„tat sein Bestes“
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)
“...did his best...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
The employee tried but failed completely, corresponding to grade 2.0 on the Swiss 1-6 scale.
Hidden rating
Weak / Deficient (grade 2.0)
German rating: Schwach / Mangelhaft (Note 2.0)
What it means in detail
Stating that an employee "did his best" is one of the clearest negative codes in a Swiss employment reference. Due to the legal requirement of goodwill (art. 330a CO), employers cannot write directly that an employee was incompetent. Instead, this phrase is used to signal that despite effort, the results were entirely inadequate.
How to fix it
The employee should immediately lodge a written objection with the employer and demand a replacement with a positive performance clause.
Suggested wording (German, for your HR department)
Es wird empfohlen, beim Arbeitgeber schriftlich Einsprache zu erheben und die Ersetzung der Formulierung durch eine klar positive Leistungsklausel (z.B. „erledigte die Aufgaben stets zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit“) zu verlangen.
Hidden criticism detected (grade 2.0)
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 freeGoodwill vs. duty of truth
BGE 136 III 510, E. 4.1
The Federal Supreme Court describes the two poles of a Swiss reference letter: it should support your career and therefore be worded benevolently, but it must also give future employers a faithful picture – so it has to be true and complete.
Read the full decision (German)„Ein solches qualifiziertes Zeugnis bzw. Vollzeugnis soll einerseits das berufliche Fortkommen des Arbeitnehmers fördern und deshalb wohlwollend formuliert werden. Andererseits soll es künftigen Arbeitgebern ein möglichst getreues Abbild von Tätigkeit, Leistung und Verhalten des Arbeitnehmers geben, weshalb es grundsätzlich wahr und vollständig zu sein hat.“
Unofficial translation: “Such a qualified reference letter should, on the one hand, support the employee’s career and therefore be worded benevolently. On the other hand, it should give future employers as faithful a picture as possible of the employee’s activity, performance and conduct, which is why it must in principle be true and complete.”
Related phrases
- bei der Suche nach einer Stelle, die seinen Fähigkeiten besser entsprichtWeak / Unsatisfactory (grade 2.0)2.0
- bemühte sichWeak / Deficient (Grade 2.0)2.0
- bemühte sich, den ihm übertragenen Aufgaben gerecht zu werdenWeak / Poor (grade 2.0)2.0
- bemühte sich, die ihm übertragenen Arbeiten zu erledigenWeak / Deficient (Grade 2.0)2.0
Decode your entire reference letter
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 „tat sein Bestes“