Workplace reviews and discussion: 新願文創事業有限公司

The interview took place at an art fair in a Taipei hotel. I was referred by a friend, and the owner conducted the interview personally. It lasted approximately 15–20 minutes.

The referral and initial contact occurred because my friend had already joined the company and encouraged me to work there as well. The owner said that the company was looking for new employees. The discussion had no formal structure and directly assessed basic suitability, without going into the details of the position or asking test questions.

In the end, I was verbally informed on the spot that I would start work a few weeks later, with no written offer or subsequent confirmation steps.

This kind of rapid hiring may be suitable when staff are urgently needed, but job seekers are advised to confirm the written contract, salary, and division of responsibilities before accepting the position to avoid verbal promises falling through. On-site interviews at art fairs are common in the cultural and creative industries, but formal procedures can easily be overlooked.

The recruitment process is overly casual, often relying on referrals from friends or quick hiring at art fairs, with no formal written offer or probation confirmation. This can easily lead to discrepancies between the actual duties after joining and the initial expectations.

Employee turnover is extremely high, and the company relies heavily on interns to handle core operations. This may be due to considerations of labor costs and has resulted in insufficient training for full-time employees. Salaries have long been officially reported at amounts lower than the actual payments. The company has no salary increase or promotion system, limiting employees’ development opportunities. Management decisions change constantly, and problems are often blamed on employees, resulting in operational stagnation and ineffective strategies, such as those involving advertising, social media, and design. The recruitment process is casual, with no written offer confirmation, making discrepancies in job duties likely. The implementation of employment contracts is not transparent, and verbal promises are not put into writing or honored, such as arrangements for overtime pay. Mandatory overtime is compensated with time off in lieu, increasing pressure on employees. The owner has very poor emotional control.