„Pünktlichkeit und seine Zuverlässigkeit bei der Erstellung von internen Berichten waren 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)
“...punctuality and his reliability in preparing internal reports were exemplary...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
The employer is distracting from poor sales performance by emphasizing trivial duties.
Hidden rating
Good (grade 5.0)
German rating: Gut (Note 5.0)
What it means in detail
Highlighting self-evident duties or minor administrative tasks is a technique used to downplay weaknesses in core responsibilities. Under the principle of goodwill (art. 330a CO), Swiss HR readers recognise this selective praise as a indirect critique. This corresponds to a grade of approximately 5.0 on the Swiss 1-6 scale.
How to fix it
To upgrade the evaluation to the top grade (6.0), the wording can be strengthened by adding "stets" or changing it to "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 freeRight to a full reference letter
BGE 129 III 177
The leading Federal Supreme Court decision on the employee’s statutory right to a full (qualified) reference letter: it must address both performance and conduct.
Read the full decision (German)„Ein qualifiziertes Arbeitszeugnis (Art. 330a Abs. 1 OR) muss sich sowohl zu den Leistungen wie auch zum Verhalten des Arbeitnehmers aussprechen.“
Unofficial translation: “A qualified reference letter (Art. 330a para. 1 CO) must address both the performance and the conduct of the employee.”
Related phrases
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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 „Pünktlichkeit und seine Zuverlässigkeit bei der Erstellung von internen Berichten waren vorbildlich“