Job Discussion Forums

asian sensation · Joined: 17 Oct 2007 Posts: 7

Hey all,

Regarding the reference letters to prove work experience, do I need a stamp on them or is a signature sufficient? These would be from outside of China. I have never worked in China before.

LarssonCrew · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 1308

One school told me I needed a reference letter from a uni I worked at in 2009. In the far reaches of Gansu, how on earth am I suppose to do that. The people I worked with aren't even working there any more and they probably have no records or anything.

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

Unless it was specifically stipulated that you need a reference from a Chinese school, any former employer can write a simple positive statement on his letterhead, and that will suffice.

A minister can write a letter of personal reference. That will prop up all other glowing commentaries. If you are newly-graduated with a scant work record or have crummy former employers who won't write a letter, have a professor who likes you to write a letter on university letterhead. (Give him a hand and write it for him).

And SAVE all of this good stuff that people say about you. If you stay in China it will help. If you don't stay in China, it will help you.

jimpellow · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 913

Um..I think the question he is asking relates more to the two years of "relevant experience", and if those presented to the Chinese authorities need to have the "stamp" on them. His logic is following some good initial research that China has become "stamp" happy with requirements.

Personally, I have not read of these needing a "stamp". I am not actually sure how one would go about doing that. I would think if it were required, it would be seen on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis.

If you don't have the two years relevant experience, you can most likely "fudge" it with some magic, provided your age is not so young that it wouldn't add up. In theory, these need to translated by a professional translation company with their official "stamp" on it.

3701 W.119th · Joined: 26 Feb 2014 Posts: 386 Location: Central China

A reference letter from your home country just needs to be on letter-headed paper. They probably wont even read the content.

A reference letter from your Chinese employer just needs to have the red 'chop'. They probably wont even read the content.

I often wonder why we even bother, but this is China.

LarssonCrew · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 1308

In some small cities in say Gansu, it wouldn't surprise me if the police people checking your registration or the guy stopping to check your passport can even understand a word other than 'hello.'

I remember strangely going to the police to register and the woman registering was away for the day [it was 2 weeks before Spring Festival]. They told me to come back after Spring Festival. I said 'but I MUST register within 48 hours'. They shruged and it wasn't a problem.

It's strange because one police station had 2 people doing it, one didn't care, would let me and my friend write almost anything and give a stamp, the other was so serious and obviously craved the power she had over 'foreigners.' One wrong thing like an initial instead of your middle name and it was do another one.