„Verhalten gegenüber Arbeitskollegen und externen Partnern 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)
“...behaviour towards colleagues and external partners was always exemplary...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
The deliberate omission of superiors signals a strained relationship with management, corresponding to grade 5 on the Swiss 1-6 scale.
Hidden rating
Good (Grade 5.0)
German rating: Gut (Note 5.0)
What it means in detail
In a Swiss reference, a complete conduct section must mention superiors, colleagues, and external partners. By explicitly leaving out superiors, the employer employs coded language to signal conflict with management. Despite the positive description of interaction with colleagues and partners, this omission lowers the overall assessment.
How to fix it
To upgrade to the top mark (6.0), the wording can be strengthened, for example by adding superiors or using terms like "stets 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 sowie gegenüber unseren externen Partnern stets vorbildlichGood (grade 5.0)5.0
- Verhalten von Frau Fischer gegenüber den Arbeitskollegen und externen Partnern war jederzeit vorbildlichGood (Grade 5.0)5.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und externen Partnern war jederzeit vorbildlichGood (Grade 5.0)5.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und unseren externen Agenturpartnern war stets vorbildlichGood (grade 5.0)5.0
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 „Verhalten gegenüber Arbeitskollegen und externen Partnern war stets vorbildlich“