Sounds rough man.
could you elaborate with some examples of day to day bs you had to put up with at these jobs?
I’ve been in a couple of places like that over the years.
In one I was in charge of marketing but the CEO would go through the English content on the website line by line. My supervisor checking 'my grammar ’ in emails. This kind of bollixoligy.
There was also a lot of back biting from other employees , presumably because I got paid more than them .
When we travelled we had to double up in hotel rooms. Also expenses were far too low…
The fines for being five mins late but no overtime.
The worst was the 7pm Friday meetings. A few places would do that…WTF was their problem !?!
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My friend works in Deutsche Bank in London as a manager. Obvs making big bucks. Asked what would happen if she organized meeting at 5pm Friday like Taiwanese boss. She said everyone would ignore it and think was a joke.
I never understood that.
Come in a minute or two late due to traffic and get penalized a hour or two of income, but then they expect you to stay until 7 or 8 unpaid. Screw them and the horse they rode in on.
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For sure, i noticed that too. They have to be really comfortable with you before they are willing to express themselves but once they get going the ideas are good.
Cept the local boss doesn’t want to hear what they are saying as he is all knowing.
It’s unbelievable but it was very common. I’m not sure how common it is now. I suspect it still happens from the office staff I see rushing to clock in for 9am.
Yeah, two jobs I interviewed for recently had late fines in the contract
The place I work in now is great because
A) It’s not a Taiwanese company
B) I don’t have to deal with much in terms of local office politics (which is often a nightmare )
C) My manager is not Taiwanese (sorry because I did have one or two decent Taiwanese managers but in general…)
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Yeah it is easy to write down and honestly I am trying but the company policy and their work culture are not making things easier. Also unfortunately some colleagues are not showing any openness for any kind of change at all. Those ones who already adapted a new approach are more effective since then.
Do you have the ability to fire people and talk to your higher ups about changing things. I refused to work with anyone who hire me and not let me do my job. I’m good at it and that’s why they hired me, give me more control. I’ve left because I felt like my job was essentially useless.
lets see how it turns out for me, I am not even here for a year, only a few months so far
Well good luck. It’s pretty stressful when you got incompetent workers coming in. Especially older ones who are stuck to their ways.
For me, I set very clear expectations so they fully know when they aren’t doing what I expect. And I give them what the goal is. I give them a a long leash to do it their way. I had to because some of the people I manage have more experience and have been doing it for years. But some of what they’re doing is not what my vision of how things need to be to succeed
Hi all,
My first post here, but I have had a long story with Taiwan… Anyway that’s not the topic!
Short notice: all I am going to say DOES NOT concern expats sent to Taiwan by their “home country company” and DOES NOT concern expats who found a job in Taiwan in a senior position.
To make it short, career-wise speaking, let face it, Taiwan is not a good choice for working, for developing and for career progression. Not to mention low salaries, which will not help you much once you move back to your home country (if you do so). Even Taiwanese are “escaping” their own country to go work in China, Vietnam, Australia, New-Zealand…
I would say that Taiwan is amazing for the living environment, for its people, for the food, for its heritage, and so many more things, but not to make a career, except if you are sent as an expat or if you find a really good opportunity there.
I can feel the exasperation and the frustration in TD’s post, and totally understand it. I would not advise a young graduate to move to Taiwan for work, but instead go to China/Singapore/Vietnam/Hong-Kong to build up his resume. There are exceptions of course, such as with expats’ children who have the chance to do internships in MNCs in Taiwan. Also it still seems that English teachers are doing pretty good money in Taiwan. But I won’t be surprised that sooner or later, Taiwan will make what I call a “deep cleaning” of “English teachers” just like China recently did. I could also see Taiwan putting restrictions on the problematic with people doing countless “visa run” and staying in Taiwan like this for years and years. Sooner or later, I guess this won’t be possible anymore, but I guess this will take a while…
As for the ‘deep cleaning’…
Taiwan is going to hire 4600 MORE foreign English teachers for elementary schools.
Taiwan does need this as I can tell you English instruction in elementary schools is atrocious.
I really don’t know why people have such a bee in their bonnet about English teachers, it’s just a job and a honest job at the end of the day. English teachers don’t do visa runs anymore. The vast majority are legally employed. They are also vetted for police record and medical tested. Their qualifications are also vetted now , at least compared to before.
But totally agree…Would not recommend young grads to come to Taiwan.
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Especially not to come on this website and ask questions.
I read all the horror stories but it really comes down to personal choice. Don’t take a shit job, and don’t get bullied by one of the many borderline nut job HR managers pre-hire.
While the glory days of expat packages are long gone for the most part, there are still good jobs here, but you really need to know who to talk to. FOBs likely cannot do that as it takes time. Get out there, meet people, make a positive impression. There are a lot of talented people wallowing in ESL hell.
I have worked for several Taiwan owned companies with Taiwan laobans and my pay has always been north of six figures monthly plus bonuses. Packages vary (some give you shit for time off), but in general jobs allowing one to save money and live well.
They are out there, but sometimes you need to convince someone of your value. No one is going to pay you for work they can get a lesser paid local to do, nor will they pay you for work they can do.
What are you bringing to the table.
Get good at something, add value to yourself.
Cheer up Gain it’s the weekend.
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For Gain, it’s always 8 a.m. on Monday morning. 
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And before coffee.
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And raining but forgot the umbrella
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