In short
In German job reference (Arbeitszeugnis) wording, the grade lies above all in the satisfaction formula: "stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit" (always to our fullest satisfaction) stands for very good, "stets zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit" (always to our full satisfaction) for good, "zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit" (to our full satisfaction) for satisfactory. Intensifiers such as "stets" (always), the order of superiors, colleagues and customers and what is missing from the closing formula also count. Hidden secret signs are prohibited (Sec. 109 (2) GewO).
Key points
- When your employment ends, you are entitled to a written reference, on request with an assessment of performance and conduct (Sec. 109 (1) GewO).
- The reference must be clear and comprehensible. Wording intended to say something different in secret is not permitted (Sec. 109 (2) GewO).
- The overall grade follows from the satisfaction formula. The individual assessments and the closing formula must match it.
- What is missing is also a statement: if, for example, conduct towards superiors is missing, it stands out.
- If you want a grade better than satisfactory, you usually have to justify it (Federal Labour Court (BAG), judgment of 18 November 2014, 9 AZR 584/13). If the employer wants to grade you lower, it has to justify that.
Contents
- How to read reference language: 4 rules
- Grade table: the overall assessment from very good to insufficient
- Wording by area
- The closing formula: thanks, regret, good wishes
- Negative wording: these sentences are a warning sign
- Secret codes: what is myth and what is prohibited
- What is missing also says something: eloquent silence
- Example: the same reference at grade 1 and grade 3
- Self-test: which grade does your reference have?
- Grade too poor? How to proceed
- For employers: wording a job reference correctly
- FAQ
How to read reference language: 4 rules
German job references almost always sound friendly. That is because, according to case law, they must be truthful and at the same time worded favourably (BAG, judgment of 18 November 2014, 9 AZR 584/13). Criticism is therefore rarely stated openly. It shows in gradations that HR staff know. With four rules, you can read them yourself:
- The satisfaction formula is the overall grade. It usually comes at the end of the performance assessment: "Sie erledigte ihre Aufgaben stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit." (She always performed her tasks to our fullest satisfaction.)
- Intensifiers raise the grade, missing intensifiers lower it. Words such as "stets", "jederzeit", "immer" (always, at all times) or "in jeder Hinsicht" (in every respect) turn a good statement into a very good one. If they are missing where they would usually appear, the assessment drops.
- The order counts. The usual order is: superiors, then colleagues, then customers. If colleagues are named before superiors, many HR staff read this as a sign of tension with management. Likewise: important tasks come first, minor ones last.
- Leaving something out is a statement. If an assessment that would be expected in your job is missing, for example resilience in a high-pressure job, that is a warning sign. More on this below under eloquent silence.
Grade table: the overall assessment from very good to insufficient
The satisfaction formula follows a fixed scale, based on German school grades from 1 (very good) to 6 (insufficient). Rule of thumb: the more intensifiers ("stets", "vollsten"), the better.
| Grade | Typical wording | What HR staff read |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (very good) | "stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit" (always to our fullest satisfaction) | outstanding performance without reservation |
| 2 (good) | "stets zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit" (always to our full satisfaction) | above average, good performance |
| 3 (satisfactory) | "zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit" (to our full satisfaction) | solid average |
| 4 (sufficient) | "zu unserer Zufriedenheit" (to our satisfaction) | below average, but still adequate |
| 5 (poor) | "im Großen und Ganzen zu unserer Zufriedenheit" (on the whole to our satisfaction) | clear shortcomings |
| 6 (insufficient) | "hat sich bemüht, die Aufgaben zu unserer Zufriedenheit zu erledigen" (endeavoured to perform the tasks to our satisfaction) | the performance was not enough |
Borderline cases: "zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit" (to our fullest satisfaction) without "stets" is usually read as good, sometimes as very good. The Federal Labour Court classifies "stets zu unserer Zufriedenheit" (always to our satisfaction), like "zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit", as satisfactory (BAG, judgment of 18 November 2014, 9 AZR 584/13). Besides the formula, there are also direct grades such as "Ihre Leistungen waren stets sehr gut" (her performance was always very good). They are read in the same way.
Wording by area
A qualified reference assesses several areas individually. The following tables show for each area how a statement sounds at grades 1 to 5. The examples are deliberately kept simple: in real references, they are tailored to the job, but the pattern of gradation stays the same.
Expertise and further training
| Grade | Wording |
|---|---|
| 1 | "verfügt über ein umfassendes, tiefgehendes Fachwissen, das sie jederzeit sicher und gewinnbringend einsetzte. Sie bildete sich stets aus eigenem Antrieb weiter." (has comprehensive, in-depth expertise, which she always applied confidently and profitably. She always pursued further training on her own initiative.) |
| 2 | "verfügt über ein fundiertes Fachwissen, das sie stets sicher einsetzte. Sie bildete sich regelmäßig weiter." (has sound expertise, which she always applied confidently. She regularly pursued further training.) |
| 3 | "verfügt über solides Fachwissen, das sie sicher einsetzte. Angebotene Fortbildungen nahm sie wahr." (has solid expertise, which she applied confidently. She took part in the training offered.) |
| 4 | "verfügt über das für ihre Aufgaben erforderliche Fachwissen." (has the expertise required for her tasks.) |
| 5 | "verfügt über Grundkenntnisse in ihrem Arbeitsgebiet." (has basic knowledge in her field of work.) |
Willingness to work and initiative
| Grade | Wording |
|---|---|
| 1 | "zeigte stets außergewöhnliches Engagement und ergriff jederzeit von sich aus die Initiative." (always showed exceptional commitment and always took the initiative of her own accord.) |
| 2 | "zeigte stets großes Engagement und brachte regelmäßig eigene Ideen ein." (always showed great commitment and regularly contributed her own ideas.) |
| 3 | "zeigte Engagement und Eigeninitiative." (showed commitment and initiative.) |
| 4 | "zeigte die erforderliche Einsatzbereitschaft." (showed the necessary willingness.) |
| 5 | "übernahm die ihr übertragenen Aufgaben, wenn sie darum gebeten wurde." (took on the tasks assigned to her when asked to do so.) |
Working style and resilience
| Grade | Wording |
|---|---|
| 1 | "arbeitete stets äußerst sorgfältig, zügig und systematisch. Auch unter hohem Termindruck behielt sie jederzeit den Überblick." (always worked extremely carefully, quickly and systematically. Even under heavy deadline pressure, she always kept track of everything.) |
| 2 | "arbeitete stets sorgfältig, zügig und zielorientiert und war auch unter Termindruck stets belastbar." (always worked carefully, quickly and in a goal-oriented way and was always resilient, even under deadline pressure.) |
| 3 | "arbeitete sorgfältig und war belastbar." (worked carefully and was resilient.) |
| 4 | "arbeitete im Allgemeinen sorgfältig und war dem normalen Arbeitsanfall gewachsen." (generally worked carefully and coped with the normal workload.) |
| 5 | "bemühte sich um eine sorgfältige Arbeitsweise." (endeavoured to work carefully.) |
Work results
| Grade | Wording |
|---|---|
| 1 | "Ihre Arbeitsergebnisse waren stets von hervorragender Qualität und übertrafen unsere Erwartungen in jeder Hinsicht." (Her work results were always of outstanding quality and exceeded our expectations in every respect.) |
| 2 | "Ihre Arbeitsergebnisse waren stets von hoher Qualität." (Her work results were always of high quality.) |
| 3 | "Ihre Arbeitsergebnisse entsprachen in Qualität und Umfang unseren Anforderungen." (Her work results met our requirements in quality and quantity.) |
| 4 | "Ihre Arbeitsergebnisse entsprachen im Wesentlichen unseren Anforderungen." (Her work results essentially met our requirements.) |
| 5 | "Mit ihren Arbeitsergebnissen waren wir im Großen und Ganzen zufrieden." (On the whole, we were satisfied with her work results.) |
Reliability
| Grade | Wording |
|---|---|
| 1 | "war jederzeit in höchstem Maße zuverlässig. Auf ihre Zusagen konnten wir uns stets uneingeschränkt verlassen." (was reliable to the highest degree at all times. We could always rely on her commitments without reservation.) |
| 2 | "war stets zuverlässig." (was always reliable.) |
| 3 | "war zuverlässig." (was reliable.) |
| 4 | "war im Allgemeinen zuverlässig." (was generally reliable.) |
| 5 | "erschien stets pünktlich zur Arbeit." (always arrived at work punctually.) (praise only for something taken for granted) |
Social conduct: superiors, colleagues, customers
| Grade | Wording |
|---|---|
| 1 | "Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten, Kolleginnen und Kollegen sowie Kunden war stets vorbildlich." (Her conduct towards superiors, colleagues and customers was always exemplary.) |
| 2 | "Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten, Kollegen und Kunden war stets einwandfrei." (Her conduct towards superiors, colleagues and customers was always impeccable.) |
| 3 | "Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten, Kollegen und Kunden war einwandfrei." (Her conduct towards superiors, colleagues and customers was impeccable.) |
| 4 | "Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen war insgesamt einwandfrei." (Her conduct towards superiors and colleagues was impeccable overall.) (customers missing) |
| 5 | "Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war im Wesentlichen einwandfrei." (Her conduct towards colleagues and superiors was essentially impeccable.) (order reversed) |
Pay particular attention here to the order and to gaps. If you had customer contact and customers are missing, or colleagues come before superiors, this lowers the conduct grade even if the word "einwandfrei" (impeccable) is used.
Leadership (for managers only)
| Grade | Wording |
|---|---|
| 1 | "führte ihr Team stets ausgezeichnet, motivierte es jederzeit zu sehr guten Leistungen und genoss uneingeschränkte Anerkennung." (always led her team excellently, motivated it at all times to very good performance and enjoyed unreserved recognition.) |
| 2 | "führte ihr Team stets zielgerichtet und motivierend. Es erbrachte gute Leistungen." (always led her team in a focused and motivating way. It delivered good performance.) |
| 3 | "führte ihr Team zielgerichtet. Es erbrachte die erwarteten Leistungen." (led her team in a focused way. It delivered the expected performance.) |
| 4 | "führte ihr Team im Allgemeinen sachgerecht." (generally led her team appropriately.) |
| 5 | "bemühte sich, ihr Team anzuleiten." (endeavoured to guide her team.) |
If you were a manager and this paragraph is missing entirely, that is one of the clearest warning signs in the reference.
The closing formula: thanks, regret, good wishes
For many HR staff, the closing sentence is the quickest test. A complete closing formula has four parts: who wanted the separation, thanks, regret and good wishes. The more is missing, the cooler the farewell appears.
| Grade | Example | What is missing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Frau Berger verlässt uns auf eigenen Wunsch. Wir bedauern ihr Ausscheiden sehr, danken ihr für die stets hervorragende Zusammenarbeit und wünschen ihr beruflich wie privat weiterhin viel Erfolg und alles Gute." (Ms Berger is leaving us at her own request. We very much regret her departure, thank her for the always excellent cooperation and wish her continued success and all the best, professionally and personally.) | nothing |
| 2 | "Frau Berger verlässt uns auf eigenen Wunsch. Wir bedauern ihr Ausscheiden, danken ihr für die gute Zusammenarbeit und wünschen ihr weiterhin viel Erfolg." (Ms Berger is leaving us at her own request. We regret her departure, thank her for the good cooperation and wish her continued success.) | the "sehr" (very much) with the regret |
| 3 | "Frau Berger verlässt uns auf eigenen Wunsch. Wir danken ihr für die Zusammenarbeit und wünschen ihr für die Zukunft alles Gute." (Ms Berger is leaving us at her own request. We thank her for the cooperation and wish her all the best for the future.) | the regret |
| 4 | "Das Arbeitsverhältnis endet am 30. Juni 2027. Wir wünschen Frau Berger für die Zukunft alles Gute." (The employment ends on 30 June 2027. We wish Ms Berger all the best for the future.) | reason for leaving, thanks, regret |
| 5 | "Das Arbeitsverhältnis endet am 30. Juni 2027." (The employment ends on 30 June 2027.) | everything |
What does "Wir bedauern sein Ausscheiden" (we regret his departure) mean? The employer is saying that it would have liked to keep you. With "sehr" (very much), this is a feature of a very good reference; without "sehr", of a good one. If the regret is missing entirely, the closing formula is usually in the satisfactory range.
Reason for leaving: "auf eigenen Wunsch" (at their own request) shows that you left. Many read "im gegenseitigen Einvernehmen" (by mutual agreement) as meaning that the initiative came from the employer. If the reason is missing, it remains open who gave notice.
Entitlement to the closing formula: According to the case law of the Federal Labour Court, you have no enforceable right to thanks and good wishes (BAG, judgment of 25 January 2022, 9 AZR 146/21). The court left open whether this also applies if the employer otherwise uses closing formulas as standard. A better closing formula can, however, often be negotiated, for example in a termination agreement or a settlement.
Negative wording: these sentences are a warning sign
The table shows sentences that sound friendly but are read as criticism in reference practice. The interpretations reflect the common reading; a court always assesses the reference as a whole.
| Wording | Plain meaning | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| "hat sich bemüht" (endeavoured) | Success did not materialise. | strong |
| "war stets bestrebt" (always strove) | wanted to, but did not manage it | strong |
| "im Großen und Ganzen" (on the whole) | clear shortcomings | strong |
| "Mit ihren Leistungen waren wir zufrieden." (We were satisfied with her performance.) | sufficient | strong |
| "erschien stets pünktlich" (always arrived punctually) as the only praise | There was nothing more positive to say. | strong |
| "im Wesentlichen" (essentially) | not entirely in order | medium |
| "im Allgemeinen" (generally) | with reservations | medium |
| "erledigte die ihr übertragenen Aufgaben ordnungsgemäß" (performed the tasks assigned to her properly) | did the minimum, no initiative | medium |
| "war den Anforderungen gewachsen" (coped with the requirements) | only just sufficient | medium |
| "zeigte Verständnis für ihre Arbeit" (showed understanding for her work) | little performance | medium |
| "war mit Interesse bei der Sache" (was interested in the work) | interest without results | medium |
| "gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten" (towards colleagues and superiors) | problems with management | medium |
| customers missing despite customer contact | Conduct towards customers was a problem. | medium |
| "im gegenseitigen Einvernehmen" (by mutual agreement) | The separation came rather from the employer. | medium |
| closing only with "alles Gute" (all the best), without thanks | cool separation | medium |
| "Wir lernten sie als ... kennen" (We came to know her as ...) | only an impression, no firm assessment | weak |
| "Ihr Verhalten war korrekt" (Her conduct was correct) | factual, but distant | weak |
| "nach Kräften" (to the best of her ability) | effort yes, results rather not | medium |
A single sentence does not make a bad reference. What matters is the overall picture: do the individual assessments, overall formula and closing fit together?
Secret codes: what is myth and what is prohibited
Long lists of supposed secret codes circulate online, claiming to translate harmless sentences into hidden accusations. A look at the law helps here: a reference may not contain any features or wording intended to make a different statement about you than is apparent from its outward form or wording (Sec. 109 (2) sentence 2 GewO).
This leads to a clear distinction:
- The usual reference language is permitted. The graded satisfaction formula and the intensifiers are not secret codes. They are generally known and are read in the same way by HR staff and courts.
- Secret signs are not permitted. These are wordings with a deliberate double meaning, but also outward features such as conspicuous marks, ticks or underlining intended to carry a hidden message. The law expressly mentions outward form.
- Many "codes" are myths. A large part of the lists in circulation is unproven, and some interpretations are discriminatory. We deliberately do not reproduce them. If you find a sentence in your reference that seems odd to you, have it checked rather than believing a list.
Nor does information unrelated to performance and conduct in the job belong in the reference, such as illnesses or activity on the works council.
What is missing also says something: eloquent silence
Many weak references do not stand out through a negative sentence, but through gaps (eloquent silence, beredtes Schweigen). Check your reference with this checklist:
Checklist "eloquent silence"
- Is the job described in full, with the most important tasks first?
- Are all core tasks also assessed, not just listed?
- Is there something about resilience if your job involved a lot of pressure?
- Is there something about honesty or trustworthiness if you worked with money, goods or confidential data?
- Is conduct towards superiors mentioned, and before colleagues?
- Are customers mentioned if you had customer contact?
- Is there a paragraph on leadership if you managed staff?
- Does the closing state the reason for leaving, thanks, regret and good wishes?
- Is the reference signed, by a person who was senior to you in the business?
The more ticks are missing, the more clearly your reference deviates from what HR staff are used to seeing in good references.
Example: the same reference at grade 1 and grade 3
Lena Berger worked for five years as a purchasing administrator at a mechanical engineering company. This is how two versions of her reference differ. The differences are marked in bold (English rendering of the German wording).
| Section | Version grade 1 | Version grade 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Expertise | "Ms Berger has comprehensive, in-depth expertise, which she always applied confidently and profitably." | "Ms Berger has solid expertise, which she applied confidently." |
| Working style | "She always worked extremely carefully and quickly and always kept track of everything, even under heavy deadline pressure." | "She worked carefully and was resilient." |
| Work results | "Through her negotiations, she considerably reduced the purchasing costs of her area. Her results were always of outstanding quality." | "Her work results met our requirements." |
| Overall assessment | "She performed her tasks always to our fullest satisfaction." | "She performed her tasks to our full satisfaction." |
| Conduct | "Her conduct towards superiors, colleagues and suppliers was always exemplary." | "Her conduct towards superiors, colleagues and suppliers was impeccable." |
| Closing | "Ms Berger is leaving us at her own request. We very much regret her departure, thank her for the always excellent cooperation and wish her continued success, professionally and personally." | "Ms Berger is leaving us at her own request. We thank her for the cooperation and wish her all the best for the future." |
The grade 3 reference does not contain a single negative sentence. The grade arises solely from missing intensifiers, the missing regret and work results without a specific outcome.
Self-test: which grade does your reference have?
- Find the overall formula: Find the sentence with "Zufriedenheit" (satisfaction) or the direct grade and classify it using the grade table.
- Check the individual areas: Go through expertise, working style, results and reliability. Do "stets" and strong adjectives appear throughout, or do individual areas fall off?
- Check conduct: Is the order superiors, colleagues, customers correct? Is a group missing?
- Check the closing formula: How many of the four parts are there, and is there a "sehr" with the regret?
- Check the form: company letterhead, correct date, signature, no spelling mistakes, no conspicuous marks.
Result: If all five steps match the same grade, the reference is consistent. If individual areas or the closing fall below it, the true grade is usually worse than the overall formula. If the overall formula is already at satisfactory or below, a review is almost always worthwhile.
Grade too poor? How to proceed
- Have it reviewed: First clarify whether the grade and wording are really challengeable and what exactly you can demand.
- Demand a correction: Write to your employer stating which sentences you want changed, ideally with your own suggested wording and a deadline for a reply.
- Observe deadlines: Many employment contracts and collective agreements contain exclusion periods after which claims lapse. In addition, the right to correction can be forfeited if you wait a long time. So act within a few weeks of receiving it. The regular limitation period is 3 years (Sec. 195 BGB).
- Know the burden of proof: According to case law, satisfactory counts as average performance. If you want a better grade, you must set out and prove that your performance was above average, even if many good references are issued in your sector (BAG, judgment of 18 November 2014, 9 AZR 584/13). If the employer wants to grade you below satisfactory, it must justify this. So collect evidence: target agreements, appraisals, appreciative emails, an earlier interim reference.
- Claim as the last step: If the employer does not give in, a claim for correction at the labour court remains. At first instance, each side bears its own lawyer's fees, even the winning side (Sec. 12a (1) ArbGG).
Tip for a separation by agreement: If you sign a termination or settlement agreement, have the reference grade and ideally the entire text fixed at the same time. How this works is explained in our guide on the termination agreement. You are entitled to a reference even after a summary dismissal; see our guide on summary dismissal. When your employment ends and the final reference becomes due depends on your notice period; see our guide on notice periods for employees.
For employers: wording a job reference correctly
Anyone who writes a reference is liable for its content and, if there are errors, risks a dispute before the labour court. These points help:
- Structure: Follow the order from the graphic above. For the assessment of each area, you can use the tables in this guide as a guide and tailor them to the job.
- Consistency: Individual assessments, overall formula and closing formula should produce the same grade. Contradictions are a frequent reason for correction requests.
- Clarity: The reference must be clear and comprehensible (Sec. 109 (2) sentence 1 GewO). Ambiguous sentences or signs are prohibited.
- Form: The reference must be issued in writing, i.e. signed by hand (Sec. 109 (1) GewO, Sec. 126 (1) BGB). It can only be issued electronically with the employee's consent (Sec. 109 (3) GewO), and then in electronic form, i.e. with a qualified electronic signature (Sec. 126 (3), Sec. 126a BGB). For trainees, Sec. 16 BBiG applies.
- AI and ChatGPT: An AI program can provide a first draft. The employer remains responsible for truthfulness, grade and form. Check every sentence against the tables above, because AI texts often contain inappropriate qualifications or contradictory levels. Only enter personal data into tools whose use has been cleared under data protection law.
For questions about a specific reference, for example after a correction request, our employment lawyer advises you in writing at a fixed price.
FAQ
Which wording should not appear in a job reference?
Sentences with "bemüht" (endeavoured), "bestrebt" (strove), "im Großen und Ganzen" (on the whole) or "im Wesentlichen" (essentially) are regarded as clear criticism. Wording and signs with a hidden meaning are also prohibited (Sec. 109 (2) GewO). Information unrelated to performance and conduct, for example about illnesses, does not usually belong in it either.
What are secret codes in a job reference and are they allowed?
This means wording or signs that are secretly intended to say something different from the literal wording. They are not permitted (Sec. 109 (2) sentence 2 GewO). The usual graded reference language, on the other hand, is not a secret code, and many code lists circulating online are myths.
Which sentences in a job reference are very good?
Sentences with intensifiers throughout are very good: "stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit" (always to our fullest satisfaction), "jederzeit" (at all times), "in jeder Hinsicht" (in every respect), "stets vorbildlich" (always exemplary) for conduct and a closing formula with "Wir bedauern ihr Ausscheiden sehr" (we very much regret her departure). What matters is that all areas maintain this level.
How can I tell whether my job reference is good or bad?
First classify the satisfaction formula, then check the individual areas, the order for conduct and the closing formula. The self-test above takes you through this in 5 steps. If individual parts fall below it, the reference is weaker than the overall formula suggests.
Which closing formula is very good?
A very good closing formula states the reason for leaving ("auf eigenen Wunsch", at their own request), regrets the departure "sehr" (very much), thanks you for the cooperation and wishes you continued success professionally and personally. If one of these parts is missing, the effect diminishes.
Is grade 3 in a job reference bad?
Satisfactory counts as average performance, not as bad. Because many references turn out better, however, a 3 can be a disadvantage in job applications. If you want a better grade, you usually have to prove that your performance was above average (BAG, judgment of 18 November 2014, 9 AZR 584/13).
What does "Wir bedauern sein Ausscheiden" (we regret his departure) mean?
The employer would have liked to keep you. With "sehr" (very much), the sentence belongs to a very good reference; without "sehr", to a good one. If the regret is missing entirely, the closing appears rather satisfactory.
Can ChatGPT write a job reference?
An AI program can provide a draft, but responsibility for truthfulness, grade and form remains with the employer. AI texts often mix grade levels or unintentionally contain disparaging phrases. Every sentence should therefore be checked against the usual reference language.
About the author
Dr. Georg Schröder, LL.M.
Dr. Georg Schröder is a lawyer and writes the guides of Recht 24/7. He explains legal questions so that you can follow them without legal training, and he reviews every guide before it is published.
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