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Lynn (HR): Hi, thank you for coming to the interview today. I’m glad we have the opportunity to have a conversation. What do you know about our company?

Interviewer: I actually looked up some information. I heard that your company culture is quite harmonious, and that’s one of the reasons I came for the interview. I’m also very interested in the scope of your business.

Lynn (HR): That’s right. We do place a lot of importance on building our culture, and it has a significant impact on our work environment. As for compensation and working hours, there are some details you may need to understand in advance. For example, regarding overtime, it’s part of our daily work. You’ll find that it’s very common, especially for positions at the managerial level and above. Basically, the standard workday is 12 hours, and there may occasionally be a need for additional overtime.

Interviewer: Oh, 12 hours a day sounds like quite a lot. Is overtime paid?

Lynnhr: Overtime is paid, but what’s unusual is that for the 16 hours after the initial 8 hours, the overtime pay rate is 1× the regular salary. We don’t provide additional overtime subsidies like some companies do. To be honest, this compensation structure sometimes makes people feel that it’s a little unfair.

Interviewer: Oh, that’s really different from what I expected. What happens if someone makes a mistake?

Lynnhr: Well, if an error occurs, pay will indeed be deducted, especially for managers—the deductions are greater for them. This is a relatively common situation, and everyone feels the pressure. This management style can sometimes make it a little difficult for new colleagues to adjust.

Interviewer: That sounds a bit strict. What about bonuses? I saw that the company mentioned there would be some bonuses. How exactly are they calculated?

Lynnhr: Bonus calculations are relatively complicated. We have certain criteria, such as performance and work attitude, that affect the final bonus amount. In fact, the calculation process each quarter is very cumbersome, with many procedures to complete and frequent changes to the process. So, to be honest, it often happens that people see a bonus figure but don’t receive the final amount.

Interviewer: That calculation method doesn’t sound very transparent. It’s a little concerning.

Lynnhr: That does happen. For example, there have been cases where a candidate was told during the interview that there would be a result in a month, but we ended up taking three months just to notify them that they had been hired. Even after the notice was sent, some employees felt very confused because our decisions changed back and forth. That’s also why some people feel that the company lacks stability after joining.

Interviewer: Wow, that really does sound unstable. Do many people leave because of these problems?

Lynnhr: Quite a few people do choose to leave, especially new employees. They may feel that it’s acceptable when they first join, but after a few days they discover that there is a lot of overtime, bonuses are difficult to obtain, and the internal processes aren’t transparent enough. Over time, they feel a great deal of pressure.

Interviewer: So, do these issues become apparent within 15 minutes, 3 days, or a week? Or do they take some time?

Lynnhr: Basically, you can sense that something is wrong within five seconds, especially regarding the overtime situation and workload. As for a week, once you begin working on more complicated tasks, you may feel that these blind spots become even more obvious. It may make you feel that the workload is much greater than you expected, to the point where you even feel unable to complete it.

Interviewer: That sounds very difficult. I’ll have to think it over carefully. Is there anything else I need to know?

Lynnhr: Well, one small detail is that the work environment also has some strange situations. Sometimes work is suddenly paused because other activities are scheduled during the original time slot, so you may have to stop and wait for a while. It can feel a bit like playing “Aladdin’s Lamp”: you think you can start right away, but you are always delayed. This uncertainty can sometimes be confusing.

Interviewer: Wow, that sounds really awkward. It seems difficult to control your own time. Are there also some funny situations in everyday work?

Lynnhr): Actually, sometimes in these frustrating situations, everyone uses a little humor to ease the atmosphere. For example, once during a meeting, everyone suddenly brought up the need to solve a difficult problem, but in the end the focus of the discussion became an argument about the rules of Chinese checkers, and everyone laughed uncontrollably. Although these may seem like trivial, unrelated issues, sometimes they instead feel like a small way to escape reality.

Interviewer: Cool, that sounds pretty interesting. Those jokes can really make work feel less heavy. However, listening to you, it seems that the work atmosphere here is quite unusual.

Lynnhr: Yes, this really is a rather unusual place. Although the work is stressful, there are also small moments of happiness that can help you release stress. If you think you can accept this kind of work model, you can still consider joining us. I know some people find these changes difficult to adapt to, but overall, this is also a place where you can learn a lot.

Interviewer: Okay, I’ll think about it some more. Thank you for sharing and helping me understand more about the real situation.

Lynnhr: This is also part of our company culture: honestly telling you the real situation. When people first join this company, they feel that the atmosphere of reform is strong and that some people are extremely serious about their work. Only after a while do they discover that it was all a lie. It lets newcomers immediately experience the joys of being in dire straits.