I am the first foreigner in a small “technology” company.
It needs more than 5 interviews to get my recruiting manager hired me, even I already helped the company for their initial product design, since I was studying gradschool a year before.
I don’t speak Chinese, my English is passable at best. Apu of Kwik-e-mart spoke English better than me.
I know from get go, I need to fly under the radar.
There are no internal training. No money to spend on external training also.
Maybe you are not flying under the radar enough to get noticed.
Maybe someone badmouthing you. (Could be a local or fellow foreigner)
Maybe someone think you re the kind of person to fluck? Instead whose az to kiss?
The key for good quality working… when you start working in Taiwan company.
if you are Taiwanese: -deleted-
If you are likable foreigner: find someone to show you the ropes. Someone to attach on. Like a remora finding an appropriate shark. Make sure the shark know that u rnt threatening him/her. A little more experience than you. Not too much. He’ll be your stepping stone for others to like you.
If you are a normal average foreigner: fly under the radar. Always looks busy, staring at your computer. Never ever get caught reading a book that is not in your computer (pdf). Avoid eye contact with higher ranked people.
After a year or two, it doesn’t matter, you could do pretty much anything. Aside from in conflict with your supervisors.
Most high end places would have a pool. Kids could get together for a birthday party and use the pool. Problem would be most local kids do not know how to swim.
A co-worker who is promoted invites his coworkers to eat. Nothing weird about that.
If your supervisor had just given you a few pointers, you could have edited the stuff to average stuff. That the reaction was so angry and ended with you being fired over those topics seems a bit over the top. It makes little sense it was that but rather something else.
I mean, as we say in Spanish, it is shooting a fly with a cannon.
No it’s not. That’s what “probation periods” are for, for testing waters and letting both sides stop it before it’s too late for either part. Dunno what you find weird about it.
Anyway, will keep reading tomorrow to see what exactly happened and I might understand your complaints a bit more.
Whine you are probation, and somebody.takes a disliking to you, you are pretty much screwed.
The actual reason could be almost anything to be honest.
Taiwanese workplaces can be full of backbiting, really brutal sometimes. I didn’t realise it until I was working a few years already because nobody does direct conflict.
Also, a lot of “managers” got to their position by connection to the GM, CEO, directors or owner or someone up there.(hint: google GUANXI)
They are never had experience doing the job that actually need to be done, other than to delegate. They (and everyone else up there) realize that they themselves can’t do the job. They often also didn’t have the capability (brain power?) to examine the work done.
Luckily for them, there always be morons that gonna do the job for them. (That’s where u and other newbies come along). These morons are easily replaceable.
In your case, say in English language/culture. I bet most of the managers aren’t even know a slightest hint about British/American English culture aside maybe memorizing grammar and vocabulary.
Supply of English teachers are always available and rather easy to hire.
Some managers are sympathetic, most are not. Be wary with the latter.
Just find a GOOD reason for next job application on why you have only 1 month probation at XXX company. Or simply avoid writing it altogether, but you need to fill the void in timeline with good things.
Two years ago I was asked to do a 4 day teacher training course. By the end of the second day it was clear that two of the attendees had seriously taken against me. I even asked each of them during breaks if there was an issue and how could I resolve it, and both of them were sweetness and light. Telling me how much they were enjoying the course.
Anyway, they continued to be passive aggressive disruptive throughout the third day. This made all my teaching look bad. Luckily for me the the fourth day was cancelled due to a typhoon.
The feedback forms my employer got were the worst I’ve had. Just beyond vindictive.
It proved to be a financial hit for me because I’ve not been offered any work from that employer since, and I’d been doing occasional work for them for 6 years prior to this. To be fair, I failed in the task I was given.
I’ve no idea what I did to piss these two people off. It’s just how things can work in Taiwan.
Well, as for the pool party thing – so the only culture it’s okay to show in a lesson is Taiwan-Engrish culture? If you’re a gen-u-ine furriner, and you come up with that, isn’t that you broadening the tiny horizons of all their forced listeners and readers?
Why hire foreigners at all, since the Taiwanese have always known more than we do about English grammar and now apparently know more about the culture of English-speaking countries?
Of this, 99% I am certain that you stepping into their turf.
Possibly the job supposed to be for either of them, as a promotion/extras, instead offered to you.
OK, next time Live-ABC post on here (should be any day now) everyone jump on the thread (before it closes) and ask them, politely, what their probation period process is, and are pool parties a culturally acceptable practice in Taiwan.
They are taught how to swim in Elementary school. It is an actual class in Taipei City and New Taipei City schools. They even bus the kids to pools. Most private schools also teach swimming.
These were Taiwanese teachers, not Western teachers I take it?
I don’t think I could be a teacher trainer. Too many proud egos getting bruised… too much stress.
Hahaha
Are you kidding? Western teachers here have far larger and bloated egos about their teaching skills than local teachers…at least in my experience here. Many of those egos are fronts for their actual lack of teaching ability and knowledge…a fabrication to help get them hired.
I’m surprised by how sympathetic and nice the responses are. No one went the occam’s razor route of maybe the op just wasn’t very good at writing scripts?
Honestly anyone who grew up speaking English can write these, it isn’t like teaching where you need to be able to control the classroom and such. And there are lines of English speakers on the island who can use this kind of job so therefore the high turnover rate. If anyone can do it and the guy on probation or working isn’t that great. Let’s just get another one in.