"arbeitete meistens sorgfältig"

Category: Work Style

Switzerland
4
unsatisfactory
Germany
5
poor

Meaning

Work approach poor. 'Usually' = not always, implying recurring errors.

A nearby wording to compare

Compare this with "arbeitete stets äußerst sorgfältig, genau und zuverlässig", assessed as Swiss grade 1 rather than 4. The change in wording illustrates why modifiers and sentence structure matter.

"arbeitete stets äußerst sorgfältig, genau und zuverlässig"

Switzerland vs. Germany

This phrase is rated grade 4 (unsatisfactory) in Switzerland, and grade 5 (poor) in Germany. In Switzerland, this phrase is rated better than in Germany.

Background: In Switzerland, "good" is the norm qualification (Labour Court Zurich), while in Germany, "satisfactory" (grade 3) is the statistical average (BAG 18.11.2014, 9 AZR 584/13).

Variants

  • "arbeitete in der Regel zuverlässig"

Sources

  • Haufe Zeugnissprache
Medium confidence

Swiss employment-reference context

Swiss guidance says a full work reference should clearly cover duties, performance, and behavior, and that ambiguous coded messages are not permitted. The decoder explains common interpretations but cannot determine whether a specific reference is legally valid.

Read SECO's official work-reference FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "arbeitete meistens sorgfältig" mean in a work reference? +

Work approach poor. 'Usually' = not always, implying recurring errors.

What grade does "arbeitete meistens sorgfältig" correspond to in Switzerland? +

In Switzerland, this phrase corresponds to grade 4 (unsatisfactory). In Germany, it corresponds to grade 5 (poor).

What does "arbeitete in der Regel zuverlässig" mean in a work reference? +

Work approach poor. 'Usually' = not always, implying recurring errors.

Related Phrases

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