Letters of Reference from less-than-desired desks

[the mapmaker]

Hey all. a bit early to be asking this question, but i plan on trying to find a job in the big city come next march/april hiring period. my current employment situation has me working with people i don't much mesh with, in a place that is less than ideal. the old "first world ALT cry myself a river on my steady paycheck and low rent", i know. but if i'm gonna put up with bullshit, i'd rather do it in Tokyo or Osaka, even at a higher cost of living and crappier hours .

the question:

is it true that in order to get another ALT gig or an Eikawa gig, i have to have letters of reference and or recommendation? is it also true that the new company will insist on calling the old company? is any of this standard procedure? or have i been misinformed?

if so, i may not be able to get a good reference or call. i have no backup here seeing as how the three people i work with don't get along with me very well (all of whom are old japanese men).

if it's just a letter, i can swing that. if they need to speak to these people, i may have a problem. any help is much appreciated. if you don't mind, please share some experiences in the interview/ job hunt process yourselves! any tips, tricks, hints, or warnings also welcomed

thanks

[yanpa]

i am not familiar with the ALT/Eikaiwa industries, so this advice is worth every penny it's costing you, but i find it unlikely there's a "standard procedure" adhered to by all ALT/Eikaiwa companies.

the Let's Japan forum might be of more help to you.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I'm also unfamiliar with Engrish teaching, but when a potential employer contacts a former employer they're not supposed to be able to ask for anything other than affirmation of periods that you have told them you worked for.
Having said that, many potential employers have asked much more about my past and apparently been given answers to anything they asked.
It seems to me, too, that Japanese employers and recruiting agencies are now more thorough in performing due diligence than they once had been, but that may only be surmising on my part.
Anyway, good luck!

[Samurai_Jerk]

Whether or not you need a reference will depend on the company doing the hiring. There's no rule that you have to have a reference in the Eikawa industry. Compared to companies in some countries Japanese corporations are less likely to do reference checks regardless of industry. As SDH mentioned they are doing background checks more than they used to but that's generally just to confirm how long you worked at a previous employer, what your role was, and how much you made. That last point is usually confirmed by asking for a copy of your most recent tax withholding statement (源泉徴収票) and that's often the only thing they want to see.