 | | 
14.09.2011, 10:39
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: Uster
Posts: 800
Groaned at 3 Times in 3 Posts
Thanked 747 Times in 290 Posts
| | Work reference done from UK
Hello,
My previous employer has kindly completed a work reference, although has not described it as an Arbeitzeugnis.
Its more of a to 'whom it may concern' letter detailing my responsibilities and that 'I performed very well and to the best of my abilities in an ever changing and pressurized environment'
Is this enough for Switzerland as a work reference? Its not a great deal of detail and they are not prepared to add anymore.....
| 
14.09.2011, 10:40
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Glarus
Posts: 8,082
Groaned at 484 Times in 403 Posts
Thanked 14,715 Times in 5,780 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK | Quote: | |  | | | Hello,
My previous employer has kindly completed a work reference, although has not described it as an Arbeitzeugnis.
Its more of a to 'whom it may concern' letter detailing my responsibilities and that 'I performed very well and to the best of my abilities in an ever changing and pressurized environment'
Is this enough for Switzerland as a work reference? Its not a great deal of detail and they are not prepared to add anymore..... | | | | |
they where always good enough for me  finding all my old school exam certificates was the harder part lol
| 
14.09.2011, 10:41
| | Re: Work reference done from UK | Quote: | |  | | | Hello,
My previous employer has kindly completed a work reference, although has not described it as an Arbeitzeugnis.
Its more of a to 'whom it may concern' letter detailing my responsibilities and that 'I performed very well and to the best of my abilities in an ever changing and pressurized environment'
Is this enough for Switzerland as a work reference? Its not a great deal of detail and they are not prepared to add anymore..... | | | | | My UK references are not on a par with the Swiss fastidious standards but it's never hindered me. Most employers accept the fact that it's done differently elsewhere. The most important thing is not to have any unexplained gaps in your work history.
| This user would like to thank for this useful post: | | 
14.09.2011, 10:43
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: England
Posts: 5,273
Groaned at 15 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 5,284 Times in 2,568 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK | Quote: | |  | | | Hello,
My previous employer has kindly completed a work reference, although has not described it as an Arbeitzeugnis.
Its more of a to 'whom it may concern' letter detailing my responsibilities and that 'I performed very well and to the best of my abilities in an ever changing and pressurized environment'
Is this enough for Switzerland as a work reference? Its not a great deal of detail and they are not prepared to add anymore..... | | | | | My employer in the UK does pretty much the same. I have yet to get to the position where this may apply. I will also be interested to find out how they are received by Swiss companies.
Hopefully, any reasonable employer will accept that it is not your fault, or a bad reference.
| 
14.09.2011, 10:45
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Glarus
Posts: 8,082
Groaned at 484 Times in 403 Posts
Thanked 14,715 Times in 5,780 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK | Quote: | |  | | | My employer in the UK does pretty much the same. I have yet to get to the position where this may apply. I will also be interested to find out how they are received by Swiss companies.
Hopefully, any reasonable employer will accept that it is not your fault, or a bad reference. | | | | | I've often wondered that as well, I have worked for a few government projects where the policy for a reference is just to confirm you worked there, nothing else, here that would be considered a terrible reference.
| 
14.09.2011, 10:50
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: Uster
Posts: 800
Groaned at 3 Times in 3 Posts
Thanked 747 Times in 290 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK
Yes, it does seem that despite have plenty of international employers they are still a bit old fashioned to the way references are done...I mean we are not in Germany.
That's a whole different kettle of fish!
| 
14.09.2011, 10:57
| | Re: Work reference done from UK
I am sure the reference is fine (But it doesn't state how good your abilities are.. ha ha..) and they can always phone the UK for more information.
| 
14.09.2011, 11:30
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2011 Location: Germany
Posts: 585
Groaned at 1 Time in 1 Post
Thanked 748 Times in 306 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK
The policy at my previous employer was that an official reference will only confirm dates of employment and job title. Possibly final salary if you agree to that info being given. No comment on performance, good or bad. I thought that would be a big hindrance, but when I was job hunting no one batted an eyelid when I told them the policy.
| 
14.09.2011, 15:59
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: England
Posts: 5,273
Groaned at 15 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 5,284 Times in 2,568 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK | Quote: | |  | | | I've often wondered that as well, I have worked for a few government projects where the policy for a reference is just to confirm you worked there, nothing else, here that would be considered a terrible reference. | | | | | Mine was little more than that. Apart from the formal details of dates etc. the substance of it is just three short sentences.
| 
14.09.2011, 16:23
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Geneva
Posts: 1,251
Groaned at 7 Times in 5 Posts
Thanked 1,033 Times in 534 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK | Quote: | |  | | | The policy at my previous employer was that an official reference will only confirm dates of employment and job title. Possibly final salary if you agree to that info being given. No comment on performance, good or bad. I thought that would be a big hindrance, but when I was job hunting no one batted an eyelid when I told them the policy. | | | | | Same here:
"To whom it may concern, XXX worked in the position of XXX from XXX until XXX."
I had no problems with either of the jobs I have had since being here.
| 
14.09.2011, 16:28
|  | Forum Legend | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: England
Posts: 5,273
Groaned at 15 Times in 14 Posts
Thanked 5,284 Times in 2,568 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK | Quote: | |  | | | Same here:
"To whom it may concern, XXX worked in the position of XXX from XXX until XXX."
I had no problems with either of the jobs I have had since being here. | | | | | I feel a little reassured that my reference has more substance than that (just)
| 
14.09.2011, 16:31
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Geneva
Posts: 1,251
Groaned at 7 Times in 5 Posts
Thanked 1,033 Times in 534 Posts
| | Re: Work reference done from UK | Quote: | |  | | | I feel a little reassured that my reference has more substance than that (just) | | | | | Probably worth noting that neither position was with a large organisation, and both were/are in Geneva. It wouldn't surprise me if large company HR departments were more focused on standardized checks/procedures, which this kind of confirmation might not pass...
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Thread Tools | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT +2. The time now is 18:46. | |