„Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war stets einwandfrei“
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 superiors and colleagues was always faultless...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
This signals good internal conduct, but omitting external contacts suggests potential issues in dealing with clients or customers, corresponding to a grade 4.5 on the Swiss 1-6 scale.
Hidden rating
Satisfactory (Grade 4.5)
German rating: Befriedigend (Note 4.5)
What it means in detail
While the relationship with internal staff is rated positively, leaving out external stakeholders indicates that customer interactions may have been problematic. Under Swiss employment law (art. 330a CO), omissions are frequently used to express underlying deficiencies. This rating reflects a solid, satisfactory performance.
How to fix it
To upgrade the evaluation to the top mark (6.0), the wording can be strengthened by inserting terms such as "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“.
Hidden criticism detected (grade 4.5)
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
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war stets einwandfreiSatisfactory (grade 4.5)4.5
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war einwandfreiSatisfactory (Grade 4.5)4.5
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen war stets einwandfreiSufficient (grade 4.5)4.5
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war einwandfreiSatisfactory (grade 4.5)4.5
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Check your whole certificate freeRead this entry in German: Bedeutung von „Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war stets einwandfrei“