Job reference

What is an employment reference?

Job references are still very important for job applications. The reference documents the duration and type of employment (simple reference) and often also information on the employee’s conduct (qualified reference). In it, the employer evaluates the employee’s skills and behavior. A reference must be issued on the company’s letterhead. Almost all employees have a legal right to receive a reference.

What types of job references are there?

Simple job reference

A simple employment reference only attests to the type and duration of employment. It therefore has more of a certification or verification character, in that an employer confirms the employment of an employee to third parties. This can also be regarded as a certificate of employment.

Qualified reference

In addition to the components of a simple reference, a qualified reference also includes an assessment of the employee’s work performance and social behavior. All information must always be truthful and formulated favorably for the employee.

Interim certificate

An interim reference is a qualified reference. It is issued during an existing employment. It certifies the current employment with a corresponding assessment of performance and conduct.

Training certificate

At the end of an apprenticeship, a qualified certificate of employment, the training certificate, is also issued. In addition to the components of a qualified reference, it also documents the content of the training with corresponding performance records. In particular, it documents

• Type of training
• Duration of employment in the course of training
• Goals achieved
• Acquired skills

Internship certificate

An internship reference is also a qualified reference that certifies and evaluates the performance during the internship. Internship references are often popular at the start of a career, as they are the first opportunity to have work performance – including quality – certified.

What is the difference between a simple and a qualified reference?

The qualified reference is more comprehensive and informative in order to assess an employee’s work performance. In addition to the formal components, it includes in particular an assessment of the employee’s work performance and social behavior.

What are the components of an employment reference?

The issuing of an employment reference is clearly regulated by law. It must therefore meet certain minimum requirements. If necessary, an employment reference can also be checked by a lawyer specializing in employment law.

Letterhead

The reference must be formulated on the employer’s letterhead. The employer, i.e. the sender, must be clearly recognizable. However, an employment reference does not have an address field or a salutation, as it is not addressed to a specific organization or person.

Heading

The type of reference, e.g. interim reference, internship reference, etc., is defined in the heading to make the scope clear to the recipient.

Introduction

The introductory text formally states the full name, title, date of birth, address, type of employment and job title. The start and end dates of the employment relationship are often also mentioned here.

Employer

It is also customary for the employer, the company, to briefly introduce itself. The company explains the business purpose, the industry, the services or products and often also the number of locations and employees. This allows the reader to put the employment relationship into context.

Activities

This section describes the specific activities or tasks performed by the employee. The most important activities are at the beginning. A reader should get a comprehensive and good impression of the employee’s work here. The employer is free to formulate this section as a bullet point list or as free text.

If an employee has been particularly specialized, engaged in activities or worked for a very long period of time, this must be made clear. In principle, the longer a job has been performed, the more detailed the description in the reference should be. The description of the activities is formulated in a neutral and non-evaluative manner.

Performance assessment

This component is often the most important and also the most controversial. In this part, an employer formulates a written assessment of the quality and excellence of the work performed. This part is therefore often the most interesting for potential new employers. It can have a major influence on the decision to hire a new employee.

Which specific points and assessments are formulated depends on the employee’s position and area of responsibility. Among other things, the following are generally assessed:

• the expertise
• the motivation to work
• the ability
• the success
• In the case of senior executives, management behavior

Behavioral assessment

In addition to the job evaluation, the employee’s social behavior is assessed in a separate section. The focus here is on interaction with colleagues, superiors and, if applicable, third parties such as customers or business partners.

Final formula

The employer may freely formulate the closing formula. The part often refers to the date of termination. For example, when the employee leaves the company, thanks are expressed and wishes for the future are expressed.

Date and signature

As this is an official and formal document, it must also be confirmed by the employer with a legally binding signature. This is usually signed by the manager. If it is signed by a senior employee, the position must also be indicated. The date of resignation should correspond to the last working day.

What should not be included in the reference?

The following contents may not be mentioned in an employment reference:

• False claims and untruths are generally prohibited
• Information that would put the employee at a disadvantage, e.g. religious or party affiliation
• Diseases or health assessments
• Private behavior and incidents
• Secondary occupations
• Membership of a works council or trade union
• Pregnancy or parental leave
• Severe disabilities
• Criminal offenses

The following points must also be taken into account when preparing an employment reference:

• It must be formulated in an understandable way.
• It must be formulated positively – benevolently
• It must not contain any spelling or grammatical errors
• It must be customized and may not be identical for all employees

Who writes the reference?

The employer’s reference is written and issued by the employer. It is not formulated by the employee.

What are the special features of an employment reference in Austria?

In Austria, the employer’s reference is referred to as a service reference. In contrast to Germany, the employee must request a reference letter. Only a simple reference is issued here. A qualified reference can only be issued voluntarily. There is no legal entitlement as there is in Germany.

What are the special features of employment references in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, too, every employee has the right to a qualified reference. The situation is very similar to that in Germany and is therefore comparable.

What are typical assessment formulations?

Common formulations have become established on the market in the sense of a benevolent formulation guideline. A person can read the assessment based on the school grading system from these often recurring formulations. The following assessment formulations are common in the market:

• School grade 1 -> very good: “always to our complete satisfaction”.
• School grade 2 -> good: “always to our complete satisfaction”
• School grade 3 -> satisfactory: “always to our satisfaction”
• School grade 4 -> sufficient: “to our satisfaction”.
• Does a reference have to be part of an application?

What are indications of negative assessment?

Due to the benevolent formulation specification, negative formulations cannot and are not actively used. Experts therefore often read between the lines. If, for example, important elements of an employment reference are omitted, this often indicates something negative. For example, it is noticeable when an employer does not thank an employee for their performance. So there seem to have been problems here.

Even formulations that seem to sound positive indicate a negative assessment. Here are a few examples:

• refreshing nature = indicates a troublesome colleague
• sociable nature = indicates alcohol consumption
• represents his/her opinion

However, these formulations are often familiar and should not be used. However, if points such as punctuality are addressed that are actually self-evident, it is obvious that there may be nothing else to assess.

Who is legally entitled to a reference?

As a rule, the due date for issuing the certificate is at the end of the employment relationship. However, it can still be issued up to 3 years after termination, after which the claim is time-barred. Everyone is entitled to a reference as soon as the employment relationship is terminated.

When does the right to an employment reference expire?

A simple reference can be requested for as long as the employer has stored it in the personnel file of the person requesting it. A qualified reference can be requested up to three years after termination of the employment relationship in accordance with Section 195 BGB. The period begins at the end of the calendar year in which the employment relationship was terminated.

Is it possible to request a qualified reference?

Yes, in accordance with Section 630 of the German Civil Code (BGB) and Section 109 of the German Trade Regulation Act (GewO), an employee has the right to request a qualified reference for up to three years after termination of the employment relationship. The period begins on the last calendar day of the year in which the employment relationship ends. The employer is legally obliged to issue an employer’s reference.