Often, I have come across or have been made aware of customs, regulations, and policies that will never be accepted nor permitted in the US. Yes, I know I am not in the US. Yes, I know this is to be expected. After all, I am an American expat living in Der Schweiz.
Trust me, I try my best to embrace the Swiss way of life:
- I don't vacuum after 6 pm. The Swiss value quiet and serenity ~ the roaring sound of a vacuum cleaner can be very disturbing.
- I greet others with 3 pecks on the cheek.
- I try to speak softly. Being from Jersey, this can be quite difficult.
- I drink out of a glass not a bottle. My husband told me that only men drink out of a bottle. And please be aware that I am referring to a water bottle.
- I cross the street at designated crosswalks. And I wait until the light turns green. Being from Jersey, this can be quite difficult.
- I don't mention nor complain when my food order is wrong.
When applying for a job in Switzerland, your resume must contain your photo and your date of birth. In some cases, employments ads will indicate an age range that the employer will accept for a position. Now, there are jobs in the US that may specify age...ummm...maybe a nanny position (I'm assuming). But I can't think of any others. In Switzerland, any job/position, no matter the field, may specify an age.
Less than a year ago, the Swiss voted against allowing more mosques to be built with minarets. There are mosques in Switzerland with minarets, but after the vote all mosques must be built w/o minarets. Ok, that's how they want it. But what caused my mouth to drop were the posters shown above. When I visited Switzerland last November, these posters were everywhere. Not knowing about the upcoming referendum, I assumed the posters were a radical display to frighten people. And yes, it moved and frightened me. But it was actually a campaign tactic used by those opposing the minarets. So I guess their tactic worked.
Anyhooo, would this have been permissible in the US? I think not. I know not. But this is Switzerland and I have to play it cool.
5 comments:
Yes, the expat life teaches you patience. :P The noise thing is one reason that I don't think Switzerland would suit me. I mean, you never really know, but... SOmetimes I just need to be noisy! :D
As to the job application thing, I knew about that too, and if I'm not mistaken, CH is not the only country. At minimum, the CV style is asking for things like marital status and age. VERY, VERY bad idea. It's a discrimination minefield.
I read this week that a few top companies in Germany will be participating in an experiment where they only be accepting "blind" applications for a certain period. I.e., hiring managers will only be able to view qualifications when making selections. So at least some people recognize that there is a problem with the way things are done.
But you're right. Have to be adaptable. :)
@Viajera-
I wasnt aware of the job CV requirements until I moved here. Very shocking! I must say that I sent out about 10 resumes and 9 responded. But Im sure that by placing a photo on the resume some will encounter prejudice. This incl race, age, gender, etc.
BTW, I just checked out your blog; I like! I became a follower. Enjoy France.
I heard that before also. They probably receive crazy pics to. I likes Viajera's site to. Both your blogs great.
Thanks Sweetie
Putting your photo, date of birth and martial status are not only common but expected when applying for a job in France as well. When I was teaching my students how to do US and UK resumes/CVs, I told them to leave that information off, especially for a US employer. It took the remainder of class to explain why (it's illegal for employers to ask the information in the US) and to convince them of it.
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