Workplace reviews and discussion: 臻品手工創作坊
Published on (UTC)
This post was submitted by a user and reflects their personal experience or opinion. The publication date is not an employment or interview date.
‧The owner has a nice personality. The Taipei Mingyao branch is located in a children’s activity center, so the customers are relatively uncomplicated. On weekdays, the atmosphere is relaxed (there are usually no customers, but weekends are a battlefield full of children). You often run the shop alone, with no pressure from a supervisor.
‧Suitable for people who like handicrafts (mainly resin clay), enjoy being around children and elderly people, and want to pass the time.
‧You get to meet some wealthy ladies who are friends of the owner (the students’ parents); customers you get along well with may treat you to snacks.
‧You can learn beadwork, patchwork, sewing, and découpage for free.
‧When there’s nothing to do, you can play with clay and do other handicrafts. Of course... your creations have to be donated to the owner.
1. There are only hourly employees.
2. The pay is very low. During the probationary period, some employees are paid less than the statutory minimum. If you do not proactively ask for a raise, the owner is unlikely to give you one.
(They will continue using the so-called probationary-period wage.)
3. Since the shop is inside a department store, you have to follow its rules, like a department-store sales associate.
(You will be fined for being seen eating or for leaving the counter unattended. Since you often run the shop alone, there is no proper break time during work.)
4. If you do not proactively request labor and health insurance, you will not receive them.
5. The owner often calculates wages incorrectly. (You get paid too little.)
6. Occasionally, you have to babysit (the youngest child was two years old), as well as listen to elderly customers ramble.
7. Turnover is extremely high, and staffing is clearly insufficient (weekends can become unbearably busy).
8. Although you apply to be a handicraft instructor, you have to handle everything because you run the stall alone.
9. You need to promote courses to customers.
P.S. This information is from three years ago.