Career coaching for international women in Switzerland

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I support women returning after a break, rethinking their direction, or wanting to boost their professional visibility.

Are you unsure how to move forward in your career?

  • Have you lost your confidence?

  • Are you unclear about what you want to do next?

  • Are your CV and LinkedIn profile out of date?

  • Do you want to return to work, pivot to something new or improve your chances of a promotion?

A woman with blonde hair and glasses sitting on a sofa, looking thoughtfully at a laptop in front of her. There is a glass of water and some papers on the table.

There's an easier and faster way to kick-start your professional life.

A CLEAR, STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS. No guessing what comes next, you'll always know what the current step is and why it matters.

APPROACHABLE, FRIENDLY, NO JARGON. A confidential and safe space to discuss your career goals.

SWISS MARKET EXPERTISE, NOT GENERAL COACHING. Advice grounded in how hiring, CVs and networking actually work here,

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Kind words from women I’ve helped.

  • “You did a fantastic job. So clear, direct and incredibly empowering.  You see so much, but most importantly, you see the person, and that's truly special.

    Thank you so much for the wonderful hour with you, all the insights I gained and your kind and encouraging words. And thank you just as much for all the materials you so readily provide. 

    I really appreciate it!”

    — Nicole L.

  • “Melissa is truly made for this work. She is exceptionally open, curious, and skilled at asking the right questions. I genuinely enjoyed our sessions and feel they provided the motivation I needed to invest in the process of beginning again—both physically and mentally—after becoming a mother and relocating to a new country. I highly recommend her services—absolutely worth the time, and is a valuable investment in yourself.”

    — Rebecca L.

  • "Melissa has been a highly supportive coach and mentor. She is an authentic and thoughtful guide, offering very useful and insightful advice while being clearly passionate about supporting others in their professional growth. Her strategic insights and practical advice have helped me navigate career transitions with confidence and clarity. I highly recommend working with her to anyone seeking meaningful guidance and support in their career journey."

    — Brooke B.

  • “Before reaching out to Melissa, my LinkedIn profile was showing a very broad view, showcasing all my capabilities and experience with no clear value proposition. With her guidance, I redefined my positioning (focus area), improved my profile structure, and focused on the sector that I see as my next challenge. As a result, I’ve seen more engagement and alignment with the positions that I am currently applying. Melissa’s insights were very valuable specially being in a career break and needing to ‘refresh’ my LinkedIn profile.”

    — Ana C.

  • “When I began working with Melissa, I was navigating a major career transition and needed clarity and direction. Her coaching combined practical, actionable guidance with a deep understanding of current leadership and career trends. From the first session, I felt understood and mostly challenged in the right way. Her support helped me move forward with ultra confidence! “

    — Suzanna I.

  • "Thank you so much for your insights on how to creating a perfect LinkedIn profile that grabs the attention of  headhunters and is powerful for networking."

    — Kathleen H.

3 ways you can re-ignite your career

  • Career Clarity Session

    CHF 180

    For working out why you're stuck

    1 x 60-minute online session

    Unhappy where you are, returning after a break, or your job search is not working? Together we identify what is holding you back.

    👉 Best first step if you're stuck and want to know why.

    Learn more

  • Find Your Direction Program

    CHF 750

    For working out what's next, and how to get there

    4 x 60-minute structured online or in-person sessions over 4 to 6 weeks

    We work together to help you get clear on what you want, explore real options, and build a concrete plan to move forward.

    👉 Best if you're ready to move from feeling stuck to having a clear, actionable plan.

    Learn more
  • Line drawing of a mountain peak with a flag, a dotted line path, and a shaded circular area representing an obstacle or detail.

    Personal Branding & Visibility Program


    CHF 750

    For turning your expertise into a story people repeat

    4 x 60-minute structured online or in-person sessions over 4 to 6 weeks

    You’re doing amazing work, but the people who decide on your next promotion or opportunity don’t fully see it. This is where we build your professional story, craft a LinkedIn strategy and help you implement it.

    👉 Best if you want to be recognised and valued for what you’re actually capable of.

    learn more

Kick-start your career today.

Schedule a Call

1.

Book a free 20-minute Zoom call to discuss your career goals.

Select the Service You Need

2.

Choose a package that fits your needs.

Implement Your Plan

3.

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Follow my step-by-step roadmap and watch your career flourish.

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Hi, I am Melissa.

After moving to Zurich from Sydney in 2011, I had a 10-year family break. When it was time to go back to work, I couldn’t find the right career support in English. I had lost my confidence, the corporate world had changed significantly and my local professional network was limited.

In my journey to re-launch my career, I met many professional and talented international women who also faced the same challenges. They were highly motivated, trying everything, but not getting results as fast as they wanted.

Now I am on a mission with my small, but mighty career consulting practice to help other women thrive professionally with step-by-step guidance and personalized support.

I am passionate about working with women returning after a break, considering a career change, or ready to take the next step and needing more visibility to get there. Wherever you're starting from, I'll help you build a plan to get there.

Learn More >

Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Who I Serve

CAREER SUPPORT THAT HELPS WOMEN THRIVE

Returning

I offer career support to women returning to work after a career break, whether that's for family, relocation, or another reason.
My step-by-step programs help you rebuild your confidence and reposition your experience for the Swiss job market.


Learn  More ➤

Pivoting

I offer career support to women whose current role, industry or path no longer fits.

My step-by-step program helps you get specific about what's next, and build a realistic, practical step-by-step plan to get there.


Learn  More ➤

Advancing

I offer career support to women who know where they want to go next, a promotion, a leadership role, a bigger challenge, and want to get there faster.

My step-by-step program helps you build the professional story and visibility that gets you recognised for it.


Learn  More ➤

You may still be wondering…

  • I work with international, mid-career women living in Switzerland, whether you're returning to work after a break, rethinking your current path, or ready for a promotion or a bigger role. If you're not sure where you fit, the Career Clarity Session is a good place to start.

  • Switzerland's job market has its own norms, CV formats, approaches to networking, application processes. These norms aren't always obvious if you're from overseas and didn't grow up with them. I combine career coaching with real knowledge of the Swiss market, so you're not getting generic advice, you're getting a plan that works here specifically.

  • Coaching and counselling are closely related: structured conversations to help you understand your situation, explore your options and build a plan. Consulting means bringing in specific expertise, in my case the Swiss job market, CVs, LinkedIn and professional positioning, to help you make faster, better-informed decisions. In practice, I combine all three, so you get both genuine support and practical, market-specific guidance.

  • Yes, no matter long your break has been. I took ten years before returning to my own career, so I have a deep understanding what that gap feels like from the inside, not just in theory. We'll work on how to talk about the break with confidence rather than explaining it away, and build a CV and LinkedIn profile that showcase what you can do now.

  • No problem! A Career Clarity Session is the best starting point and then we can identify what support you need. If you already know something needs to change but haven't mapped out where to go, Find Your Direction builds that into a concrete plan over 4 sessions.

  • Absolutely. You can book a 60-minute Career Clarity Session online and note in the form that you would like to prep for an interview. Please email me the job description and your CV to melissa@birchlerconsulting.ch at least three days before so I can prep for the call. You will receive recommendations and a summary after the call.

  • Yes! I am an experienced LinkedIn strategist and trainer. You can book a 60-minute Career Clarity session and mention in the form that you would like to focus on these aspects. Please email me your CV to melissa@birchlerconsulting.ch at least 3 days before our call so I can prepare. You will receive recommendations and summary after the call.

  • No!, for most international roles, especially in Zurich and the wider international job market here. Many companies operate in English. I'll help you understand which roles and sectors are realistic at your current language level, and where learning German or French will genuinely open doors later.

  • No coach can honestly guarantee an outcome like that, and I'd be cautious of anyone who does. What I can guarantee is a clear plan, a stronger CV and LinkedIn presence, and the confidence and language to represent your value well. These are the things that are within your control.

  • Yes. You will learn how to build a strategic network, conduct outreach, request informational interviews, and present yourself confidently to new contacts. This is an important part of managing your career and “social capital”. Up to 70% of jobs in Switzerland are hidden, so you will need a strategy to land the role you want.

  • Each session is a focused, structured 60 minutes. To start, I ask you to complete an intake form, sign a coaching agreement and then we discuss your goals. We work through where you are, test ideas together, and leave with a concrete next step, not just a conversation. Programs build session to session, so nothing gets left unfinished between calls. You will receive a session summary and homework to complete between sessions.

  • You can pay by credit card (via Stripe) online when booking or I can send you an invoice via email.

  • Both. Sessions run online via Zoom, or in person at my office near Zurich main station, whichever works better for you. I love having a coffee together face to face, so am flexible on the location.

  • Book a free 20-minute discovery call. There is no obligation, it is just a chance to talk through your situation and work out together which program fits or if I am the right coach for you. From there, we schedule your first session and get started.

Give your career some love…

Every week, I publish Career Love, a free Substack newsletter for mid-career women navigating career change.

Some recent articles:

Read now

Hey, I know thinking about your next career step can feel like a lot. But I'm glad you're here. The next right step is easy to find, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

I'd love to help you find it.

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My background & experience