Workplace reviews and discussion: 台灣文創發展股份有限公司

This position is listed on 104 under Taiwan Creative Development Co., Ltd., but it is actually for the Taiwan Creative Development Foundation. The interview was conducted by Ms. Yeh, who was the deputy executive director at the time. Basically, she did not ask many constructive questions. It felt that they mainly looked at whether you had experience similar to theirs—for example, she had previously worked at the foundation, so if you had relevant work experience with the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs, you might be hired.

The benefits basically follow the company’s system. Gift vouchers or cash are sometimes provided for the three major holidays; those who have not yet completed their probationary period receive a gift box. There are two days off per week, but because some events are held on weekends, work is sometimes scheduled on a shift basis.

1. Huashan is basically a “family fiefdom”: having connections means you have no problems. The management team is generally older, and most of them are not open-minded. They are accustomed to the old way of doing things and the old notions of order, so the workplace is suited to people who know how to flatter and curry favor.

2. The managers like to favor “their own people,” and this is very apparent in work assignments. If you are considered one of “their own people,” you can basically do no wrong. If you are not, then expect to do the work that “their own people” do not like or do not want to do.

3. The managers do not know how to lead or manage people. For many things, you have to figure them out yourself or find other people to help or teach you. If a manager does not understand an assigned task or thinks it needs to be changed, they will neither explain it properly nor teach you; instead, they will step in and do it themselves, making major revisions to presentations and the like—so many that you no longer recognize it as your own work—and then turn around and say that you did not do anything.