Please can I ask for some advice as to what the correct dress code is when going for a personal appointment with an employment agent or with a prospective employer.
I have two appointments lined up for when I arrive in CH in November and would like to dress appropriately.
I am applying for artisan/technician positions (Betriebsmechaniker/Service Techniker)
Any advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you
If not possible then reasonable "smart" clothing would be the next best, but whatever you choose to wear, you'll more be judged on how you're wearing it than what it is, for example making sure your shirt's properly ironed, even if it might be a little frayed on the cuff, or getting a good shine on a pair of old leather shoes even if they're a little worn at the heel.
Clean, well-kept clothes and personal appearance are what's important here, not the specific items you wear. A stained and shiny suit, crumpled shirt and crooked tie will give a much worse impression than decent clean clothes of almost any type.
If you've not worn a suit and tie for 20 years you may feel uncomfortable in it and may feel self-conscious about it in an interview situation, so it is worth considering that when dusting off a dated looking suit and tie.
And remember - no shirt pockets and ALWAYS have collar bones
If a Service Techniker is dressed as a Banker he will stand out by a mile.
A smart jacket and trousers ( or suit) with a shirt and tie and well polished shoes would be the look I would go for in the OP's position. Smart, clean and tidy.
I'm swiss, and I asked my current employer when arranging the first interview, so wasn't a nogo from his POV. A foreigner may obviously not be familiar with local dresscodes.
When in doubt tend to dressing too well.
Edit:
For the company pictured by Love Doctor I'd probably wear blue jeans (NOT torn) and a (perhaps plead) shirt, definitely no tie, shoes that tend to being sturdy.
For your position I would not wear a suit but kaki's (never jeans (the blue colored ones) to an interview). some nice shoes and a button down shirt. no tie.
google image : business casual/smart casual and that will give you some good examples.
Best of luck
By the sounds of things I would not be too bad off if wearing:
Decent pair of dark color chinos(well ironed), a collared shirt with no pockets(also well ironed), decent looking black shoes(well polished) and a smart casual jacket.
A tie would be optional and a belt should be a must.
This sounds pretty doable and what I would consider normal interview attire.
And absolute nogo are white socks or joke socks. Your socks should be dark and plain.
If your interview is in a factory or a machine plant, or similar, where the workmen's shoes would usually be dirty, the administrative section of the company might, if they are finicky, require those dirty boots to be taken off at the door or in the locker-rooms. Just in case they ask that of you, too, say on a rain-and-mud day, your socks should be absolutely impecably odour-free and your socks perfectly hole-free.
I'd recommend taking along some sunglasses. You'll be in a different climate with a different kind of altitude and lighting, and on your way to the interview, and especially if you are viewing anything on site, you can protect yourself from developing a headache.
Also, what you carry is important. No rucksacks/backpacks. No plastic bags. A flat, plain laptop-type shoulder bag, which is very orderly inside. Include your own pen and notepad, so you don't have to ask for one (and thereby look efficient) if there's anything you'd like to jot down.
Clean shave. Or a three-day beard, if you've cared for the edges. Not just a moustache.
One interview I had here the director of the company even inspected my car as he believed that it's condition and how neatly you pack it are a reflection of how you are as a person. At least that won't happen in CH since I won't have a car
So I don't really think that the Swiss are that fussy.
The shoes dont match the belt
Guess I will have to stick with conventional attire