The position applied for was an international trade staff member. The company environment was neat, clean, and quiet, and the receptionist was nice. I had a fairly pleasant conversation with the first interviewer, who was wearing a uniform. As several people mentioned before, they really built you up and made you feel highly valued. Since I was applying for an international trade position, the interviewer first asked me to introduce myself in English. The interview then continued in English, focusing on my self-introduction and the English in my résumé and autobiography, until the interviewer could no longer continue in English. Then the interview switched to Chinese to discuss the company benefits and give me an opportunity to ask questions. If hired, people from out of town receive a housing allowance.

The company’s directional signs are unclear. I didn’t know where to park, and the entrance is inside, so if you have never been there, you have no idea where to enter the company. The atmosphere felt very serious. I brought my own résumé, but still had to fill out their standard application form after arriving. They gave me the form to fill out but did not provide a pen; when my pen ran out of ink halfway through, I had to borrow one from an employee inside. The form included questions such as whether female applicants were pregnant and whether they were willing to work overtime. The second interviewer’s attitude and facial expression were extremely unpleasant; she appeared to be the owner’s wife. 104 had separate listings for international trade staff and sales staff, but only after I asked did they say that the two positions were actually the same. They said that, as a recent graduate without experience, I could only work as a sales assistant. They said they would notify me of the interview result, probationary period, and salary within seven days (July 11), but I still had not received any notification by July 18. When I asked whether the salary complied with the Labor Standards Act and included labor and health insurance, the first interviewer said it was “basically” compliant. The second interviewer asked some strange questions, such as what my family members did for a living—and asked in considerable detail. Since I was from out of town, I was also asked which road my rented accommodation was on and which route I had ridden from to attend the interview. It felt strange.