31,000 NTD Job Offer - WTF

So I just got offered my first Full-time job ever in Taiwan. In the past i’ve done mostly contracts/part-time (Fresh Graduate)
I’m Taiwanese but look foreign, can’t speak Jack Chinese.

31,000 NTD. Man I feel like a truck just hit me.
(Medical Device Industry)

Accept/ Decline?

Need to tell them by tomorrow

That would be about average for a fresh graduate in Taiwan. Probably a bit on the high side, actually.

Have you considered teaching English? :smiley:

Completed my TESOL Certificate.
I really don’t want to go down the Teaching English route brother…

Finley is 100% correct. The offer is good by fresh graduate standards.

What’s tour position? Sales Rep international / R&D ?
if Sales, your variable bonus should be potentially a multiplication of base

Similar industries would offer 35-40 K for Junior Rep’s - speaking Chinese

Business Development Division. Marketing editor

New product ventures/Instruction manuals/ website maintenance + SEO coding/Translation Work/ Market research for New products/ Foreign Research Collaboration.
Catalogues/ Print marketing material/

All I wanted was 35k to start. :frowning:

I think you is between a rock and a high place. How can you be Taiwanese and not speak Chinese? If they were looking for a native speaker for that job its 48,000 minimum. If they aren’t then they’ll be lucky to have found you but its not lucky for you.

Born in Indonesia, Dad is Indian, Mum is Taiwanese, Educated in England. Indian + Taiwan Passport. :loco:
I do all their editing for the products to be sold in international markets. Handle all the Contracts/Statement of Purpose (SOP) procedures for clinical collaboration and help with their market research.

Asking more questions to my Manager in a bit. All advice is much appreciated.

[quote=“hs172”]
All I wanted was 35k to start. :frowning:[/quote]

Some employers try to cut down whatever you ask, thinking its good management and saving the company money, regardless its reasonable or not. If you have native speakers level of English proficiency, 35K is already low for a technical writer, they would be paying a Taiwanese who worked like a snail and made a ton of mistakes more than that.

Born in Indonesia, Dad is Indian, Mum is Taiwanese, Educated in England. Indian + Taiwan Passport. :loco:
I do all their editing for the products to be sold in international markets. Handle all the Contracts/Statement of Purpose (SOP) procedures for clinical collaboration and help with their market research.

Asking more questions to my Manager in a bit. All advice is much appreciated.[/quote]

well 31,000 is better than none. Company looks sound enough and to be honest there aren’t that many opportunities out there. Push for 35k after a 3 month trial.

[quote=“Mick”][quote=“hs172”]
All I wanted was 35k to start. :frowning:[/quote]

Some employers try to cut down whatever you ask, thinking its good management and saving the company money, regardless its reasonable or not. If you have native speakers level of English proficiency, 35K is already low for a technical writer, they would be paying a Taiwanese who worked like a snail and made a ton of mistakes more than that.[/quote]

I am a Native English Speaker and not once has by technical/editorial work been questioned. There was one case where my ‘tone’ was not what they wanted. I gave a more technical/medical write-up and they just wanted it more general. There has been some issues with my presentation but I attribute that with a lack of industry knowledge and naivety.

My normal day involves correcting/translating/editing a f*** ton of Instruction manuals/catalogues/websites/press releases and start-up guides.

[quote=“hs172”]
I am a Native English Speaker and not once has by technical/editorial work been questioned. There was one case where my ‘tone’ was not what they wanted. I gave a more technical/medical write-up and they just wanted it more general. There has been some issues with my presentation but I attribute that with a lack of industry knowledge and naivety.

My normal day involves correcting/translating/editing a f*** ton of Instruction manuals/catalogues/websites/press releases and start-up guides.[/quote]

I’m sure they will have you working on their exhibitions too, plus a customer help page and anything else they can think up. The Bear’s suggestion is not bad, tell them you want 35k after 3 months, but honestly, even 35k is low, so I don’t know how long they expect you to hang around for.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

[quote=“Mick”][quote=“hs172”]
I am a Native English Speaker and not once has by technical/editorial work been questioned. There was one case where my ‘tone’ was not what they wanted. I gave a more technical/medical write-up and they just wanted it more general. There has been some issues with my presentation but I attribute that with a lack of industry knowledge and naivety.

My normal day involves correcting/translating/editing a f*** ton of Instruction manuals/catalogues/websites/press releases and start-up guides.[/quote]

I’m sure they will have you working on their exhibitions too, plus a customer help page and anything else they can think up. The Bear’s suggestion is not bad, tell them you want 35k after 3 months, but honestly, even 35k is low, so I don’t know how long they expect you to hang around for.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.[/quote]

Hanging round till the GOV calls me up for the Army. Do my Army. Then GTFO for a better job. Thank you. I won’t back down from my 35k goal.

Taiwanese citizenship allows you to work any job you can get. Teaching english should get you 60,000/month plus. Sure you dont want to max that opp?

Its hard to get even 50,000nt/month with a TW company. Unless you work for a seriously BIG and progressive organization that values YOUR input a whole hecka lot.

Better make your chinese as good as your english if Taiwan is going to be your home for the next 10 plus years ?

Your best bet, may be to work for a FOREIGN company. They will value your english ability (but not speaking fluent mando could hurt). And pay could be a whole lot better.

Or maybe you can max with a company that is BIG and PROGRESSIVE and looking to send you to INDIA ? Presuming you can speak an Indian language? That could be helpful . But of course most Indians speak english in the business environment I think.

But being a citizen could mean a TW company could station you there?

P>S> you could stick to your guns straight off and demand 35k or you are going elsewhere. Show them you are no pussy. Course be aware your answer could be THANKS BUT NO. There are tons of people looking for work.

BUt if i was the one hiring, id appreciate your courage to speak up for yourself.

(but in future if you want 35k, always ask for MORE , ask for 50,000/month…no wait make that 40,000 because 50,000 may make your Resume get binned straight off at that company if they plan to hire someone at 31k )

[quote=“tommy525”]Taiwanese citizenship allows you to work any job you can get. Teaching english should get you 60,000/month plus. Sure you dont want to max that opp?

Its hard to get even 50,000nt/month with a TW company. Unless you work for a seriously BIG and progressive organization that values YOUR input a whole hecka lot.

Better make your chinese as good as your english if Taiwan is going to be your home for the next 10 plus years ?

Your best bet, may be to work for a FOREIGN company. They will value your english ability (but not speaking fluent mando could hurt). And pay could be a whole lot better.

Or maybe you can max with a company that is BIG and PROGRESSIVE and looking to send you to INDIA ? Presuming you can speak an Indian language? That could be helpful . But of course most Indians speak english in the business environment I think.

But being a citizen could mean a TW company could station you there?

P>S> you could stick to your guns straight off and demand 35k or you are going elsewhere. Show them you are no pussy. Course be aware your answer could be THANKS BUT NO. There are tons of people looking for work.

BUt if I was the one hiring, id appreciate your courage to speak up for yourself.

(but in future if you want 35k, always ask for MORE , ask for 50,000/month…no wait make that 40,000 because 50,000 may make your Resume get binned straight off at that company if they plan to hire someone at 31k )[/quote]

Haha if you can tell me the BIG and PROGRESSIVE organization name. It would be much appreciated :bow:
But thanks. I’m currently waiting for her to get in the office so that I can put the cards on the table and say it straight.

[quote=“finley”]That would be about average for a fresh graduate in Taiwan. Probably a bit on the high side, actually.

Have you considered teaching English? :smiley:[/quote]

He might get more as an English teacher. However since I am asuming he looks Indian and has a Taiwanese passport a school would end up offering him a Taiwanese salary in a buxiban.

The other problem with English teaching is that if he does it for five years. He will just be five years older without any additional work experience. I don’t think experience as an English teacher counts for much outside of the education industry.

If you were born in Indonesia doesn’t that make you Indonesian?

This worries me as I was born in Nobber :popcorn:

hard place