„verfügte über eine eigene Meinung“
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)
“...had an opinion of his/her own...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
The employee was uncooperative and refused to accept instructions from superiors, corresponding to grade 3.0 on the Swiss 1-6 scale.
Hidden rating
Weak / Poor (grade 3.0)
German rating: Schwach / Mangelhaft (Note 3.0)
What it means in detail
In Swiss references, highlighting that an employee held their own opinion is a coded signal for insubordination and stubbornness. Rather than showing independence, it indicates a refusal to follow managerial direction. Because art. 330a CO encourages benevolent phrasing, soft-sounding personal traits like this often mask significant behavioural issues.
How to fix it
The employee should lodge a written objection with the employer and request that the sentence be replaced with an unambiguously positive performance clause such as "erledigte die Aufgaben stets zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit".
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 3.0)
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 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
- beriet die Kundschaft auf seine ganz eigene, unverwechselbare ArtInsufficient (grade 3.5)3.5
- trat gegenüber Kollegen stets sehr selbstbewusst auf und vertrat ihre eigene Meinung mit NachdruckSatisfactory (Grade 4.5)4.5
- bemühte sich stets um einen freundlichen Umgang mit der KundschaftWeak / Deficient (Grade 3.0)3.0
- bemühte sich um eine freundliche Betreuung der KundenWeak / Unsatisfactory (grade 3.0)3.0
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 „verfügte über eine eigene Meinung“