A vacancy uses the informal German “Du”, but the contact person writes formally. Which form of address fits your application? No wording is right for every organisation or guarantees an interview.
Check the specific contact
Read the vacancy, application instructions and previous messages. Note who addresses you how and whether a particular form of address has explicitly been offered. Casual brand communication is not automatically a personal invitation to use “Du”.
The UZH guidance on motivation letters helps structure a job-specific letter. For the form of address, the particular organisation’s instructions remain decisive.
Choose one form and keep it consistent
If you choose formal “Sie”, do not unintentionally switch to “Du” in the same letter. The reverse also applies. Check the greeting, pronouns and closing together.
Two fictional openings show the difference in German:
- Formal: “Guten Tag Frau Beispiel, Ihre ausgeschriebene Stelle im Kundenservice interessiert mich …”
- Where “Du” has been offered: “Hallo Anna, eure ausgeschriebene Stelle im Kundenservice interessiert mich …”
The names and situation are invented. Do not copy a personal greeting or name without checking.
Ask briefly if it is unclear
If there is a suitable contact channel, you can ask: “Which form of address do you prefer for the application?” Without another indication, a polite, reserved form is one possible choice, not a binding rule for every Swiss employer.
Regardless of your writing tool, check whether the tone and statements fit you and the contact. An automatically generated text cannot confirm that decision for you.
Your final check
- Which specific information supports your choice?
- Is the form of address consistent throughout?
- Are the name, role and reference to the vacancy correct?
