„vertrat stets eine eigene Meinung und setzte sich für ihre Ansichten ein“
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)
“...always expressed her own opinion and advocated for her views...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
The employee was argumentative, opinionated, or difficult to integrate into the existing team.
Hidden rating
Good (grade 5.0)
German rating: Gut (Note 5.0)
What it means in detail
Under Swiss employment law (art. 330a CO), employers express interpersonal friction through polite descriptions of strong independence. While sound performance is recognized, this wording hints at team integration issues or stubbornness. It corresponds to a grade 5.0 on the Swiss scale.
How to fix it
To upgrade the reference to the top grade (6.0), the wording could be strengthened, for example by inserting "stets" or "jederzeit hervorragend" into the overall evaluation.
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 freeRight to a full reference letter
BGE 129 III 177
The leading Federal Supreme Court decision on the employee’s statutory right to a full (qualified) reference letter: it must address both performance and conduct.
Read the full decision (German)„Ein qualifiziertes Arbeitszeugnis (Art. 330a Abs. 1 OR) muss sich sowohl zu den Leistungen wie auch zum Verhalten des Arbeitnehmers aussprechen.“
Unofficial translation: “A qualified reference letter (Art. 330a para. 1 CO) must address both the performance and the conduct of the employee.”
Related phrases
- vertrat seine eigene Meinung im Team stets mit NachdruckWeak / Deficient (Grade 2.0)2.0
- setzte sich stets für die Belange der Belegschaft einVery good (grade 5.5)5.5
- vertrat seine Meinung im Führungskreis stets mit NachdruckWeak / Poor (grade 3.0)3.0
- seine Meinung stets offen vertratWeak / Unsatisfactory (grade 2.0)2.0
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 „vertrat stets eine eigene Meinung und setzte sich für ihre Ansichten ein“