If your employer dismisses you during probation, start with practical tasks. Record when you learned of the dismissal, the stated end date and which documents you already have. This article concerns dismissal by the employer. Resigning yourself is a different situation; do not retrospectively describe one as the other.
1. Organise documents and open questions
Collect your employment contract, dismissal notice, pay records and relevant messages. Check the agreed notice period and applicable rules; uncertainties need examination of your individual case. We do not calculate an end date or possible dismissal protection here. Ask the employer for a work reference or at least confirmation of employment. arbeit.swiss also lists this step.
Separate reasons you were told from your assumptions. If no reason was given, do not invent a convenient explanation later. If you dispute something, record your account and keep supporting documents.
2. Clarify job search and RAV registration
Begin looking for work when you learn that the contract will end, and document your efforts. Official information recommends registering with RAV as early as possible. The arbeit.swiss registration page says you must register no later than the first day for which you claim unemployment insurance benefits. Do not unnecessarily wait until the employment ends.
Ask RAV about the job-search efforts, evidence and appointments expected in your situation. A fixed number of applications does not fit every case. If you were already registered, clarify what to do after the job ends with the responsible office.
3. Distinguish RAV from the unemployment insurance fund
RAV provides advice and placement support. The unemployment insurance fund (ALK) assesses daily-benefit entitlement and questions of self-caused unemployment. Employer dismissal means neither automatic fault on your part nor automatic protection from suspension of entitlement. The individual circumstances are examined.
Describe what actually happened to the responsible offices. Pleasant wording does not replace complete information and requested documents. Do not rely on a tool promising a particular decision or acceptance of an export. The official registration page explains the responsibilities.
4. Describe the short employment in your CV
If you include the role, state the actual dates, position and employer. Describe a task you performed without inventing responsibility or results. An employment relationship does not become a “project” or “orientation period” simply because it was short.
Fictional CV entry: “08/2026–09/2026 | Administration | Example business”. Add only tasks you actually performed. How much emphasis to give a very short role in your CV depends on its relevance to the position and the information requested; remain truthful when directly asked and when complete information is required. Do not invent a different type of employment to conceal the ending.
5. Practise a three-sentence explanation
Write three short sentences: What happened? What did you actually do or learn? What are you looking for now? One possible structure is:
The employer ended the employment during probation. During that time I carried out [actual task]. For my next role, I particularly want to clarify [specific task or working condition] in advance.
Adapt this to the facts. Do not say you resigned if the employer dismissed you. Any reason you give must be true. You can explain matters factually without disparaging former colleagues or promising certain success with the next employer.
Your next step: A short checklist
- Documents and stated end date collected?
- Open contract questions noted for a qualified adviser?
- RAV registration, job-search efforts and appointments clarified?
- Work reference or confirmation of employment requested?
- CV entry and three-sentence explanation checked against the facts?
Choose one open point and address it first. Use paper or an existing digital system to organise yourself. The PARAT homepage provides information. A particular format or export does not replace RAV and ALK requirements.
