Error in the work certificate

How good is my testimony really? A question that can be decisive for the success of an application. Personnel expert Klaus Schiller of Arbeitszeugnis.de, gives information about typical certificate errors.

Klaus Schiller is Managing Director of the Berlin Personal-Management Service GbR and operator of the internet portal Arbeitszeugnis.de

ChroniquesDuVasteMonde.com: You have evaluated 1,000 testimonials for your investigation. Which mistake did you find most frequently?

Klaus Schiller: We have often found the so-called "eloquent silence". That is, the employer simply omits certain attributes in the description of the quality of the work, for example, "engaged". In other words, the employee was unmotivated, although that is not explicitly stated in the report. However, not every omission needs to be pejorative. It always depends on what profession someone exercises. If, for example, an agent is not certified as being creative, that is not a devaluation of his work, but for a copywriter this would be a gross deficiency. The most important qualities of a job must be mentioned in the certificate - for example, for an accountant that would be "utmost care".

ChroniquesDuVasteMonde.com: As a worker, do I have the opportunity to demand a specific description of how I work?

Klaus Schiller: Basically, the employer has the formulation sovereignty of certificates. You can not tell him what to add or leave out. However, he has a duty to fully evaluate a performance. That is, if important components are missing, such as an assessment of work readiness, I should address my employer early and complain about supplementing the certificate.

ChroniquesDuVasteMonde.com: But what can I do if I do not feel incomplete but actually unfairly judged?

Klaus Schiller: First of all, it has to be clarified whether there is really a devaluation of a particular formulation. As a first step, I can write a letter to the employer in which I describe my request with a request for change. If the employer refuses to rewrite the certificate, only going to the attorney remains.

ChroniquesDuVasteMonde.com: What do I, as a layman, know best when I look at my testimony? Probably I can not break down the meaning of my testimony as well as the personnel department of my desired company ...

Klaus Schiller: Testimonials sound always positive, and you quickly think "that sounds quite good". Most people find it difficult to properly classify the phrasing in terms of the underlying rating. Only with the help of a textbook can I see the fine line between a good and a bad rating. It often happens that employees receive a certificate that is equivalent to a 2 or 3, although they have performed very well. One must know the gradations: A "to our satisfaction" is not a good assessment, but a 4. Such a bad testimony is worthless, even if it sounds good.

Examples from the study: Witness certification for poor performance

She quickly became popular with customers as a field representative (= she has no bargaining power and quickly made too big concessions, for example in the form of generous discounts).
He worked his duties properly. (= He met only the minimum requirements, showed no initiative)
She has solved all tasks in her and in the interests of the company. (= She robbed the employer)
Their behavior towards superiors and colleagues was without reproach. (= But it was not commendable either)
Her behavior towards colleagues was exemplary. (= But not to superiors)
Of particular note is that he was always honest and punctual. (= But apart from these obvious things, he made nothing worth mentioning)
We appreciated him very much. All the more we regret that we have to end the employment relationship with the 'KRUMMES DATE'. (= In the meantime, we no longer value him, breach of trust, termination without notice)
He took every opportunity to expand his expertise. (= He has left his job unnecessarily many times, and not every opportunity that comes along makes sense.)
She retires to take on a higher-quality task in another company. (= we did not trust her)
We wish her all the best, especially success. (= which she did not have with us)