The programme starts every year around 1 September and lasts 18 months.
We mainly focus on technical training, as our business is highly specialised. During the 18 months you will receive on-the-job training in your respective position and also attend a high number of training days specially designed for the programme. Your work experience will dictate the overall number of training days you will have to attend. Refer to the programme information on this site for details.
The expectation is that all graduates who have successfully completed the programme and wish to continue employment with Swiss Re are retained.
Contrary to other programmes, with graduates@swissre you are applying for specific positions with defined educational backgrounds/requirements. Although part of the same overall programme, all applications will be reviewed only for the referenced position. So in your application you should clearly demonstrate the qualifications and motivation that make you the ideal candidate for the position. Only applications submitted electronically through our career website are considered. You must hold a valid work permit for the region/country of the position(s) you apply for.
Please attach your CV to your candidate profile, along with any other documents relevant to the position (eg scanned copies of university transcripts, diplomas, and any relevant reference/confirmation letters). Your cover letter should describe your overall motivation for wanting to join the graduates@swissre programme and also include a short paragraph on why you are applying for (a) specific position(s).
The points stressed here will not be news to you, but keeping them in mind will hopefully contribute to a successful application.
- Make sure you have read the whole FAQ section for the graduates@swissre programme before starting the application process.
- Carefully read all the role descriptions first. You will find them on the website at the start of the application period (dates vary by region). We encourage you to approach this step with an open mind and also consider applying for areas you may not have considered before.
- Choose the position(s) you would like to apply for based on your own strengths and interests as well as educational background/work experience rather than on whether you are familiar with an area or not. We recommend focusing on two or three positions which best fit your profile.
- Make sure your cover letter clearly outlines your motivation for the programme and the position(s) you apply for.
- If you apply for a position in Europe or Asia, make sure you factor in the time to complete the online ability test(s) and ensure that you are undisturbed while taking them. The test(s) must be completed within 72 hours upon receiving the email(s) with the test link(s). Emails are sent shortly after you complete your application, so check your spam folder if you do not see them in your inbox. You can also find the test link(s) in your application profile by navigating to Job management > Actions > Take assessment (select from the dropdown menu)
Refer to the recruitment timeline as recruiting starts at different times in America, Asia, Europe and Africa.
The programme is mainly aimed at recent graduates with a bachelor's or master's degree and no more than three years of work experience. If you have more than two years of work experience by the time you apply, may we suggest you apply for our open positions for experienced professionals.
The programme is mainly aimed at recent graduates with a bachelor's or master's degree and no more than three years of work experience. If you have more than two years of work experience by the time you apply, may we suggest you to apply for open positions for experienced professionals.
Our business language is English. Unless otherwise noted in the posting, speaking the local language is not a requirement but will be an advantage.
The positions and locations change from year to year.
Use any generic salutation such as "Dear recruiting manager", "Dear graduate recruitment team" or "Dear sir or madam".
You can also find the test link(s) in your application by navigating to My Profile in the Jobs Applied section.
Please refer to the CEB Knowledge Base.
We advise candidates who apply for the graduates@swissre programme to ensure they hold a valid work permit for the country where the position is located. We may not be able to assist with obtaining work permits. Our recruiting team will review applications and check the possibilities on a case-by-case basis.
Where do the Assessment Centres take place?
- Americas: Armonk, NY, United States
- Asia: In each location in which we have open graduate positions
- Europe: Zurich, Switzerland and Bratislava, Slovakia
- Africa: Cape Town, South Africa