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eslteach
Joined: 28 Sep 2010
Posts: 94
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 Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 2:01 pm Post subject: Exactly What Type of Reference Letter is Required? |
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I have read that in order to find another job in China, a teacher must have a reference letter from a previous employer. Is this 100% required?
What exactly does this letter need to say? Who should write it? |
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dragon777
Joined: 05 Oct 2005
Posts: 163
Location: Christmas Island
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| Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Only if you are using them in your CV. |
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Teatime of Soul
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Posts: 905
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| Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Letter of Reference/Letter of Release is a standard form that states you have no obligations to the school and notes the character of your service to the school.
One copy is sent to your local PSB, you get one and your school gets one.
Not supposed to be hired without one from your previous employer, but YMMV on that. |
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randyj
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 460
Location: Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 12:03 am Post subject: |
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The standard form that Teatime mentions is the 外国文教专家或外籍专业人员推荐信 (Foreign Expert or Foreign Professional Letter of Recommendation). It has a space to check whether the subject was average, good, or very good. There is also a quite small optional space for additional comments. There used to be an example online, but it looks like that has been deleted. Maybe somebody knows where to find a copy currently. Found it. See www.ynrs.gov.cn/uploadfl/200841491633803.doc
If a person wants a more traditional letter of recommendation, a letter that extols those many virtues, then the chances are one must write it themselves, for the waiban's signature. Usually a waiban lacks sufficient confidence in their English writing ability to attempt it, not to mention the time. Writing one's own recommendation letter at first seemed to me a little put-offish, but I have warmed to the idea. A person can perhaps emphasize strong points, while failing to mention shortcomings. (Oh, you impregnated the entire girls volleyball team, you sly dog!) If a waiban likes the teacher, then they may suggest adding some embellishment. Or they may just sign it without reading. I have experienced both circumstances.
Last edited by randyj on Wed Oct 06, 2010 1:43 am; edited 3 times in total |
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Miles Smiles
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1294
Location: Heebee Jeebee
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 12:10 am Post subject: |
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| Teatime of Soul wrote: |
Letter of Reference/Letter of Release is a standard form that states you have no obligations to the school and notes the character of your service to the school.
One copy is sent to your local PSB, you get one and your school gets one.
Not supposed to be hired without one from your previous employer, but YMMV on that. |
I received a letter of release from my former employer. I had it translated. There was nothing which could be considered a referral of any sort except that I had no further obligations to the school and that I was free to seek employment elsewhere. It was a boilerplate form.
I received a letter of reference from the dean of the FL department that stated that I was well-liked, did good work, etc.. It was written in English. I requested the letter for future employers back home in order to document my teaching experience in China. Others in my school who moved on received the exact same letter of release that I received. It was not forwarded to anyone's future employer.
This my experience. |
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DixieCat
Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 263
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 1:00 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I received a letter of release from my former employer. I had it translated. There was nothing which could be considered a referral of any sort except that I had no further obligations to the school and that I was free to seek employment elsewhere. It was a boilerplate form. |
This is all tht is required in many provinces and often the only copy made is presented to the employee leaving the employ of a organization. |
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eslteach
Joined: 28 Sep 2010
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 6:28 am Post subject: |
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| great answers. thanks, guys |
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Teatime of Soul
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Posts: 905
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| Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Each Province if free to craft the letter to suit their desires. The only standard thing is, it is "standard" in that province. As always, YMMV. |
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HiddenTreasure
Joined: 03 Oct 2010
Posts: 81
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| Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 3:02 am Post subject: |
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It's unfortunate that someone comes here and has no clue what the proper procedure is to get a new job. RESEARCH PEOPLE - RESEARCH BEFORE you are in any situation. WOW!! 
A so-called letter of release and letter of recommendation have essentially been rolled into one letter. IT IS REQUIRED to get a new job.
If you can't get it, then it's clear you've been on the responsibility end of ending/losing your job and you should find another country in which to work.
Honesty
Integrity
Professionalism
Morals
Values
You must have the letter. The employer is also required to give you the letter that you finished the contract, were fired, quit, etc. |
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DixieCat
Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 263
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| Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 6:25 am Post subject: |
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Not always.
| Quote: |
| The employer is also required to give you the letter that you finished the contract, were fired, quit, etc. |
Try and find that in Labor law. While I do think it is a SAFEA reg. not all schools will comply and then what do you do? |
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Teatime of Soul
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Posts: 905
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| Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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| DixieCat wrote: |
Not always.
| Quote: |
| The employer is also required to give you the letter that you finished the contract, were fired, quit, etc. |
Try and find that in Labor law. While I do think it is a SAFEA reg. not all schools will comply and then what do you do? |
Go to the PSB. Or simply state your intentions to go. They are supposed to get a copy. I've known a few folks in this predicament and this worked.
The schools don't want to stick a thumb in the eye of the PSB when they ask for a REQUIRED document.
Not gonna get into a debate over what is and isn't required. Just gonna tell you what works.
If you ended up working for so shady an outfit that they refuse to comply with the PSB, then your chain of problems is very long indeed. |
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DixieCat
Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 263
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| Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 11:06 pm Post subject: |
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Not gonna get into a debate over what is and isn't required. Just gonna tell you what works.
If you ended up working for so shady an outfit that they refuse to comply with the PSB, then your chain of problems is very long indeed. |
As you have said before, each Provence is different and the availability of PSB involvement also follows suit.
One of the schools in your area governed by the same Providential office as your organization uses this trick to avoid the employees from taking jobs after their contract is up. It has happened right under you nose and there is really little the PSB can do bout it. I did indeed have the same thing happen to me and had to go the Foreign Workers route for a year ( which was one of the way to get around the problem). |
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Teatime of Soul
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Posts: 905
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| Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 3:13 am Post subject: |
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One swallow does not a spring make.
You call always trot out a (dated) example to try to prove an exception to the rule.
It is called generalizing from the specific.
You can also advise people to go parachuting without a parachute because a few people have survived falls without one.
So, please understand, most people don't work for the entirely rogue outfits that you seem to have ended up with.
If you have some advice for the OP, please post it here instead of simply putting down advice others give. |
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hochhasd
Joined: 03 Jul 2008
Posts: 422
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| Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Teatime of Soul wrote: |
| DixieCat wrote: |
Not always.
| Quote: |
| The employer is also required to give you the letter that you finished the contract, were fired, quit, etc. |
Try and find that in Labor law. While I do think it is a SAFEA reg. not all schools will comply and then what do you do? |
Go to the PSB. Or simply state your intentions to go. They are supposed to get a copy. I've known a few folks in this predicament and this worked.
The schools don't want to stick a thumb in the eye of the PSB when they ask for a REQUIRED document.
Not gonna get into a debate over what is and isn't required. Just gonna tell you what works.
If you ended up working for so shady an outfit that they refuse to comply with the PSB, then your chain of problems is very long indeed. |
If you could tell me if the following reference letters are ok for teaching private,public and having recruiter, I would appreciate it .
My current employer will only give an employee number and name along with the dates that I worked at the job. I may be able to get a letter from a teacher in the schooldistrict on the district's letterhead saying I did a good job cover their class and how long they have known me.
My employeer in the Korean Public school signed a letter I typed out on a blank piece of paper saying when I was employed to and from and what job I did and claiming I did a good job. The letter does not have the date the letter was typed and of course no letterhead.
Will this do ?  |
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