Swiss reference letter codes
Decoding the hidden grading scale in Swiss employment references.
Swiss employment references use standardized phrases that encode a hidden grading scale from 1 (poor) to 6 (excellent). Here you learn to read the codes.
| Grade | Phrasing |
|---|---|
| 6 | Grade 6 — "always to our fullest satisfaction" — Excellent |
| 5 | Grade 5 — "always to our full satisfaction" — Very good |
| 4 | Grade 4 — "to our full satisfaction" — Good |
| 3 | Grade 3 — "to our satisfaction" — Satisfactory |
| 2 | Grade 2 — "made an effort" — Insufficient |
| 1 | Grade 1 — "always made an effort" — Poor (dismissal) |
More codes
- "always made an effort" = grade 1-2, effectively failed
- "leaves us at their own request" = resignation by employee (neutral)
- "leaves us by mutual agreement" = termination agreement
- "all the best for the future" = standard phrase, not negative
- Missing closing formula = very poor reference
Art. 330a OR: Right to a reference. The reference must be benevolent but truthful. The above codes are practical conventions, not legally defined.
More topics
CV Scan explainedHow the free CV analysis works and what the scores mean.
Pricing & PaymentWhy a one-time purchase, what happens after 6 months, refund policy.
Data SecurityWhere your data is stored, who has access, what happens after expiry.
Where our Swiss rules come fromThe official sources behind our CV and letter recommendations.
Application photo in SwitzerlandWhether to include a photo, what a good one looks like, and how our scan grades it.
Germans applying in SwitzerlandPractical tips for German applicants — what's different from Germany.