Arbeitszeugnis: the reference that grades you in fixed phrases
A German work reference looks uniformly polite, and carries a grade in phrasings every recruiter knows. Here's how to read yours before you hand it to anyone.
The scale
The satisfaction formula, decoded
«stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit»
Very good (grade 1)Both the superlative (vollsten) and the frequency word (stets) are there. This is the top mark.
«stets zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit»
Good (grade 2)Frequency kept, superlative dropped. A solid, positive reference.
«zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit»
Satisfactory (grade 3)The 'stets' is gone. Average, and the level an employer has to give unless it can justify less.
«zu unserer Zufriedenheit»
Sufficient (grade 4)Neither superlative nor frequency. Reads as below average to a German recruiter.
«insgesamt zu unserer Zufriedenheit»
Poor (grade 5)'Insgesamt' (on the whole) qualifies the praise away.
«hat sich bemüht»
Failed (grade 6)'Made an effort': it describes trying, not results. Don't accept this wording without asking why.
Two words carry most of the grade: the frequency (stets = always) and the superlative (vollsten vs vollen). Drop either and the mark falls a level, which is why a literal English translation of your reference tells you almost nothing. Read the formula together with the rest of the performance paragraph.
The other clauses
Three parts recruiters read after the grade
Conduct (Führungsklausel)
How you got on with supervisors, colleagues and, if your role involved them, customers. Every group that mattered in your job should be there.
Reason for leaving
If the reference gives a reason for leaving, make sure it's accurate and that you want it there. 'Auf eigenen Wunsch' (your own decision) reads differently from a mutual-agreement formula.
Closing (Schlussformel)
Thanks for the work and good wishes for the future are usual in a good reference. The employer doesn't have to include them, but you can ask, and many will.
Warning signs
What to check before you use it
- Wrong dates or job title. Boring, but it's the first thing to fix.
- Important responsibilities missing, or your biggest project described in half a line.
- "war stets bemüht": tried hard, no result stated. Worse than it looks in translation.
- "hat die ihm übertragenen Aufgaben ordnungsgemäß erledigt": formally correct, nothing more. Fine for a two-month job, weak for three years.
- A glowing performance grade next to a lukewarm conduct paragraph, or the other way round. Contradictions are what readers notice.
A caveat: the satisfaction scale above is established practice that German recruiters really apply. Beyond it circulate many colourful “secret code” readings, and most are folklore; hidden codes are actually banned by law (§ 109 GewO). Judge a reference on the grade, the conduct paragraph and whether it's accurate, and read it as a whole.
If yours reads badly
What you can actually do
- 1
Pin down what's wrong
A wrong fact, a missing duty, or a grade you can back up as too low. Gather what supports it: appraisals, emails, results.
- 2
Ask for a correction, in writing
Name the sentence and the wording you want instead. Asking for a Berichtigung is routine in Germany, and many HR departments simply amend it.
- 3
Get advice only if refused
If the employer won't move, an employment lawyer, your works council or your union can advise on the labour-court route. Don't let it sit: time limits can apply.
FAQ
Common questions
What is an Arbeitszeugnis in English?
A work reference, sometimes translated as employment certificate. Your employer writes it and hands it to you when a job ends, and you send it with later applications. Unlike an English reference letter, it grades your work in fixed phrases (the scale above). The qualified version (qualifiziertes Arbeitszeugnis) covers performance and conduct; the simple one only confirms dates and duties. Applying outside Germany? Add a short note on the grading, because foreign recruiters won't read the phrases the way German ones do.
Do I have a right to an Arbeitszeugnis in Germany?
Yes. When a job ends you're entitled to a written reference (§ 109 GewO), and on request it must be the qualified version (qualifiziertes Zeugnis) that covers performance and conduct, not just dates and duties. Always ask for the qualified one: a simple Zeugnis says almost nothing to a future employer. It can be issued electronically only if you agree.
Why is it written in fixed phrases at all?
Two duties collide: the reference has to be truthful, and it has to be benevolent, so it can't damage your career unnecessarily. The satisfaction scale is how German employers say something critical while staying formally positive. Secret codes are banned (§ 109 GewO says a reference must be clear and may not hide a different meaning), which is why recruiters read the established phrasings, not private signals.
What grade can I actually insist on?
'Satisfactory' (zur vollen Zufriedenheit) is the baseline. If you want better, you have to show why you deserve it; if the employer grades you lower, it has to justify that. The Federal Labour Court confirmed this split in 2014 (9 AZR 584/13). So keep your appraisals and results: they're your evidence.
Can I demand the friendly closing sentence?
No. The Federal Labour Court has held that you can't force an employer to add thanks and good wishes (9 AZR 227/11), even though leaving them out can read as cold. Many employers will add them if you ask politely; it costs them nothing.
My Arbeitszeugnis is bad. What now?
Ask the employer in writing for a correction (Berichtigung) and name the exact wording you want changed. This is normal in Germany and often sorted out without conflict. If they refuse and the reference is unfair, an employment lawyer, your works council or your union can advise on the labour-court route. Act promptly: time limits can apply.
Sources (German): Gewerbeordnung section 109; IHK Hanau: reference wording; BAG 9 AZR 584/13: performance assessment; BAG 9 AZR 227/11: closing formula.
General information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your own reference, ask an employment lawyer, your works council or your union. Need the reference in the first place? Use the request template.
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