The interviewer was young, so it was less nerve-racking.
By the end of the interview, I had no idea what they were actually interviewing me for. It felt like they were constantly trying to get me to reveal something, and I had to keep guessing what they wanted me to say. In particular, one of the male interviewers spoke in a way he seemed to think was humorous, which made me feel very uncomfortable by the end of the interview.
I recently left Yaxingtong after a year and a half with the company. Since quite a few people online have recently been interested in and wanted to learn more about Yaxingtong, I’d like to share my experience with everyone while it is still fresh in my memory. Although I held only one position during that year and a half—“Online Marketing Consultant”—the clients had large budgets, which gave me many opportunities to collaborate across departments. As a result, I experienced and observed quite a lot. What kind of company is it? What are its advantages and disadvantages? What can I learn after joining? What are the promotion opportunities, salary, benefits, and so on? I’ll share what I saw at Yaxingtong from a job seeker’s perspective as much as possible. However, I’m not in HR, so I can’t provide professional and accurate figures. At most, I can tell you what I know and try to describe what the company is like from a third-party perspective. If this can be of even a little help to your career search, then the money spent on this cup of Louisa’s hot Americano on a weekend afternoon will have been well worth it!
Company name: Yaxingtong Co., Ltd.
Company business model: Direct Marketing (D2C)
Company’s primary languages: Japanese / Chinese
Company owner: Teppei Fujiwara (Boss Pingping)
Average employee age: Oh—more than 80% probably aren’t married!
Company slogan: Change the world through Direct Marketing
Company philosophy: BeSTAR
Employee nationalities: Taiwan:Japan:Other / 7:2:1 (approximately)
Company departments (positions)
1. Online Department (Sales, Planning, Design, Media)
2. OPD (CRM) Department (Sales, Planning, Design)
3. TV Department (Sales, Planning, Media)
4. Taiwan DMG Department (Sales, Planning, Design, Media)
5. Overseas Department (Sales, Planning, Design, Media)
6. The Logistics Team! (HR, Accounting, General Affairs)
The first three departments and the Overseas Department basically support Japanese clients’ businesses in Taiwan and overseas (outside Taiwan and Japan). Taiwan DMG supports Taiwanese clients’ businesses. Together with the Logistics Team and a mysterious in-house department, these branches make up Yaxingtong!
【What kind of company is Yaxingtong?】
The departmental structure has already been introduced above, so here I’ll analyze the pros and cons by highlighting the key points. Let’s start with the good news, then move on to the harder parts XD
・Company advantages
A. Equal and open management
Yaxingtong is a company that places more emphasis on substance than seniority and hierarchy. For example, employees are regularly encouraged to submit proposals for improving the company each month. Department heads also place importance on feedback from the front line. Whether you are a newcomer who has been here for one month or a seasoned employee who has been here for several years, if your proposal is worth trying or could make the team better, the company is very willing to change! Of course, I can’t say that every department manager is equally open-minded, but because the owner leads by example and encourages a culture of continuous improvement, employees feel empowered to voice their ideas. This not only allows the company to improve, but also helps employees feel valued and recognize their own worth.
B. Responsibility and fast promotion
For ambitious colleagues who have the short-term goal of becoming managers, Yaxingtong is a very good place to work. Because the company is continuously growing rapidly, it continually needs people to take on responsibility. During my year and a half there, I saw someone become a department manager within two years. As everyone knows, promotion depends not only on your own effort and performance, but also on whether the company has opportunities available. When I joined, the company had around 80-something employees; a year and a half later, it had grown to more than 120. With more people, managers are naturally needed. At the same time, you have a great opportunity to be entrusted with major responsibilities soon after joining—for example, independently presenting reports to Japanese clients after just two months. Compared with stable, large companies elsewhere, this is definitely a company where you can grow quickly and make the most of your abilities.
C. Good working atmosphere
Because of the company’s philosophy, workplace power struggles like those seen in TV dramas rarely occur. After all, we barely have enough time to complain about our clients XD. Seriously, the company hires primarily based on values. For example, during interviews, it tries to understand how candidates would respond when problems arise. If someone tends to shift responsibility onto others, it would naturally be difficult for them to get hired. Having a group of good colleagues with whom you can work hard and grow together when you are young makes work more enjoyable.
Of course, no one is perfect, and the company is no exception. I’ve also listed two shortcomings that I have in mind.
・Company disadvantages
A. Balancing ideals and speed
Because the company emphasizes speed—or, one could say, because the entire advertising industry emphasizes speed—employees are often asked to produce materials, submit proposals, and respond to clients quickly. As a result, quality may relatively decline. For people who pursue ideals and want to present everything perfectly, this may be a disadvantage, and they may not be suited to Yaxingtong or the advertising industry.
B. Salary increases
Yaxingtong’s salary adjustment system provides raises every six months based on performance evaluations. However, because the criteria for raises are diverse and rigorous, consistently meeting the standards for an increase is fairly difficult. As a result, after working for some time, your salary may not change very much. Of course, as I mentioned above, if you are truly ambitious, capable, and driven, you can advance quickly; once you become a manager, your salary will increase considerably. Until then, however, you may need to wait patiently. (I heard that the HR department said it had received related feedback and was considering updating the salary adjustment system.)
【Knowledge gained】
Because Yaxingtong is an online advertising company that makes effective use of Direct Marketing, its marketing functions are divided very specifically. Below, I’ll use my former role as an “Online Marketing Sales Representative” as an example and give two classic examples. For other departments and job types, we may have to chat privately!
A. Learning how to use online marketing media and understanding their characteristics
In addition to the major media platforms commonly seen in daily life (Google/Facebook/LINE/Yahoo), you will basically learn about all of them. Even though sales staff do not operate these platforms themselves—the Media Department does that—they need to understand them in order to report to clients, so they must grasp the important functions and directions. You may also encounter many emerging advertising technologies, such as big-data-based solutions and conversion-driving mechanisms. In terms of paid media, the learning resources can therefore be described as highly diverse and abundant!
B. Business planning
As a dedicated consultant (sales representative) for Japanese clients, you must clearly understand their goals in Taiwan and plan an appropriate business roadmap. For example, if a client’s Taiwan business must turn from a loss into a profit within one year, you need to clearly plan and forecast various indicators, including product pricing, media selection, budget planning, new-customer rate, and retention rate. The knowledge you learn and apply during execution, as well as the sense of achievement you gain, are our most valuable assets.
【Conclusion】
I have always believed that there is no single “best job” in the world. Everyone has different interests and areas of expertise. In addition to personal factors, environmental factors such as the company’s growth potential and the colleagues around you are also very important. A job may be good for person A but not necessarily for person B. What does not change is that as long as you establish clear goals for your work, work hard to achieve them, and gain a sense of accomplishment, it can be considered a good job!
The department introduction, analysis of the pros and cons, and summary of the knowledge gained about Yaxingtong above are all based on my personal experience and things I really wanted to share with everyone. If they can help even a little with your life plans or help you better understand whether Yaxingtong is right for you, then it will have been worthwhile. After all, spending one afternoon to exchange it for one correct and wonderful year—or ten years—of your life? XD That would be very worthwhile and a great bargain! Finally, I hope everyone can find work they love and enjoy life to the fullest!
The interview with the HR manager was quite pleasant.
They asked very insightful questions and were able to listen to your answers.
The interview with the department manager became increasingly unpleasant as it went on.
Because I had applied directly through the company’s website,
they wanted to convey that they would decide which position suited you based on your background.
But even by the final interview, they still would not tell the interviewee what the job actually involved.
They kept asking, “What kind of profession do you think you are suited for?”
Who would know whether you were applying for sales, marketing, or web development?
I don’t think it is good to leave things unclear at the beginning and make people keep guessing.
It made me wonder how I was supposed to tailor my responses appropriately.
Moreover, one of the managers had already risen to the position of sales manager.
Throughout the interview, he propped his head up with his hand, and when he asked questions,
they were unclear, and he repeated questions that his colleague had just asked.
How can someone like this become a manager?
I also wondered what qualities he could possibly have to lead subordinates well.
Employees under him must be extremely dissatisfied.
There was no logic or clear focus, and, most importantly, his attitude was poor.
There was none of the “mutual respect” associated with Japanese companies.
Overall, don’t say that treating you this way during an interview is “for your own good.”
Job hunting is a two-way process. If you cannot show even a stranger basic respect,
then when you become colleagues, does that mean you can speak to people however you like simply because of your position or seniority?
I believe a good office atmosphere, or a good atmosphere among colleagues, is created through mutual respect.
If the company’s HR department says that this is the company’s greatest strength,
they should convey it during the interview,
rather than putting the interviewee through an impolite interview
and only explaining it afterward.
I ultimately passed the interview, but I decisively turned down the offer.
Please, if you want to become an impolite person, you can join this company.
But if you still have even the slightest bit of humanity and dignity,
please think carefully.
The atmosphere of the interview conversation was pretty good.
Many job postings stay up there 365 days a year. Some may have been posted since I entered the workforce—possibly for more than 7 or 8 years by now.
They really like asking people to come in for interviews, with an average of at least 2–3 rounds. Honestly, can interviewing someone that many times really reveal their character, actual work ability, and attitude? It’s difficult. You may even end up finding people who are good at “performing.” People who genuinely have the ability to get things done may not necessarily be good at expressing themselves, and may even be prone to nervousness.
Rather than using a whole host of cumbersome procedures to find people who are good at presenting themselves but unsuitable for the job, it would be better to simplify the process and let more people come in to give it a try. That might make it easier to find the talent they are looking for.
Because I was communicating through a staffing agency that coordinated the information, I will discuss the process solely from the interview perspective.
1. The first interview included questions about personal characteristics. Since the interviewer was quite young, it was easier not to feel nervous, and I was able to express what I wanted to say clearly. (The staffing agency also said that questions about the actual work would be discussed in the second and third interviews, so I completed each interview comfortably and without any concerns.)
2. The second interview covered relevant experience and situational questions about what I might encounter while working at this company. If you want a “very fulfilling” professional life, I highly recommend joining. (There will only be even more fulfilling work waiting for everyone.)
3. The third interview was basically the final wrap-up and salary discussion. You could say that anyone who makes it to the third interview already has one foot in the company.
4. I was very fortunate: I completed all three interviews within just one week (I heard that some people took two to three weeks). In addition to being grateful for the staffing agency’s consultation, I am also very thankful that the HR staff and interviewers at the time were very kind, allowing me to perform well in the interviews.
1. Some people may wonder which position they should prepare to interview for. (During the interview, they mention that candidates may also propose positions they are interested in, or that hiring may ultimately be for a position different from the one applied for.)
2. Although I mentioned in the advantages above that I officially received an offer notification within one week, some people have reported waiting quite a long time. It may be necessary to remind everyone during the interview that the notification date is not fixed, or to specify a notification date.
Nothing special
The HR staff were friendly
The questionnaire was far too elaborate. Other reviews praised the interviewer as young, easy to talk to, attentive, and so on, but I experienced none of that.
The entire process felt like a scripted, one-question-one-answer routine, with no interaction or apparent interest in getting to know you.
It was completely different from the image portrayed on the company’s website. If this is how they market the company, they have failed completely.
The interview result was also conveyed with unprofessional and biased reasoning. It was unacceptable.
1. The company notified me of the interview time very quickly. Since this was my first job, I mistakenly remembered the time, but the company was still willing to give me another opportunity to arrange an interview. I was truly very grateful.
2. I had two interviews in total. The first was with a manager from another department, and the second was with the manager of the department I hoped to join. The first interview felt more like a conversation and created a very relaxed atmosphere. The manager seemed to be confirming my personal traits and personality, as well as my level of understanding of the company’s business.
The second interview went more deeply into my personal experience and my familiarity with and understanding of the industry. I do not actually come from a media or advertising background, but the manager still explained things to me patiently and enthusiastically. Taking my expectations and experience into consideration, we discussed possible directions together. As someone who had just entered the workforce, I truly felt grateful and moved.
3. The manager in the second interview was extremely capable, familiar with multiple languages, and very approachable. He also thought quickly and agilely. Interviewing with him gave me a great deal of courage and peace of mind, allowing me to comfortably express my own thoughts and ask further questions. After the entire interview, I instead felt more like the one receiving information, and I gained a great deal.
4. Although the company is Japanese-owned, it is actually developing cooperative markets with overseas companies and local Taiwanese businesses. It therefore welcomes people with foreign-language skills, as well as those with special expertise and qualities. I highly recommend that anyone who wants to take on an overseas business challenge give it a try.
1. As mentioned in point 4, the company places greater emphasis on finding people whose personal qualities match its needs. Therefore, newcomers without a relevant background may go through a difficult adjustment period at first. However, this is also the time when they learn the most and grow the fastest. If you can seize the opportunity, it is yours. Of course, this is not recommended for people who cannot accept this kind of environment.
2. This is also related to point 4. After all, it is a Japanese company, so it is better to know some Japanese. You do not need to be fluent, but you should at least be able to communicate at a basic level; otherwise, there may still be some minor inconveniences.
There were three interviews in total. The interviewers were all relatively young and quite easy to talk to, and they listened carefully to your answers!
Before the interview, you are given a questionnaire focused more on personal traits to fill out in advance. These are also related to the questions asked during the first interview, so it is recommended that you remember what you wrote and why. Before the interview began that day, there was also a short math test of about three questions. It was not too difficult, but you needed to be a little careful. At the beginning of the interview, you were asked to introduce yourself. In addition, it felt like during the first interview, they also considered which departments within the company might be suitable for you for the same position based on your personal traits.
During the second interview, a relevant department manager introduced the duties related to the position, and they talked more about your experience and career direction. The interview process was fairly pleasant, but there was still a sense of contradiction because many aspects of the company’s working conditions remained unclear. After the interview, the interviewers politely walked you to the door. Overall, the atmosphere was quite good. I quickly received an offer from HR on the day of the interview, along with notice that the third interview would be a discussion of the employment terms.
During the third interview, HR discussed the company’s benefits and other matters. However, shortly afterward, I was suddenly asked to interview with the chairperson once again. It was only during the interview with the chairperson that the salary to be issued was decided. Although Japanese was not required for the position I applied for, the interview had to be conducted in Japanese, and HR was very considerate in assisting with interpretation.
I received replies from HR quite quickly after all three interviews, so the efficiency was fairly high. What was especially considerate was that HR’s emails always specifically reminded me of things to pay attention to during the interview, such as the interview time and location, as well as what direction I could prepare in advance for each interview. When the offer was confirmed during the third interview, they showed me around the company. The office was divided into two main areas: one was the open-plan office area, and the other had about 10 meeting rooms of different sizes. Each person’s workspace in the office area was fairly small, but the break area had a full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, which did indeed make it more relaxing.
During the first interview, there was no discussion at all about your work experience or relevant professional abilities; the discussion focused solely on personal traits, which made me somewhat confused about this interview format. The explanation of the company’s working conditions was also relatively unclear and lacked concrete details.
During the second interview, two department managers conducted separate interviews. The first was the manager of the department related to the position, but the second was a manager from a completely unrelated department. I was unsure whether they were separately assessing which department might be a better fit for me.
Although they indicated during the third interview that an offer would be made, it was surprising that another interview was suddenly arranged. Although I completed the interview successfully, I was quite confused by this arrangement. Perhaps they wanted to test my ability to react?
What I especially want to mention is that when I saw the salary range listed on 104, it was fairly high. However, the salary ultimately approved was considerably toward the lower end of that range, which created a very strong sense of contrast and disappointment.
Personally, I felt that three interviews were somewhat excessive. Also, because I live in a different county or city, attending the interviews required considerable time and commuting arrangements. Therefore, I think it would have been better if the second interview and the third interview could have been conducted together after the second interview was confirmed.
I previously attended the Yourator job fair. Although many startups exhibited at the event that day, Star To Asia left the deepest impression because they were the only company that actively asked attendees to fill out their information and arranged quick interviews on the spot. At the time, I even wondered whether the company was really that short-staffed.
After taking part in the quick interview at the event, I received a notification for a formal second interview the very next day. On the afternoon of the second interview, I received the official offer email. The entire interview and hiring process took only 11 days—extremely efficient! It felt like a quick decision between success and failure, unlike typical companies that beat around the bush and say, “We’ll let you know if there’s any news.”
The job requirements stated that Japanese proficiency was needed, but I am simply someone who enjoys watching Japanese dramas and do not really speak Japanese. I can only say that I was fortunate to be hired into the Overseas Department, where the need for Japanese proficiency was relatively low.
Interview process: phone screening > first interview (HR) > second interview (department managers) > third interview (salary approval)
The reason for giving an average rating is that my experience in the first interview was good, while the second interview was less satisfactory. Therefore, I have written the first interview under the pros and the second interview under the cons. However, the cons section will conclude with my overall thoughts on this interview and will also mention some positive aspects.
The first interview was conducted by two HR representatives who were relatively young. Although the interview still had a formal atmosphere, we were able to have an increasingly in-depth conversation step by step, much like chatting. They also answered my questions in great detail. In addition to asking the interviewee questions, they also highlighted the company’s strengths during the interview and explained why someone might choose to join the company.
The HR department was fairly efficient. If you are accepted, they will notify you a few hours after the interview.
The second interview was conducted by two department managers. After the interview, I could understand why some people have described the questions as lacking logic and feeling scripted.
It was not really that serious, but they seemed to focus on just a few questions, such as which companies I had interviewed with. The other questions seemed to be used merely to lead into those questions or to fill out the interview. These other questions had also been asked in the first interview, but unlike the HR representatives in the first interview, the interviewers did not really listen or ask follow-up questions. The contrast was obvious, and it also made the interview feel disjointed. Applicants need to take the initiative to present themselves, but it is also important for interviewers to know how to guide the conversation, and the answers to my questions were rather vague. In addition, one of the interviewers kept their head down throughout the entire interview and only greeted me at the beginning and end, making their presence feel almost unnecessary.
Although the second interview was a less positive experience, I could tell that the managers were fairly easygoing. At least, I did not feel that they were the type of people who are overly forceful and unwilling to listen to their subordinates’ opinions. I do not know what the third interview would have been like because I did not advance to it.
This is simply my assessment of the interview. Overall, taking into account the research I did on the company beforehand, I would still recommend that people give the interview a try. The company also seems quite willing to hire fresh graduates and people changing career paths.
At first glance, the company looks a lot like a direct-sales company, but after actually interacting with it, I learned that it is an advertising agency.
I had three interviews, and after the third one, I proceeded directly to a discussion of the employment terms.
I am someone who asks a lot of questions during interviews. All the interviewers patiently answered my questions without showing any signs of impatience.
Personally, I think it is worth interviewing to see whether it meets your expectations. If you are offered the position, you can then consider whether to join the company.
Overall, the interview experience was positive.
During the interview, I asked a question about the company's direction, but the interviewer responded by asking me, "If it were you, what would you do?"
That left me somewhat speechless at the time, because I wanted to know the company's direction, yet the interviewer turned the question back on me. This was the only question I did not get an answer to.
The two interviewers were fairly young and seemed inexperienced, so there wasn’t much of a generation gap and I could speak freely.
I originally thought online reviews should be taken with a grain of salt, but the actual interview really was quite uncomfortable. They were fishing for answers from start to finish. Fresh graduates applying for the job may get grilled by two interviewers who were not very professional. During the interview, one of them even kept looking at the computer the entire time—very disrespectful to the interviewee.
By the end, none of the questions had anything to do with the job being applied for.
If you aren’t submissive enough or can’t give the standard answers they want, you won’t receive any follow-up notification either.
I really advise everyone not to waste your time coming here~
None
They called to ask about some things before the interview and asked whether I could talk on the phone for a bit. They then started asking about the contents of the questionnaire, as if it were an exam, asking me to explain the answers I had provided. The problem was that all 10 questions on the questionnaire were short-answer questions, so it was impossible for me to answer everything 100% correctly just because they asked. One of the questions they asked had three answers. After asking about it, they stayed silent for five seconds and then asked, “What about your last point? You didn’t explain your last answer.” It felt as though I were actually being tested in an exam, which left me feeling very uncomfortable. The other person kept asking questions from beginning to end, making them seem quite aggressive and pushy. I found the whole thing rather baffling.
None
1. A job opening proactively recommended by a headhunting firm based in Tokyo. The headhunter stated that they had confirmed the job responsibilities, required qualifications, and the work location—an office in Taipei, Taiwan—with AsiaInfo several times. However, the hiring would be conducted through the Tokyo branch, followed by an internal transfer to Taiwan as an expatriate assignment, with the salary paid in Japanese yen (¥6–10 million per year).
Because the hiring entity was the Taipei office, I had to interview in Taipei.
==＞After attending the in-person interview, the headhunter told me that AsiaInfo responded, "The candidate's salary requirement is too high, so we will not hire them."
The salary I requested was even lower than the range AsiaInfo itself had provided to the headhunting agency (I requested ¥5.5 million per year). Excuse me??
.
2. During the interview, they asked extensively about the details of my past work. In the end, they gave me a rejection. When I asked about the future objectives of the position and the department's plans, the chairman could only answer that the current headcount of 80 would eventually be expanded to 250, but could not provide any specific objectives (e.g., what would the person hired actually be expected to do??). The position's purpose and requirements were deliberately vague, clearly suggesting that they merely wanted to extract examples of the experience of highly qualified candidates. In reality, they had no intention of opening the position or paying the stated salary.
Very polite
Beautiful office
Received notification within a week
The company will not tell you its thoughts or position
They will keep asking you questions to test whether you can come up with the answers they want
On the day I sent my résumé, they called to ask about some details.
After I sent my portfolio, I received no contact for a week, so I called to follow up. They said résumé reviews take ten days and that they would call to invite me to an interview if necessary. However, more than ten days passed without any notification from the company. I followed up again, and the switchboard operator said that no one from the Human Resources Department was currently available and that they would contact me later. A few hours later, I received a notification saying that I would not be interviewed or hired.
It took nearly a month from when I sent my résumé to receiving notification that the review had ended. There was no response within the promised timeframe, and applicants had to keep calling to ask for updates. For people who want to find a job quickly, this company is extremely inefficient.
None
A few days after submitting my résumé, I received a call from HR, who wanted to first discuss the position and learn about my experience over the phone.
At the time, it was inconvenient for me to answer the call, so HR scheduled another call for 15:30–16:00 that afternoon.
However, HR stood me up… I never received a call during the agreed time…
Since I had an important interview at 16:00, I simply turned off my phone because I did not want to be disturbed. After all, the time I had arranged with your company’s HR had already passed…
When I turned my phone back on, I found one missed call at 16:20. All I could do was laugh.
It goes without saying that HR did not call again afterward…
Unexpectedly, my friend received an interview invitation and proactively arranged a time through email, but your company’s HR disappeared…
The quality of the HR staff is really… Of course, I will never want to apply to this company again—I’m blacklisting it directly.
Perhaps because it was a part-time job interview, the process was very ordinary.
The all-Japanese interview was very stressful.
I had already received a phone call about the interview, but the HR person seemed not even to understand the situation and could not even remember my name.
I was still skeptical after reading the reviews above, but after seeing the HR person's attitude, I really felt that they were quite accurate.
1. They hire many university students, so during your first year of university you can quickly learn many office skills (Excel, PPT, client communication, and the basics of marketing).
2. If you have the ability, you can carry out your work in your own way.
3. Many colleagues are very nice and gentle.
4. Those who are capable may be given more work—and may also be overworked.
1. There are too many recent graduates: when you encounter a genuinely difficult problem, no one can help you, or no one wants to take responsibility for the entire team. This also means that the turnover rate is high.
2. There is not much training for new hires, and the department head or boss does not really understand how to do marketing either. They can only spend the clients’ money and let the company learn by doing.
3. Although they talk about contributing to clients, what they probably care about most is still making every last penny from the clients’ pockets.
4. There are clear divisions between departments, which may lead to internal conflict in the future.
5. “Yaxingtong teaches” really does exist; believers will always believe. Those who do not believe have more or less already left.
No skills or intelligence required—just smile, shout “Yay,” and get a raise and a promotion.
Lots of money, with the freedom to spend it as you please. Even if you lose it all, the boss will still pat you on the shoulder and say, “Great job.”
If you genuinely want to grow,
if you still have dreams and hope for your life,
I urge you not to fall into the Asiatel cult.
The team has a very strong sense of collaboration. It has to be—one person can't handle a client alone. You need the graphic designers, media buyers, sales staff, and planners to discuss and make improvements together in order to run the ads well.
The company's various PJs (similar to an employee welfare committee) are also pretty good, because they're planned by frontline employees, so the proposed initiatives generally receive high satisfaction ratings.
Also, coworkers I wasn't originally familiar with later became good friends.
Because you aren't working alone, sometimes you have to wait for your teammates' firepower support. If someone on the other side is slow, the execution of the entire project suffers. I don't want teammates who are pigs...
Like other Japanese companies, the desks don't have partitions—they're completely open and flat all the way across. There isn't much privacy.
The interviewer was a Japanese manager who asked very detailed questions, including whether I had clear goals for my career development.
They really care about employees’ development—I learned a lot (although, as a recent university graduate, I still don’t know what the future holds for me ^^").
The atmosphere was warm and friendly, unlike the rigid atmosphere of typical Japanese companies—not bad at all.
Being interviewed in Japanese was quite stressful. My mind went completely blank for a moment—“惨” is the only word to describe it!
I joined as a part-time student employee. Although the work was somewhat repetitive, it mainly involved analysis and reporting, so I still learned quite a bit.
The company atmosphere was good. They didn’t treat you differently or make you feel like they were trying to exploit you just because you were a part-time student employee.
In my experience, there was no difference in treatment compared with regular employees, and I could also participate in company gatherings.
The company genuinely values its employees.
I didn’t understand the internal operations and was unclear about how things worked.
I went to an interview last week.
Before going, I was a little worried after reading other reviews, but I felt much more at ease after actually interviewing with the interviewers (one Japanese and one Taiwanese).
Compared with other large Taiwanese companies, there seems to be less of a hierarchical relationship.
It felt like a matchmaking session XDDD.
The focus is on equal discussion, which was a plus—I felt respected.
After the interview, they even walked me to the entrance.
They were so friendly that it felt like I had gone to a hot spring resort in Japan? Haha.
Overall, I had a very good impression. They seem to place great importance on their employees.
If I get the job, I would consider working there.
The questions were quite difficult.
They asked questions that other companies usually would not, such as my future career development and whether I had opportunities for growth and challenges.
It felt a little vague.
However, it was also helpful for planning my own future.
Also, there are about two or three rounds of interviews, which feels quite cautious.
・A rare company culture in both Taiwan and Japan: a bureaucracy-free (without a seniority system) culture. Many companies claim not to have one, but in practice, unspoken rules mean that failing to curry favor with senior colleagues is tantamount to saying goodbye to your prospects. This does not mean there are no supervisors; rather, all members of the company can genuinely communicate about everything on an equal footing. They have maintained this consistently, which I sincerely find quite impressive. Even the Japanese headquarters follows the same approach—the bosses astonishingly do not have their own offices and sit together with everyone else @@. Seniority does not necessarily guarantee advancement, nor does being junior mean having no opportunities; at this company, it is actually difficult to generalize~~~
・In today’s modern society, which is almost utilitarian, this is a rare company that places strong emphasis on employees’ personal character and values. (I’ve heard Amazon also places tremendous importance on this.) In other words, simply being very good at pushing for results is not enough to get hired (really).
・The company atmosphere is very cheerful and the pace is fast. This is actually a product of the values described above. At the companies I worked for previously, colleagues who were unfamiliar with one another acted as if they did not see each other, and the atmosphere was gloomy.
・At my previous companies, supervisors would only ask you in front of everyone why you could not achieve a certain number. At this company, you do not have to worry about that kind of thing. In fact, supervisors discuss with you how to achieve the goal. When you are going through a low point, it is genuinely very moving. Basically, everyone who stays gets along extremely well~~ (a real team vibe)
・Because there are quite a few Japanese employees (though Taiwanese employees are still the majority), if your Japanese is not good enough, you will often need to rely on others. Basic Japanese conversational ability is still necessary.
・As a startup, the company is growing rapidly, and some systems have not kept up with the pace of expansion. In the short term, it still cannot be compared with very large corporations.
・There are many department get-togethers, so it is easy to let your figure go without realizing it.
・The internal office area is designed as a completely open workspace without partitions (Japanese companies seem to prefer this), so if you speak ill of others, it is easy to get caught?
・This business model involves operating projects for clients, and if we don't achieve good results, there won't be any follow-up orders, so we do everything we can to make each project successful.
・The people at the company are very nice. There used to be some people who caused trouble behind the scenes, but they may have eventually felt they didn't fit in with everyone and left.
・This kind of relatively unique marketing model is rarely seen in Taiwan, and it has quite a lot of potential for growth.
・Everyone is very willing to help one another. It feels good to work hard together, unlike at the companies I worked for before, where everyone just did their own thing.
When the CPO achieves a goal, everyone even cheers in the office haha
・One characteristic of a startup is that some systems have not yet been fully established.
・Some colleagues have heavier workloads. It seems that getting everyone to leave work earlier may take a little time.
・The boss is less likely to use the harsh scolding and pressure tactics of traditional companies to force performance, so there isn't as much pressure when it comes to hitting the numbers?
・Every month, there is a free dinner worth NT$1,000, and every two months, one worth NT$2,000. (But the point of eating is who you eat with, so I never feel happy when I eat there.)
・A paradise for university graduates: This company insists that 80%–90% of its employees be fresh graduates, just like a university. Oh, it should be more like a third-rate university where students wander around the classroom, but professors never correct them. Everyone submits terribly made PowerPoints as if they were turning in homework. They analyze advertisements like they are analyzing second-year equations (with no depth). People at this company love making excuses for failed projects, so they are becoming increasingly good at making excuses.
・You can play mobile games or chat with friends throughout working hours, and no one will bother you! How cool! You can still receive a normal salary while doing the bare minimum.
・A typical exploitative company:
High turnover: If you ask me how many people left between last year and the time I resigned, I really can't count. Maybe 10 people? Oh, but I heard many people resigned this summer! I think they must have enjoyed the work environment so much that they decided to give the opportunity to someone else. Haha.
・Constantly frustrating: As I said, recent university graduates take advantage of this work environment and do not work, so things never get finished. I think working overtime until 8 or 9 p.m. every day is really stupid, especially when the people who do nothing leave work early.
・The department heads who are recent university graduates will welcome you: I heard that several people who had just graduated from university were appointed department heads.
・You have to join Yaxing Tongjiao. There is a one-hour class every two weeks. When I was busy, it really made me feel like I was sitting on pins and needles. The managers teach you to perform in a certain way, but the company's leaders don't do what they are supposed to do at all! Haha! If you have work experience and want to enrich your career, this place will never help you.
・Finally, there are no rules, no discipline, and the pay is very low. Don't expect a high salary here. It seems they pay management a lot of money instead of ordinary employees. They justify the low pay by saying there is an employee dinner every month! Why don't you just raise the damn salary!
No one will care if you’re late, and no one will care if you’re inefficient at work. You won’t be fired no matter how awful you are—it’s practically a paradise for deadbeats. You can zone out, take walks, and get paid comfortably. Not only is there a company-wide dinner every month, but each department and PJ (a system similar to clubs) also has a dinner once every two months. Of course, the company pays for everything, so you can enjoy the food without spending a cent. Even if you’re a fresh university graduate, as long as you’re good enough at exploiting clients, flattering people, and following orders, you can become a department head (seriously).
The company’s revenue-generating departments include the print department (flyer design and so on), the television department (primarily product placement in variety shows), the OPD department (handling CRM and client retention, but currently doing miscellaneous tasks and picking up work that nobody else wants; it’s a department that makes no sense), and finally the internet department (managing online advertising and designing webpages/banners).
If you ask which department is good, I really can’t say, because the bosses and managers only care about money, money, and more money. They only care about how to get more commission from clients. The company has something called employee guidelines (a red “Be Star” card), which says things like “trust comes first” and “put righteousness before profit,” but none of it is actually practiced. The bosses and managers just keep brainwashing new employees about how much they care about clients. There’s really only one word for it: absurd.
When recruiting, the company always says it provides comprehensive training, blah blah blah, but there’s absolutely nothing. Everyone is too busy exploiting clients to have time to pay attention to you~ If a fresh university graduate joins and isn’t proactive, they’ll just rot away there. Of course, unless you’re exceptionally hardworking and serious about learning, in which case there may still be a tiny bit of room for growth. For those of you who want to overcome countless difficulties and challenge yourselves, I highly recommend this company.
The pros mentioned that if you’re good at flattering people and following orders, you can become a department head. This company completely ignores the achievements each employee makes in their own department. Even personnel evaluations are decided solely by the boss. As long as the boss likes you enough, for example, your 360-degree evaluation score can jump from C to A+, or even S or SS. It’s called a 360-degree evaluation, but the final stage is always adjusted by the boss. It’s essentially a useless evaluation conducted entirely behind closed doors.
At work, everyone may appear to get along harmoniously and the atmosphere may seem pleasant, but many people are actually just chatting or spacing out because no one will supervise you anyway. If you want to slack off, you can even sleep at your desk or put on some nail polish~ Nothing will happen, seriously. Seeing these deadbeats, the people who work seriously have been leaving one by one because they simply can’t stay motivated. As a result, almost everyone with even a little experience has now left the company—around ten people in total. But the bosses and managers instead think this is merely a wave of resignations. Now that the people who might have voiced opposing opinions are gone, they must be enjoying themselves.
As a new company, you can experience many processes from the ground up. Since it is still a new company, newcomers are also given a relatively high degree of authority.
The relationships among colleagues are fairly good, and the company holds gatherings every month to give everyone opportunities to build closer relationships.
There are Japanese employees at the company, which is a good opportunity for those who want to practice spoken Japanese. (An N2 level or above is recommended.)
Compared with the advantages mentioned above, the company's disadvantages are also related to its strengths.
First, although the company gives newcomers a great deal of autonomy and authority, it does not provide adequate oversight for that autonomy. The quality of contracts varies considerably, yet the company does not hire legal staff or retain legal counsel for this purpose.
Second, regarding salary, Yaxingtong is positioned more like an advertising agency, so the pay is not particularly high to begin with. However, unlike other advertising agencies, Yaxingtong's salary "already includes 40 hours of overtime pay each month." In fact, some employees have already experienced excessive overtime, resulting in an hourly wage of less than NT$100 when calculated accordingly.
Third, although the company has a reward system for "improvement proposals," many of the proposals it adopts are neither formally specified nor implemented in concrete terms. Most proposals are assessed as "held for further consideration."