Do speculative applications actually work in Switzerland?

Yes, and for a structural reason: a share of Swiss roles are filled before they are ever advertised, through networks or a dossier that arrived at the right moment. What fails is not the approach but the letter with no occasion and no proposed role.

Who should a speculative application be addressed to?

A person, never a department. In an SME, often the managing director; in a large company, the head of the relevant department rather than HR. One call to reception gets you the name in a minute.

When should I follow up?

Ten to fifteen days after sending, and announce it in the letter so the call is expected. Without a follow-up, a speculative application usually goes unanswered — not as a rejection, but for want of a process.

Should I enclose the full dossier?

The letter and CV are enough to begin with. Reference letters follow once interest is confirmed — an unsolicited fifteen-page attachment closes faster than it opens.

Can I apply speculatively to the same company twice?

Yes, after about six months, and it is well received if something has changed in the meantime — on your side or theirs. Mention the first letter: it shows persistence rather than forgetfulness.

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Speculative application

A speculative application has no advert to answer. It therefore has to manufacture its own reason to exist — and that is where most of them fail: they politely ask whether anything is available, which invites no reply.

The example below does the opposite: it starts from a concrete fact about the company, proposes a specific role, and announces a phone call.

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Write your speculative application

Give the company and the role you have in mind: the generator writes a first draft with an occasion, a proposal and an announced follow-up, which you then adapt.

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Example — written out in full

Speculative application — transport coordination

Dear Mr Girard,

I read in the Aargauer Zeitung that you are opening a second warehouse in Oftringen next spring. A second site usually means route coordination gets considerably harder for the first few months — that is the work I have done for six years, and the reason I am writing without a vacancy being open.

At Jurasped I plan the routes for eighteen vehicles and handle the daily disruptions: breakdowns, customs delays, urgent orders. I led the move to digital route planning two years ago, which brought empty-running kilometres down by 14%.

I think I could be useful during the start-up phase of the new site, whether on planning itself or on setting up the procedures between the two warehouses. I speak German at C1 and hold a Swiss C permit, so there is nothing to arrange on that side.

I will call you in the week of 1 September to ask whether this is of interest.

Kind regards,

Daniel Okonkwo

What matters here

An occasion that comes from the company: a new site, an acquisition, a contract in the press.
Propose a role rather than asking for one.
A name, not a department. One call to reception is usually enough.
Announce the follow-up in the letter — then actually make the call.
Keep it short: with no advert, nobody reads a full page out of curiosity.

Why most speculative applications end up in the bin

Not because the person is unsuitable, but because the letter answers no question anyone had asked. A speculative application that opens with "I am writing to enquire about possible opportunities within your organisation" has no occasion, no role and no addressee — it is a circular with a name on it.

The difference comes down to three things. An occasion that comes from the company: expansion, a new building, an acquisition, a contract mentioned in the press. A role you propose, instead of asking for one. A name the letter goes to — one call to reception is enough, and that call is already half the contact.

Get all three and you are no longer writing a request, you are writing an offer. That is a different text.

The follow-up decides it, not the letter

With an advertised role you wait for a reply. With a speculative application you usually wait in vain — not out of disinterest, but because nobody owns it. It lands in an inbox with no process attached.

So the follow-up belongs inside the letter: "I will call you in the week of 1 September." That makes the call expected rather than intrusive, and gives you a reason to have the conversation in which the thing is actually decided.

Then make the call. Announcing one and not making it forfeits the only advantage this route offers. And if it comes to nothing this time: a second approach to the same company after six months is entirely normal, particularly if something has moved in between.

FAQ

Do speculative applications actually work in Switzerland?: Yes, and for a structural reason: a share of Swiss roles are filled before they are ever advertised, through networks or a dossier that arrived at the right moment. What fails is not the approach but the letter with no occasion and no proposed role.
Who should a speculative application be addressed to?: A person, never a department. In an SME, often the managing director; in a large company, the head of the relevant department rather than HR. One call to reception gets you the name in a minute.
When should I follow up?: Ten to fifteen days after sending, and announce it in the letter so the call is expected. Without a follow-up, a speculative application usually goes unanswered — not as a rejection, but for want of a process.
Should I enclose the full dossier?: The letter and CV are enough to begin with. Reference letters follow once interest is confirmed — an unsolicited fifteen-page attachment closes faster than it opens.
Can I apply speculatively to the same company twice?: Yes, after about six months, and it is well received if something has changed in the meantime — on your side or theirs. Mention the first letter: it shows persistence rather than forgetfulness.

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