„Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war stets korrekt“
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 superiors and colleagues was always correct...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
Conduct was adequate but suggests a lack of warmth or distance, while completely omitting clients (grade 4 on the Swiss 1-6 scale).
Hidden rating
Sufficient (Grade 4.0)
German rating: Genügend (Note 4.0)
What it means in detail
The principle of goodwill (art. 330a CO) forces employers to use polite phrasing for mediocre performance. The word "korrekt" denotes coldness and lack of warmth in personal relations, while leaving out clients creates an omission. This results in a passing grade of 4.0 that signals underlying social issues.
How to fix it
It is recommended to raise a written objection requesting to replace this formulation with a clearly positive performance and conduct statement like "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 4.0)
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
- Verhalten gegenüber den Kollegen war stets korrektSufficient (grade 4.0)4.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen war stets korrektSufficient (grade 4.0)4.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war korrektSufficient (Grade 4.0)4.0
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten war stets korrektSufficient (Grade 4.0)4.0
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 Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war stets korrekt“