„Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten“
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)
“...behaviour towards colleagues and superiors...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
The reversed hierarchy points to issues with authority (grade 3.5 on the Swiss 1-6 scale).
Hidden rating
Insufficient
German rating: Ungenügend
What it means in detail
The correct order in a Swiss reference is "superiors, colleagues and clients". Placing colleagues before superiors indicates that the relationship with management was strained.
How to fix it
Adjust to: "Sein/Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten, Kollegen und Kunden war stets vorbildlich" for a grade 5.0 or 6.0.
Suggested wording (German, for your HR department)
Anpassen zu: "Sein/Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten, Kollegen und Kunden war stets vorbildlich." (5.0/6.0).
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
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war korrektSufficient (Grade 4.0)4.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war loyalSufficient (Grade 4.0)4.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war einwandfreiSatisfactory (Grade 4.5)4.5
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war einwandfreiSatisfactory (grade 4.5)4.5
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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 „Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten“