Workplace reviews and discussion: 華鵬廣告設計有限公司

Interview:

　　I applied for a graphic design position. The atmosphere during the interview was very good, and the interview was conducted by the owner. First, you introduce yourself and your portfolio and fill out some forms, then take a computer-based test. There is no time limit for the test. You are given a set of materials to lay out, as well as an image-background-removal task. If you do not have experience designing advertisements, that is fine; the company will provide a product catalog for reference (like the kind from RT-Mart).

　　After you finish the layout, the owner will ask why you chose this company and what strengths you have that would make the company hire you. You will also be told that overtime is frequent and asked whether you can accept that.

Work:

　　The environment is very good. The company plays 96.3 Radio during work, and there is also a snack cabinet, microwave, food steamer, rice cooker, and refrigerator. Every Friday, there is afternoon tea, and employees share their design work with one another.

　　As an additional note, the company’s employee trip was a five-day trip to Thailand during the National Day holiday.

　　At the beginning, new employees are responsible for relatively simple tasks, such as modifying the content of standard templates. These are all projects assisting senior colleagues, so you will not immediately be expected to complete projects independently.

Interview:

　　The listing on 1111 said the salary started at NT$26,000, but when I stated that I expected NT$26,000, they complained that it was too high. In the end, the probationary salary was NT$25,000.

　　When they asked what strengths I had that would make the company hire me, I mentioned that I could do 3D modeling. They seemed to be looking for someone with this skill to facilitate proposals. However, the first 3D task I encountered after joining the company was a relatively complex 3D modeling assignment—a figurine with facial expressions—whereas I could only make simple geometric furniture. I had said I could do it because I had initially been asked whether I could produce cardboard display cabinets for shopping malls. The owner had no understanding of this area at all and seemed to think these things could be completed in a few minutes.

Work:

　　It is best to interpret “frequent overtime” as working overtime every day. Working hours are 9:30–10:00 to after 19:30, and anything after 19:30 counts as overtime (if you go out to eat, your mealtime is deducted). Overtime pay is provided, but the latest I saw someone go home was 1:00 a.m. On average, people left after 9:00–10:00 p.m., and even new employees immediately faced overtime, starting on their very first day.

　　Why do new employees work overtime? Because there is a pile of things that need to be handled by the next day. So when I noticed during the last week of my probation that I had not needed to work overtime a single day and was only doing miscellaneous small tasks, I roughly knew that I was going to be fired.

　　When I received my salary on the 5th, I went to the company to collect it and left immediately afterward. The NT$25,000 salary became NT$30,000 with overtime.

　　Overall, I do not think the work itself is stressful, but the working hours are extremely long. If you want to have a personal life after work, I do not recommend choosing this company.