„[Auslassung]: Fehlende Erwähnung der Belastbarkeit oder Flexibilität“
What this German phrase in your Swiss Arbeitszeugnis (employment reference letter) really says about you – and which grade it hides.
Literal translation vs. real meaning
Literal translation (what DeepL tells you)
“[Omission]: Missing mention of resilience or flexibility”
What Swiss HR actually reads
Omitting resilience or flexibility is read as eloquent silence ('beredtes Schweigen'), indicating a lack of stress tolerance.
Hidden rating
Insufficient (Grade 3.5)
German rating: Ungenügend (Note 3.5)
What it means in detail
Under Swiss law (art. 330a CO; BGE 129 III 177), key performance attributes should be mentioned in a full reference ('Vollzeugnis'). Leaving out expected traits like flexibility or stress tolerance leads readers to infer that the trait was missing, known as eloquent silence ('beredtes Schweigen') (Verwaltungsgericht ZH VB.2019.00365). This results in an insufficient grade of about 3.5.
How to fix it
The employee should request in writing that resilience or flexibility be explicitly mentioned to cure the omission.
Suggested wording (German, for your HR department)
Der Arbeitnehmer sollte schriftlich die Ergänzung der fehlenden Zeugnispassage verlangen, da beredtes Schweigen eine versteckte Abwertung darstellt.
Hidden criticism detected (grade 3.5)
Under Art. 330a of the Swiss Code of Obligations (OR), a reference letter must be true but benevolent. Coded downgrades rarely come alone – the same letter often contains further codes or omissions.
Check your whole certificate freeTelling silence & social conduct
Verwaltungsgericht ZH VB.2019.00365 vom 9. Mai 2020, E. 2.4
The Administrative Court of the Canton of Zurich describes the practice of “telling silence” (beredtes Schweigen): if a quality that would normally be mentioned is left out, the reader concludes that it is missing. Leaving out one group of people when describing conduct (e.g. superiors) is generally read as a hint at negative behaviour.
Read the full decision (German)„Darunter gehört, wenn etwa bei der Verhaltensbeurteilung nur das Verhalten zu Mitarbeitern und Kunden erwähnt wird, nicht aber jenes zu Vorgesetzten.“
Unofficial translation: “This includes, for example, a conduct assessment that mentions behaviour towards co-workers and customers, but not towards superiors.”
Related phrases
- [Auslassung]: Fehlende Erwähnung von ProjekterfolgenInsufficient (grade 3.5)3.5
- [Auslassung]: Fehlende Leistungsbeurteilung (keine Erwähnung von Arbeitsqualität, Belastbarkeit oder Erfolg)Insufficient (Grade 3.5)3.5
- [Auslassung]: Fehlende Beurteilung der Arbeitsqualität und BelastbarkeitInsufficient (grade 3.5)3.5
- [Auslassung]: Fehlende Erwähnung der Weiterentwicklung oder ZukunftswünscheInsufficient (Grade 3.5)3.5
Decode your entire reference letter
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Check your whole certificate freeRead this entry in German: Bedeutung von „[Auslassung]: Fehlende Erwähnung der Belastbarkeit oder Flexibilität“