„Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und externen Partnern war jederzeit 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)
“...conduct towards colleagues and external partners was exemplary at all times...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
Omitting conduct towards superiors indicates significant issues with hierarchy or insubordination.
Hidden rating
Good (Grade 5.0)
German rating: Gut (Note 5.0)
What it means in detail
Under Swiss employment law (art. 330a CO), references follow the principle of goodwill, so negative points are often omitted. By praising behavior toward colleagues and partners while remaining silent about superiors, Swiss HR reads eloquent silence ('beredtes Schweigen') regarding hierarchy issues. This phrasing represents a grade of approximately 5.0.
How to fix it
To upgrade to a top mark (6.0), the employee can ask to strengthen the wording by including superiors and adding terms like "stets" or "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 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 den Mitarbeitenden, Kollegen sowie externen Partnern war jederzeit vorbildlichGood (grade 5.0)5.0
- Verhalten gegenueber Vorgesetzten, Kollegen und externen Partnern war jederzeit absolut 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 Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war jederzeit 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 Kollegen und externen Partnern war jederzeit vorbildlich“