1. «Er war stets bemüht»
Literally: "He always made an effort." It sounds like praise for dedication. Recruiters read it as effort without results — one of the best-known negative codes. It is especially damaging when it appears in the performance section instead of a clear satisfaction formula.
2. «Zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit» (without «stets»)
Literally: "To our full satisfaction." In English it sounds excellent. Without «stets» (always), it is read as solid but average — roughly a 4.5 on the Swiss scale. The top formula is «stets zur vollsten Zufriedenheit».
3. «Er zeigte volles Verständnis für seine Aufgaben»
Literally: "He showed full understanding of his tasks." Commonly read as: he understood what was expected but did not deliver it. Understanding is praised instead of performance.
4. «Sie zeigte grosses Interesse an ihrer Arbeit»
Literally: "She showed great interest in her work." Interest is not achievement. When interest is praised and results are not mentioned, recruiters read it as a sign that the results were poor.
5. «Er ging mit Eifer an seine Aufgaben heran»
Literally: "He approached his tasks with zeal." It can be read as busy activity without measurable outcomes — energy without effectiveness.
6. «Er war sehr gesellig»
Literally: "He was very sociable." In a reference letter, sociability is not a professional quality. The phrase is traditionally read as a hint at excessive socialising at work — in older convention even at alcohol. It is one of the phrases worth asking to have removed or rephrased.
7. «Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war korrekt»
Literally: "Her conduct towards colleagues and superiors was correct." Two signals in one sentence. «Korrekt» without an intensifier describes a distant, merely acceptable relationship. And naming colleagues before superiors reverses the usual order, which some readers interpret as tension with management. The positive version reads «gegenüber Vorgesetzten, Kollegen und Kunden stets einwandfrei».
8. «Er war zuverlässig und pünktlich»
Literally: "He was reliable and punctual." Punctuality is a basic expectation. If it is one of the few concrete qualities a letter highlights, recruiters may conclude there was little else worth praising.
9. «Das Arbeitsverhältnis wurde im gegenseitigen Einvernehmen aufgelöst»
Literally: "The employment was ended by mutual agreement." Legally neutral, and sometimes simply accurate. But recruiters often read it as an employer-initiated exit that was formalised as an agreement. If you resigned yourself, «verlässt uns auf eigenen Wunsch» (leaves at their own request) is the clearer wording.
10. «Wir wünschen ihm für die Zukunft alles Gute»
Literally: "We wish him all the best for the future." Polite, but without thanks, regret and wishes for continued success, the closing is read as cool. A warm closing typically thanks you for your work, regrets your departure and wishes you continued success. Note: Swiss courts have not recognised a legal claim to such a closing — you can ask for it, but not enforce it.
Are hidden codes allowed?
Swiss references must be clear as well as truthful and benevolent. Wording that is designed to send a hidden negative message to the next employer is hard to reconcile with that principle, and it is a common reason for requesting a correction. At the same time, a truthful reference may legitimately contain a modest assessment. The aim of a correction is a clear and accurate letter — not inflated praise.
- Identify each phrase that may be read negatively.
- Check whether the hidden message is actually accurate.
- If it is not, propose concrete alternative wording to HR.
- Keep your request factual and back it up with appraisals or written feedback where possible.