I'm an American expat in Switzerland working as an independent software developer and startup founder. I can agree with a lot of the points listed in the article, but they apply universally to almost all jobs (not just to software developers). I would raise a few points it doesn't mention: - Negatively, it is much harder to find meetups close to you that apply to you. Unless you're based in Zürich (the tech hub of th…
Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
31–40 of 345 posts
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
1. How easy/difficult to get Switzerland citizenship if you live and work there? 2. How popular is English language is in Switzerland IT companies?
Citizenship is relatively hard: you have to be a resident for 12+ years to start the process. A lot of people never bother - a long term residency permit ("C") is almost as good, but you don't vote and do not have military duties. Everybody speaks English; I know a number of people in Zürich who never bothered to learn German, as there is a large expat community and everything is multi-lingual.
I think Zürich is just a typical large city exception (similar to Berlin or Amsterdam). I think German (or French or Italian) is pretty necessary outside of Zürich/Geneva.
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#33"If you are a Software Developer living in Europe then there is a better place for you - and this place is Switzerland."
Ha-ha
Yeah, it's probably not bad in Switzerland, just some of the arguments are really funny.
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
They still have the highest salaries in Europe. Anybody moving there from another European country would see those salaries as pretty awesome. I don't care what managers and MBA-s make until I can make an awesome living. I'm not more special.
Also most expensive place to live in europe
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#35I'm an American expat in Switzerland working as an independent software developer and startup founder. I can agree with a lot of the points listed in the article, but they apply universally to almost all jobs (not just to software developers). I would raise a few points it doesn't mention: - Negatively, it is much harder to find meetups close to you that apply to you. Unless you're based in Zürich (the tech hub of th…
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#36https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?cou...
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#37I'm an American expat in Switzerland working as an independent software developer and startup founder. I can agree with a lot of the points listed in the article, but they apply universally to almost all jobs (not just to software developers). I would raise a few points it doesn't mention: - Negatively, it is much harder to find meetups close to you that apply to you. Unless you're based in Zürich (the tech hub of th…
1. How easy/difficult to get Switzerland citizenship if you live and work there? 2. How popular is English language is in Switzerland IT companies?
Long story short: it's super easy if you are from the EU. If not, it is quite hard.
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#38Is USD 2500 - USD 4000 supposed to be cheap?!
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#39Cons: no Sun and the salaries seem to be capped at CHF 120-140K. Has that old school European mindset that managers and MBAs should be paid more than individual contributors, engineers.
Re: Switzerland vs Silicon Valley for Software Developers
#40I am tired of engineers should care about their "craft" above all else dictums. Software engineering is somehow more pure and innocent than evil finance ( for example).
I would rather earn a lot in my prime and retire early to a place of my choosing.