Moving to Zurich in March, need a job but don't speak German at all

Visas, Permits, Passports and Naturalization
1
hi everyone.

I am moving to Zurich in March this year, i speak French and English, my partners has a job already starting straight away, we have a flat as well but I do not have a job yet. the issue is that I do not speak German, i don't see anything in the catering industry for English or French speaker in the job website. frankly i just want a job that will help me pay my bills, live and go to school, so any job is good.

any want can help?

2
Look for a job in swiss romande and then try to find a place equally distant in the middle for both of you to commute in opposite directions. This is assuming you both want to commute a bit. If you are good with languages, take intensive german classes, and put off the job search for 6 months or so until you have a better level of german.

3
thanks runningdeer, this is an option that we didn't consider yet so thanks for giving us the idea. as my partner speak a bit French too

I will check out the Romane cities

any city in particular?

4
If you want to minimise the commute look closer east. Some bilingual ones to consider Biel/Bienne or Fribourg.

5
just had a look at those two cities

they look great and the commuting is only 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, so not too bad.

I will check as well for the German crash course in Zurich as I would prefer commuting if possible.

to be honest I am ready to do any job to be able to pay my bills, live and go to school

6

Hi and welcome. You’ll definitely have more luck if you base yourself mid country and commute. Fribourg is very bi-lingual, people switch between German and French all the time so you’ll be able to use the French while practising your German. In Fribourg be careful of which side of the river you base yourself. The side where the cathedral is situated is the French speaking side, across the river is German speaking.

Bienne is also pretty good, but I do find that things like newspapers, etc, tend to be more German written publications than French. But check out both places, especially the commuting factor and see which is best for you.

7
You said that you already have a flat arranged so I would start the job search once you are here. There are jobs available in Zurich popping up - and much more so than further afield out in the French speaking cantons. I would not move out there as your partner will then have the additional costs of commuting ( both in money and time ).

If you are looking at a "catering job" do you mean in service or in the kitchen. If in the kitchen then you will need less the German language and if you have some kitchen skills already then you might find something.

If in service, then go around the various British pubs in Zurich, and ask if they need help during the day time. Many decades ago I worked in one and they are fun to work in as you get to meet new friends - and the customers do not expect the person behind the counter to be German speaking but like a good native English speaker ! With a day shift job, you can earn a bit of money, you will not get bored or lonely when your partner is at work, and you will have time to spend together in the evenings.

Another place to look are the larger chain hotels. They do sometimes hire non-German speaking staff for cleaning, kitchen and even, at times, service work. Depending on where you live in Zurich will dictate which hotels you approach first. Also, depending on that location, you could also try the airport as there are many outlets out there.

8
Hi thanks for the advise, I guess for me the best option is to live somewhere between Fribourg and Zurich, so my partner and my self will both have to commutes a little bit every day.

I will check out the cities in middle way.

thanks

9

hi there

thanks a lot for your answer, an other option that I didn't think of.

here in London , I am hospitality manager but of course I must be realistic, I will have to take any job really.

to be honest to be working in a pub sound great for me.

really want to go to school as soon as I arrive

thanks that will help too

10
It may not be exactly what you are searching for, but have you tried an international hotel, where in the kitchen a lot of the staff should understand French? Alternatively, how about a canteen? A qualified friend of ours worked in the canteen of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation and managed to work only a 9-5 shift. Just a couple of thoughts. Bon chance!

11
Thaons for those advise, that will help quiet a lot too, i did work for a canteen in a compagny here in london so it is something i know. I will check it out

12
Hi everyone

Need help here, moved with my partner (he has a job here) in Zürich. because I never been on benefit in London I cannot get any help here Zurich.

I have experience in contract catering and Restaurant but my German is very limited.

at the moment I am looking for anything that involve little German to start so I can afford to get to school.

cleaner, gardener.... anything

Any one can help????

13
This should help.

Info helpful for your Job Search - My way of giving back :)

14
Check out the Fork and Bottle restaurant in Zurich. It's English speaking.

15
Not exactly the highest paying place though.

16
What is your restaurant experience?

17
The airport is a good place to get a job. I know for a fact Starbucks take people with absolutely no German.

18
I have 17 years experience, from, gastro restaurant to contract catering.

19
I think you mean English. Because if you meant French, in the Swiss German speaking area, you would be almost entirely not correct.

20
Less German language in the Swiss German area of Switzerland, where most of the cooks are Germans...right. Since service, which is high paced and very communicative, is only done in German, how is it that under stress, a native German speaker, will fall into English? Making an exception, when after that one trial day, that German chef doesn't decide to take a native speaker instead?

I think spouses that get hired to come to Switzerland tell their trailing spouses this kind of info to get them to come, because someone in HR told them that, who also does not know.

BOH service has to always be done in the language that is native to the majority of the people on the line. In Zurich it is Swiss German/Hoch Deutsch, in Neuchatel it French, in Detroit it is Spanish. I worked in several kitchens in Detroit where I had to learn Spanish to be able to lead the teams because almost no one spoke English. And it is no different here.

I am not trying to be discouraging, I am trying to say anyone that knows how to cook, is better to adapt then people in most fields, and this is no different. Learning kitchen lingo is the key. Just like in the states, there is kitchen lingo, that the even the average American, non kitchen worker never understands. So this is no difference.

Being able to speak French in ZH or surrounding cantons is of zero use. Don't bring it up in an interview, even if the restaurant is a so-called French or Mediterranean restaurant. Odds are it is what is says on the menu or the website, and there is about 5 to 10% of actual French or Med references. I have worked for 3 German Chefs, that were head Chefs of "French" restaurants here in Switzerland and they knew, and I feel I have to say it this way, d%ck about what French food was. Nor did they care.

Ignore also work/temp agencies.

Suggestions...try the Hiltl...they have every nationality in the book working there. And even though they stress knowing excellent German, they also expect you to know English. I have known several Americans to work there, and they all say English is what they speak most of the time. Apply there, promise you are learning German an X school, and you love the language, sound like you are motivated. They are always hiring people because it is a very busy place and always burning thru staff.

http://www.gastro-express.ch/jobs/jo...te=88949&StR=1

Do not apply to Clouds Gastro unless you like wasting your time. They are burning thru staff for all the wrong reasons. Totally dis organized.

Learning German really isn't the most important thing, it is the 2nd most important thing. What you should do is apply to hotels directly, and tell them you are wanting to make a, I will get back to you for this word in German, but like a viewing. People do this all the time, Swiss people, in Switzerland when they are young, or older and want to possibly change careers. You ask, say a hotel, to work for free for a week or two. You work 1 to 3 days in each position in the hotel, HR, reception, Kitchen, housekeeping, etc. They give you something to eat, and normally are ridiculously friendly. This way you get a feel for how they work here, their lingo, what they expect, and so on, then you use it towards your interviews and trial days to look more experience, in the Swiss way, then you are.

If you pm me, I can ask around if anyone is hiring, and go from there. If it is just you worked the frypit at the chicken shack back home and think Rösti flipping should be no different...then it will be a bit more of a challenge.