to be "passionate about finance" but unable to cite any concrete action illustrating this interest creates immediate dissonance.
The alternative: describe what this passion produced concretely: training pursued, personal projects, publications, volunteer work, domain investments. "I pursued [training or certification] outside my professional obligations to deepen [skill]" says the same thing without using it as unverifiable assertion.
6. "Awaiting Your Favorable Response"
What it signals: a boilerplate closing formula, present in the vast majority of letters. It says nothing about the candidate. It doesn't encourage response. It invites no action.
The alternative: an active and sober closing. "I will be available for an interview at your convenience and remain reachable by telephone at [number] or email." This formulation is concrete, facilitates contact, and doesn't presume the outcome. In Switzerland, direct and functional wording is systematically preferred to ornate courtesy formulas.
7. "My Skills Match Your Needs Perfectly"
What it signals: an assertion the recruiter cannot verify at this stage, and which seems presumptuous before any exchange has occurred. Nobody can claim "perfect" match before understanding the real job challenges beyond the description.
The alternative: demonstrate match rather than assert it. "The [domain A] experience I developed at [employer] corresponds to priority [X] mentioned in your posting, and [skill B] acquired via [context] addresses [need Y] you describe." This structure demonstrates the matching work the candidate has done, exactly what a recruiter seeks to see.
8. "I Am Someone Rigorous, Dynamic, and Results-Oriented"
What it signals: a trio of adjectives so generic they've lost all meaning. These three adjectives appear in an overwhelming proportion of received letters and are systematically ignored. They differentiate no candidate from another.
The alternative: delete this sentence entirely and replace with the example that would have justified these adjectives. "I delivered [complex project] within contractual timeline despite [unforeseen constraint]" demonstrates rigor and results-orientation without declaring them. The example always speaks better than the adjective.
9. "I Wish to Join a Dynamic Company Like Yours"
What it signals: inability to describe the organization with precision. "Dynamic" is an adjective every company would claim for itself. This formulation only signals the candidate failed to identify something specific and truthful about the organization.
The alternative: replace this adjective with concrete observation of the organization. What the company actually does, how it positions itself in its sector, what a credible source has described about its internal functioning. If nothing specific can be said, the letter isn't yet ready to send.
10. "Hoping My Application Will Catch Your Attention"
What it signals: a passive posture. The candidate hopes rather than persuades. This closing signals a candidacy uncertain of itself, addressed to a decision-maker from whom clemency is hoped. In Switzerland, where sober professional confidence is valued, this formulation produces the opposite effect.
The alternative: a factual and direct closing, without false modesty or overconfidence. "I am available for an interview at your convenience" closes professionally, without defeatist posture. If the file is solid, there is no reason to position yourself in hope: the letter concludes, it doesn't beg.
Frequently Asked Questions
What length should a Swiss cover letter be?
One page maximum, A4 format, readable font (11-12 points), standard margins. In Suisse Romande, text density is more valued than extreme brevity: three to four substantive paragraphs are ideal. A single-paragraph letter may appear rushed; a two-page letter appears presumptuous. The one-page rule is nearly universal.
Should you personalize each letter or use a base template?
A base template is useful for structure (opening, body, closing) and correct formulations. But minimum three elements must be personalized for each application: the first line (mentioning something specific to the organization), the description of match between trajectory and role (citing job posting elements), and the reason for motivation for this specific organization. Without these three elements, the letter is perceived as generic regardless of base template used.
Is a cover letter always necessary in Switzerland?
If the posting explicitly requests it, it is mandatory. If the posting doesn't mention it, including one remains best practice in most Swiss sectors. The only notable exception concerns certain tech profiles in startups or very informal environments who may process files without letters. When in doubt, including a short personalized letter is preferable to including none.
Do the same errors apply to letters in English for Swiss positions?
The formulations differ (in English, equivalents would be "I am writing to express my interest in...", "I am confident that I would be a great fit..."), but the principle is identical: generic formulations signal lack of personalization. Cultural expectations differ slightly (slightly more enthusiasm is acceptable in English than in French), but factual precision and demonstration rather than assertion remain the norm for anglophone Swiss recruiters.