Hidden code:"hat unsere Erwartungen erfüllt"
Category: Hidden Codes
Meaning
Minimal praise -- meeting the average, no over-performance. Without intensifiers like 'fully' or 'exceeded', this is a weak grade.
A nearby wording to compare
Compare this with "war stets mit Interesse bei der Sache", assessed as Swiss grade 4 rather than 3. The change in wording illustrates why modifiers and sentence structure matter.
"war stets mit Interesse bei der Sache"Switzerland vs. Germany
This phrase is rated grade 3 (sufficient) in Switzerland, and grade 4 (adequate) 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
- "entsprach unseren Erwartungen"
Sources
- zeugnisfairness.de
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 FAQFrequently Asked Questions
What does "hat unsere Erwartungen erfüllt" mean in a work reference? +
Minimal praise -- meeting the average, no over-performance. Without intensifiers like 'fully' or 'exceeded', this is a weak grade.
What grade does "hat unsere Erwartungen erfüllt" correspond to in Switzerland? +
In Switzerland, this phrase corresponds to grade 3 (sufficient). In Germany, it corresponds to grade 4 (adequate).
What does "entsprach unseren Erwartungen" mean in a work reference? +
Minimal praise -- meeting the average, no over-performance. Without intensifiers like 'fully' or 'exceeded', this is a weak grade.