Applying part-time in Switzerland: pensum, CV and job sharing

The pensum belongs in the CV, not only in the cover letter. It is usual to state it next to the employer or in the header:

2021–2026 · Finance administrator, 80 % · Müller Treuhand AG, Bern

Anyone who worked part-time in earlier roles should state the pensum in every entry. If it is missing, recruiters assume 100 per cent – and plan on a capacity you are not offering.

When moving from 100 to 80 per cent, the wording is decisive: "pensum reduction after parental leave, 80 % since March 2024" reads differently from a gap. One sentence is enough; details belong in the interview, not in the CV.

Switzerland has no general statutory right to part-time work. Whether a pensum can be reduced is governed by the employment contract, a collective agreement (GAV) or a company policy – in many companies there is an internal form and a deadline for this.

Where part-time work is agreed, the other rules apply unchanged:

• Holidays: at least four weeks per year, five weeks up to the completed 20th year of age (Art. 329a OR). Part-time employees have the same number of holiday weeks, not the same number of holiday days, as full-time employees.
• Public holidays: entitlement follows the pensum; where working days are irregular, flat-rate solutions apply.
• Overtime: extra hours are particularly delicate at a reduced pensum. Without a written agreement, Art. 321c OR applies; a supplement of 25 per cent is owed if the hours are not compensated.
• Social insurance: AHV/IV/EO coverage starts at a low annual income; in occupational pensions (BVG) and accident insurance, low pensums can lead to lower or missing benefits. This is an argument that rarely comes up in an interview – and one you should know.

One sentence is enough; three sentences convince. The formula: state the pensum, name the reason briefly, demonstrate availability.

"I am applying for the position of project manager at a pensum of 80 %. I chose the reduction after the birth of my second child and have worked at this level for three years – with unchanged project responsibility. My on-site hours are Tuesday to Thursday full days plus Monday morning; for projects I am reachable outside these hours as well."

What to avoid:

• Hiding the wish. Anyone who wants 80 per cent but writes 100 loses credibility in the interview.
• Apologetic language. "Only 80 %, unfortunately" sounds like a limitation. Part-time is a pensum, not an excuse.
• Unclear availability. Recruiters are less interested in the reason than in the question: is the person reachable when it matters?

In job sharing, two people share one full-time position. That is attractive for employers if the handover works – and that is exactly what you have to prove in your dossier.

What belongs in the dossier:

• A joint cover letter, or two coordinated letters with an identical structure.
• A clear division of tasks: who is responsible for what, who is the contact for which topics?
• The handover arrangement: shared on-site hours, handover notes, reachability in urgent cases.
• Two CVs with complementary profiles – the strength of the model is coverage, not similarity.

A job-sharing pair who give the same answers in the interview do not come across as coordinated but as undifferentiated. Show deliberately where you differ and how that benefits the role.

In pay, part-time is usually linear – an 80 per cent pensum generally means 80 per cent salary, but not automatically 80 per cent of the career opportunities. Three points are worth clarifying in the contract:

• Salary system: is pay calculated by pensum, or is there a job evaluation that applies regardless of pensum? For management roles the latter is possible and negotiable.
• Bonus and variable components: are they calculated pro rata or on targets? A pro-rata bonus with full target responsibility is a typical imbalance.
• Further training: entitlement to training days should be worded independently of pensum, otherwise 80 per cent employees are effectively left out.

Equally important: the return to a higher pensum. Put in writing under what conditions an increase is possible – without a commitment it remains a wish.

Check your part-time dossier against these seven points:

1. The pensum appears in the CV for every role, not only the current one.
2. The cover letter states the desired pensum within the first five lines.
3. On-site hours and availability are described concretely.
4. The argument rests on results, not on presence.
5. For job sharing: division of tasks and handover are documented.
6. Salary, bonus and training questions are prepared for the interview.
7. One sentence in the dossier shows that you intend to keep the pensum long term – employers fear a return to 100 per cent.