The simple employment reference confirms only the nature and duration of the activity — with no evaluation of performance and conduct (§ 109 Abs. 1 GewO). It is the standard form of the reference to which every employee is entitled upon termination. As neutral as it sounds, it is, in practice, two-edged: in the right circumstances it is the safe choice; after many years of employment it can, however, be perceived by HR as a red flag.
What a simple certificate contains — and what it doesn't.
Your personal details, the duration of employment, and a description of the duties performed must be so complete that a future employer can form a clear picture of your responsibilities. Not included are grades, assessments of conduct, and a closing statement with thanks and regret. Also for the simple certificate, there is a duty of truth and a requirement of clarity — hidden messages are as inadmissible as in the qualified certificate.
When the simple employment reference is the right choice.
It is particularly sensible for very short periods of employment, as well as for temporary and part-time jobs with no relation to the pursued career path—or when it is foreseeable that an assessment would be unfavourable: a neutral, simple reference can then be better than a qualified one with a grade of 4. You should weigh this decision deliberately yourself, not have the employer do it for you.
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The risk: Silence will be read.
After several years on the job, every HR professional expects a qualified employment reference. If you submit only a basic one, the question naturally arises as to why the assessment is missing — the obvious assumption is a poor assessment, which should be avoided. Therefore, carefully assess whether the basic employment reference in your situation really is the better choice.
Switch from a basic to a qualified certificate
If you have initially only received a simple certificate, you can subsequently request the qualified certificate, as long as the claim has not prescribed or been barred by exclusion periods. Conversely, you can, in general, also demand a simple certificate instead of a previously issued qualified certificate, for example if the assessment has turned out to be unfavorable.