„Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war stets vorbildlich“
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)
“...Her behavior towards superiors and colleagues was always exemplary...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
Internal conduct was very good, but omitting clients/partners in a client-facing agency role implies external relationship problems (grade 5.0).
Hidden rating
Good (grade 5.0)
German rating: Gut (Note 5.0)
What it means in detail
This phrase provides a solid rating for internal relationships, but in roles requiring external coordination, the omission of clients represents eloquent silence ('beredtes Schweigen'). Under art. 330a CO, Swiss employers use targeted omissions to highlight specific weaknesses without violating benevolence obligations. HR professionals will infer that while the employee worked well internally, she struggled with external partner or client relations.
How to fix it
To achieve the top grade of 6.0, the phrasing should be expanded to cover external stakeholders and reinforced with qualifiers like "stets" or "jederzeit hervorragend".
Suggested wording (German, for your HR department)
Zur Aufwertung auf die Bestnote (6.0) kann die Formulierung verstärkt werden, z.B. durch Einfügen von „stets“ oder „jederzeit hervorragend“.
One good phrase ≠ a good certificate
Swiss employers often hide weaknesses elsewhere – in the conduct section, in the closing statement or through omissions (“telling silence”). Check whether the rest of your letter keeps up.
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
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war stets vorbildlichGood (grade 5.0)5.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war vorbildlichGood (grade 5.0)5.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten war stets vorbildlichGood (grade 5.0)5.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten, Kollegen und Kunden war stets vorbildlichExcellent6.0
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Upload your Arbeitszeugnis and get your overall Swiss grade, the number of issues found and a short legal assessment – explained in English.
Check your whole certificate freeRead this entry in German: Bedeutung von „Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war stets vorbildlich“