→→→ Kurz & Knapp: In this post you will learn about the German “Arbeitszeugnis”, or work certificate, including what is expected in a work certificate in Germany. In addition you will learn to what extent internationals need them to find work in Germany, how to get one once you have had a job in Germany, and what to watch out for. You can also download a guide about employment reference certificates that includes a free template, which will help you get this part of the application under control and proactively taken care of before starting your Germany job search.
Work certificates are a must-have in most German applications. You have a legal right (regardless of the form of employment) to obtain a work certificate after being employed in Germany, and you should get one from every single employment experience you have had in the country.
When you are first applying for work in Germany, you should also consider getting work certificates or confirmations from former, foreign employers that correspond to a certain extent with German work certificates.
This article outlines what work certificates are, what they should entail, and how to use them effectively in your German job application, whether you are currently working in Germany or applying for jobs in Germany from abroad.
First, as a reminder, work certificates are only one form of certificate that is included in the attachments section of your German job application. There are several types of attachments that may be required:
For more information about the attachments section, check out this article about attachments in a German job application.
Any form of practical experience in Germany is followed up with a work certificate. This includes internships, work-study jobs, volunteer experiences, part-time work, mini/midi jobs and full-time employment.
Work certificates may play an important role in selecting candidates in Germany. The goal of a work certificate is two-fold:
Work certificates serve the purpose of documenting everything you present on your German CV/resume. You want the certificates to be consistent with what you put on your German CV/resume, so that you present yourself in a consistent - and therefore trustworthy - manner.
The basic idea is to provide a certificate for every credential or entry on your resume to “certify” that what you put on your resume is a truthful and accurate depiction of your skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Every stage of your career, from leaving school certificates to university diplomas, internship confirmations and employment, should be documented with a written, stamped and signed certificate.
There are legal standards that have to be followed by both the employee and employer. These standards govern:
Work certificates in Germany are troublesome for employers and employees alike, for a variety of reasons. Employers cannot say anything bad about you, so they use a hidden language (code) to articulate what they really mean while still using positive phrases. There is not a country-wide standardization of these phrases, so you will find lists in books and Internet forums about work certificates that may differ drastically. In addition, while HR should be trained in work certificates, that is not always the case.
Moreover, if your boss or another employee outside of HR is drafting your document, they may not know the impact of the phrases they are using. Then, when your certificate makes it to the next employer, they may interpret it differently than you (or HR) intended, for better or for worse.
The messiness of this process is the reason why some German employers are moving to phone call recommendations. However, for the most part, work certificates are still a part of the hiring process and relatedly, a part of the leaving process.
There are two types of work certificates in Germany: the basic (einfaches Zeugnis) and qualified (qualifiziertes Zeugnis).
If you work in Germany, you should obtain a qualified certificate when you are done. The qualified certificate provides detailed information about your role, tasks, and responsibilities, knowledge, social and leadership behavior, and also uses specific language to evaluate your work.
The basic certificate merely certifies that you worked at a company for a specific amount of time, and it is used to prove employment.
By law, a work certificate must be written in a truthful and sympathetic manner. It should include exact information about your role, how long you worked in it, and your tasks, responsibilities, and accomplishments. In addition, it should say something about your engagement with your supervisors, colleagues, and when applicable, customers or suppliers.
Your strengths should be emphasized, and there should be some type of reason listed for your leaving the company, followed by a conclusion that wishes you well in your future endeavors, regretting that you will be missed at the company. This information is then analyzed and used by future employers as they consider you for a position.
Here’s a list of what should be included:
Again, if you currently hold or have held employment in Germany, you should receive a qualified certificate that includes all of the above, plus an evaluation of your performance. This evaluation comes in the form of phrases that can be converted to grades along the German grading system. This phrasal system is often referred to as a secret code, because technically German employers cannot say anything negative about you or your performance in a work certificate. But certain phrases, while sounding positive, actually indicate negative meanings and in doing so, can warn future employers about your performance.
Although you can find different scales online, in books, in handouts on the topic, etc., it is a good idea to get your certificates from German employers checked by a professional. Karrierecoach München offers a work certificate evaluation service that provides you with a rubric and outcome (grade) of your current work certificate, along with suggestions for improvement that you can pass along to your employer before they finalize the certificate. Learn more about this service below and in the work certificate template guide:
If you realize after reading these phrases that your certificate includes wording that is less than, or that you disagree with the evaluation of performance, your first step is to get a professional review of your certificate.
Then you can take the improvement suggestions back to your employer. Oftentimes, they are not aware of the exact meanings of hidden code and did not mean anything negative on purpose with it. However, if they fight your suggestions, ask for explanations and if that does not go anywhere, get in touch with the staff/employee council (Personalrat/Betriebsrat). In worst case scenarios you may need to contact an employment lawyer.
You can also keep the following considerations in mind:
International students and expats often do not have work certificates from previous employers, in part because the work certificate is particular to German-speaking countries. Most other countries rely on recommendations and personal references.
If you worked in your home country, it is possible to get your former employers to issue a certificate. When you email the employer to ask if they can issue you such a work certificate, it can be helpful to attach a template and/or to include a work certificate already filled out for them to simply edit. You will find a template in the work certificate template guide.
If you want to quickly obtain work certificates from foreign employers, focusing on getting a basic certificate from each job you held previously is a good idea. The basic work certificate should include:
Make sure this information is then signed, dated, and stamped by the employer, ideally on company letterhead. It should be in either German or English.
If one or more of your work certificates are in a language other than English or German, it is best practice to include a translation. Ideally, the translation is notarized. However, you can also translate it yourself and have it stamped and signed by the employer.
The length of your time at a company should correspond with the length of the work certificate. For internships, you may only have a one-page certificate, whereas if you spent several years at a company, the certificate is likely to span 2-3 pages.
The form and layout should be impeccable. This means you have appealing formatting, and there is not, for example, one sentence that runs onto the third page for no reason. Excellent form and layout signals that an employer cared enough about you to put energy and thought into the professional presentation of the work certificate.
First of all, don’t fret! German HR professionals often are aware that this practice does not exist much outside of Germany’s borders, and they are willing to take a recommendation letter or list of references in exchange for the work certificates.
To see an example of what this list could look like, download the work certificate template guide. Just make sure you alert your references to all of your job applications and send them your German CV/resume and cover letter for each position ahead of time, so if they do get a call or need to fill out a form about you, everything is prepared for them ahead of time (read more about this in attachments in a German job application).
If you hold any paid position at your German university, you are entitled to a work certificate. This includes student assistants (Studentische Hilfskräfte), graduate assistants (Wissenschaftliche Hilfskräfte), scientific assistant (Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter/in), and of course also anything within the upper ranks of academia, starting with postdocs through to full professors.
In addition, if you do volunteer work, such as by being an “international buddy” or similar with the university’s international office, you can also ask for a confirmation certificate of your experience/time spent doing that activity. That is not a work certificate, but a certificate you can include in the attachments portion of your application (read more about this in attachments in a German job application).
You should ask for an interim certificate (Zwischenzeugnis) if one of the following situations presents itself:
The basic idea is anytime a significant change occurs, it makes sense to ask for an interim certificate (Zwischenzeugnis). The reason behind the Zwischenzeugnis should say something other than “auf eigenen Wunsch” without any further concretization, because this could indicate that the person is simply looking for a new job. In addition, asking for an interim certificate (Zwischenzeugnis) out of the blue (i.e. without one of the above reasons being present) will signal to your current employer that you are looking for a new job.
Technically, yes. But do your best to get the certificates, and include a reference list as noted above (read more about this in attachments in a German job application). . Please do not let the lack of a work certificate hold you back from applying for a job!
Simply include the most important, or the three more recent, or both. There are different strategies for people who have 10-20 years of experience, and you should consult with a coach to determine what makes the most sense for you.
If you have worked outside of Germany and for whatever reason are no longer able to obtain a work certificate from the company(ies), then you should consider including either a list of references from each job on your German CV/resume and/or 1-2 recommendation letters from people you worked with or for. To see an example of what this list could look like check out the article about attachments in a German job application).
Make sure that the recommendation letter clearly indicates your relationship to the recommender and their contact information. The letter should not just praise you as a person and employee, but give concrete evidence and examples of your work, your projects and your past accomplishments. You may also want to ask each reference to highlight a different skill or ability, to further validate what you list on your German CV/resume. You can include a reference or recommendation from university, too, such as from your thesis supervisor, a professor you had for multiple classes, or a work-study or internship supervisor. A list of references and a recommendation letter should not exceed one page. To see an example of what a reference list could look like and download a template, check out the article about attachments in a German job application.
While LinkedIn recommendations are great for establishing credibility, they cannot take the place of a work certificate. Ensure you receive the work certificate, and then ask your boss or a colleague if they would also be open to writing a LinkedIn recommendation for you.
Karrierecoach München offers professional assessments of your individual work certificates. Our service for final and interim references as well as letters of reference include the following two options.
Get in touch with Karrierecoach München to learn more.
If you are told to write your own work certificate, please use both books and qualified trainers to do so. Resources to begin with include:
If you are in Germany, you can normally check these out from a local library. These resources can also be used to understand what is in your certificate and ask for adjustments as needed. It is perfectly fine to provide suggestions to the work certificate. In fact, your boss may provide you with a word document to make suggestions for improvement.
