A
Swiss reference letter code

„war ein zuverlässiger Mitarbeiter“

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)

“...was a reliable employee...”

What Swiss HR actually reads

This reflects a bare pass (grade 4.0), as reliability alone is expected.

Hidden rating

Sufficient

German rating: Ausreichend

4.0
Swiss grade (1–6, 6 = best)

What it means in detail

Highlighting self-evident basic traits like basic reliability implies that drive, initiative, or top-tier quality were absent.

How to fix it

Expand to "...überzeugte durch seine hohe Zuverlässigkeit sowie seine stets sehr gute Arbeitsqualität..." to reach a grade 5.0.

Suggested wording (German, for your HR department)

Erweitern zu: "...überzeugte durch seine hohe Zuverlässigkeit sowie seine stets sehr gute Arbeitsqualität..." (5.0).

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 free
Relevant court decision

Goodwill vs. duty of truth

BGE 136 III 510, E. 4.1

The Federal Supreme Court describes the two poles of a Swiss reference letter: it should support your career and therefore be worded benevolently, but it must also give future employers a faithful picture – so it has to be true and complete.

„Ein solches qualifiziertes Zeugnis bzw. Vollzeugnis soll einerseits das berufliche Fortkommen des Arbeitnehmers fördern und deshalb wohlwollend formuliert werden. Andererseits soll es künftigen Arbeitgebern ein möglichst getreues Abbild von Tätigkeit, Leistung und Verhalten des Arbeitnehmers geben, weshalb es grundsätzlich wahr und vollständig zu sein hat.“

Unofficial translation: “Such a qualified reference letter should, on the one hand, support the employee’s career and therefore be worded benevolently. On the other hand, it should give future employers as faithful a picture as possible of the employee’s activity, performance and conduct, which is why it must in principle be true and complete.”

Read the full decision (German)

Related phrases

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 free

Read this entry in German: Bedeutung von „war ein zuverlässiger Mitarbeiter“