I (swiss, speaks FR and (hoch)DE) have a Master’s degree in economics and one year of a “prestigious” Hochschulpraktikum in the Federal Administration, but I can’t find a job. This has been going on for two years. I’ve had many close calls for permanent economic policy-adjacent jobs, but the feedback is invariably: “Despite your quality experience and clear motivation, we gave priority candidates with a greater volume of experience.” When I apply for other internships, for example at the cantonal level (federal internships are limited to 12 months), I am systematically rejected for being overqualified. I was, for example, told: “You have a strong profile, but we would have been more interested if the tasks listed in the job description had been more demanding.” I’m open to job-search-related comments and advice, but that isn’t really the point of this post. Ranting about recruitment processes in the modern world is also besides the point, even if it’s true, and especially if it “feels good.” The internal problem is that, for me, jobs are not just about paying the bills; there is an existential dimension to work. (This makes for a very motivated worker, or so I’ve been told, but I think it also makes me a poor candidate because I’m too emotionally invested in my applications.) The external problem is that my employment gap now raises too many questions and seriously jeopardises the chances I had during the post-internship window of opportunity. Combined, these problems make me feel that if I stay in Switzerland, all I can realistically do is salvage what can be salvaged from my career. But I can’t live with the “smart, but never made it” or “almost” identity, especially the feeling of forever trying to catch up to a future that could have been. Sure, I could become a high school teacher, but I would be bored (I know because I substituted full-time for two months). There’s also the identity aspect, and the “those who can’t do, teach” thing would slowly erode the life force out of me. To keep it realistic, I could teach at high school level in Switzerland, but only as a side gig (“au second degré”) and do something else alongside it. My life force would be preserved that way. 😄 That’s why I’m thinking about leaving: to leave behind this unproductive identity. Again, yes, I could do therapy for the identity part. I’m not anti-therapy—quite the opposite, actually—but I don’t think this is a cognitive-distortion-type problem. To me, it is structural and existential. I won’t go into detail about this, but Hannah Arendt puts it better than I ever could: I have a fair amount of money in a life insurance policy that I can withdraw. By Swiss standards it’s not a huge amount, but in many other countries it would allow me to live comfortably for quite some time. Leaving and starting over as a teacher abroad actually excites me. Just thinking about it does wonders to my mental health. I grew up abroad as a child, so I have some idea of what it’s like to leave your country long term. I’m just looking for ideas and want to start making plans. No obvious “Wild West Fronteer” comes to my mind. I can’t continue applying for jobs with so much pressure attached to every outcome. Having a Plan B helps with that. And, if I ever get the chance to answer the interview question “Where do you see yourself in five years?”, it’s actually an interesting answer. But then again, “interesting” often implies “risky,” which doesn’t mean “hired”… Sorry, I’m ranting now. 🙂 Thanks in advance for any interaction submitted by /u/PutridWeb1482
Originally posted by u/PutridWeb1482 on r/Switzerland