A higher education degree no longer automatically protects against unemployment in Switzerland, and the gap is widening quickly.
The fact: a survey by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) shows that the unemployment rate according to the International Labour Organization definition increased among graduates of universities and universities of applied sciences one year after graduation. Specifically, it rose from 3.9% to 6.4% for holders of a university master’s degree, and from 3.4% to 4.9% for UAS bachelor’s graduates between 2023 and 2025. Only graduates of universities of teacher education remained unaffected, with a rate limited to 0.7%.
What this changes in practice
For candidates, this means that a degree alone is no longer enough as a selling point on a résumé: recruiters are looking for evidence that skills have been applied in practice, not just an academic title. For recruiters and HR managers, this growing gap between fields indicates the need to refine selection criteria beyond education level, particularly for generalist master’s degrees whose direct employability is declining. For continuing education, it is a warning signal about the alignment between certain university programs and actual market needs.
This week: if you are recruiting, add an interview question about a concrete project completed during the candidate’s studies rather than about the content of the degree. If you are job hunting or in training, list three practical achievements (project, internship, assignment) that demonstrate a transferable skill, and place them at the top of your résumé, even before mentioning your degree.
LinkedIn post idea to adapt
“A degree opens a door; it no longer guarantees employment. In Switzerland, unemployment among holders of a university master’s degree has almost doubled in two years. What I now look at first on a résumé is not the degree title, but what the person has actually produced with it. And you, what helped you most after your studies: the degree or hands-on experience?”
Teaching approach for a training session
Ask participants to rewrite their résumé by reversing the usual order: demonstrated skills and concrete achievements first, degree and education second. Then compare the perceived impact of the two versions through a group vote.