Job Discussion Forums

[kaijia]

A few months ago I applied for the position of 'test writer' at Taiwan's LTTC. I was given three months to devise two tests with further revision, if necessary. Three months was the deadline. The work was returned with revision required (though I disagreed with some issues raised) so I did the revision and uploaded it to their secret 'portal' (no kidding!).

The three months period has passed and one test has been returned, 'rejected' with further revision required and the reasons given seem preposterous to me. I also cannot access the 'portal' online. I've contacted them about this, but I have yet to receive a reply. I have also contacted them about the three months deadline and my pay. Again, no response has been received. The GEPT dept doesn't seem to be functioning quite so well.

I was wondering if anyone here has any background knowledge of the LTTC that could help me understand what's going on. Is this job a dud? Am I likely to be paid?

Thanks in advance.

[Dr_Zoidberg]

1. What were the preposterous reasons for rejecting your work?

2. How long have you been waiting for a reply?

[kaijia]

Reasons for rejecting my work:

1 Some paragraphs were too vague. (Not at all - if there was ANY fault at all, there was too much detail in them)
2 Background knowledge of certain things were required (rubbish!)
3 The answers to some questions were too vague.
4 At least twice I used the same word (answer) as was in the text - that was wrong according to one of their editors!)
5 Too many possible answers to some questions.
6 Some of the same words were repeated in the multiple choice answers!
7 Multiple choice answers were not of equal length!
8 Some words were too 'difficult' for their 'advanced' students (ie. colonialism, radicalism).
Etc.

I have asked questions about the pay and deadline and those questions remain unanswered. I have waited a few days for their reply. Normally they replied within two days. They are very selective about their answers to me. No mention has been made of payment since the work began four months ago!

[hillpot]

You posted your note in August. What's the latest on your situation with LTTC?

I'm having the same problem with LTTC. I just got both of my essays rejected. First they sent them back with a problem on how I had labeled each type of comprehension question, so I fixed that. Then they sent them back because some of the questions weren't good enough. So I addressed and corrected each problem they identified. Then today I got a response from them saying that both my essays and my questions supplied were... well, these are their exact words:

------------------------

Thank you for your revisions of both texts and test questions. After our editors' review, they still consider both the texts and test items inappropriate for our test use.

We thank you again for the work and will contact you again when new assignments are required.
------------------------

Like you, I thought that some of their problems with my work weren't very valid, but I also agreed with some of the problems. Also, they're the boss, so I was happy to make the corrections as they wanted.

But now it sounds like they're not going to pay me and they don't like my work. At the same time, they say they're are going to give me more assignments in the future? I have a feeling this is just their way of saying: Don't call us, we'll call you.

I'm disappointed because I put a tremendous amount of work into making really high quality essays for them. Now, it looks like I'm not going to get paid. I'm an experienced writer and I know that what I provided was quality work. Perhaps my essays are not at the appropriate level for their test. I don't know.

Regardless, this is looking like a disappointment. I'll update here if anything good comes from it, but right now I think I would recommend that no one agree to write essays for this company.

[kaijia]

I'm glad to have read your message and now I know something very underhand is going on. I'd advise you not to cut off contact with them but rather, in a very professional and polite way, ask them for details as to why your essays have been rejected. Don't give up when they don't reply. I've already asked questions about their comments and rejections of certain issues related to my work. They have not answered those questions yet mainly because, I believe, they don't want to look ridiculous in giving silly answers. Push them for answers, even out of professional courtesy.

The cynical side of me says that they are actually using your work and just want to make you believe otherwise. I don't trust them. They have accepted one piece from me with no mention of the payment. They may change that but as yet, the signs are not good.

I read on another post that this test system of theirs is designed only for Taiwanese students and is made simpler than the international exams - IELTS, TOEFL, etc., because their students aren't good enough to pass these exams. The work I sent them is suitable for mainly intermediate - upper-intermediate level at best, and NOT advanced as they requested.

I'm going to upload my finished work to their 'portal' again and await their comments. I think it will be my last submission for them. I've wasted enough time over this. Keep me posted on your side, too. Thanks again for writing!

[hillpot]

I guess it's possible that they'll take our work and re-do it in accordance with their standards, but I'm hoping that they're more honest than that. They seem to cross their T's and dot their I's in terms of security and being explicit about all material being original. If they don't pay us for our work then I don't believe they have any ability to claim rights to it, and they will run the risk that we use the piece in some other venue which would violate their need for top secrecy.

If they don't pay me, I'll certainly use or sell my essays somewhere else.

So you said you're going to upload your finished work. It sounds like they haven't rejected your pieces entirely then - but accepted one and asked for revisions on another?

Both of mine they seem to have rejected entirely without any further request for revision. You said you wrote yours according to inter/upper-int; I'm worried that my essays might be too advanced for them. What surprises me is that they had no problem with the essays before, and it was just the questions, but now they're phrasing it as if the essays are also a problem.

Yesterday, I already responded by kindly requesting another opportunity to correct my essays and also inquiring about when I will be paid.

I agree, I've have wasted this much time on this too, and it's upsetting because I was very excited to participate in the opportunity.

Thanks for writing also. I'll definitely keep you posted.

[kaijia]

I got up this morning to start my teaching and I checked my email. LTTC responded via 'Martha', the reviewer.

Well, after having downloaded her comments, I can confidentally say I will not be uploading that work I referred to before. Like you, both my pieces have been rejected. I don't mind having my work returned to me to revise as long as what is requested of me is reasonable. However, their comments have now gone too far!

One of my pieces surrounded financial investments (I have a degree in international business and I teach Business English to Spanish executives) and yet 'Martha' seemed to have no idea about a simple economics concept, criticised it, and threw it out. Other comments she made just left me speechless.

So, I decided not to do anything more until they pay me and respect the work that I have already done. I have told them that. I have also now requested payment four times (twice in the email sent today). I will await their reply but honestly, I think it's unlikely.

I can't remember exactly what the contract we signed before, entailed, but I think we're not tied in to anything. There's also the issue of the deadline that was by the end of July? Was that part of the contract? ARe they in breach? Long since past now.

By the way, if you want, you can contact me directly about any new incidents - [email protected].
Whatever else happens, try to keep reaching out for other opportunities and warn others about LTTC!

[kaijia]

Things are starting to change now between myself and LTTC. I challenged them concerning their remarks, assessment of my work, and the pay. They've recently informed me that both my pieces have been accepted now (strangely enough!) but some parts are unsatisfactory still. I've asked them for details.

They've also told me that my work has been passed to another reviewer. Why? I have no idea. Will reviewers greatly differ in their opinions?

Finally they told me I would be paid at the beginning of November. I'll wait and see.

So, my advice to you is, question them about your work and challenge their assessment of your work and ask for examples to explain themselves. There's no guarantee they'll accept it all but at least, if they don't, you can walk away with your head held high knowing you have produced top quality work.

[barriosc]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one! Just in the past few days I've finally received a response from my repeated emails. It was from Grace Kuo, who I have corresponded with before. I submitted my essays in June, did revisions, wrote an entirely new essay at their request, and then never heard anything else. She just told me that because some of my questions still weren't appropriate, I would only be compensated for the ones that were good. I am also supposed to be paid in November. Her explanation was that the person who had been in charge is no longer at the school, so there "was a lot of chaos." It's too bad; I had really been looking forward to this kind of work.

[kaijia]

The more stories I hear about that school, the uneasier I get. They told me that there were still some "unsatisfactory" items and for those I would not be paid. I asked them to forward those items to me so I could see. Guess what - I'm still waiting to receive them and that was back in September. If their final comments on my last piece of work are an indication of their test standards, then God help their students in the international arena!

Frankly, until I have the money in the bank, I won't believe what they tell me.

[barriosc]

I agree; that's exactly what they told me. I told the woman I wasn't given a chance to make more revisions, but she didn't seem to care about that. . . I tried to look up information on the school before I took the job, but I couldn't find anything.

[kaijia]

I was given the chance to make revisions but the problem was that what they suggested went from being reasonable to downright ridiculous. They even contradicted themselves, first be telling me they wanted American English instead of British English and then reversing that decision later on! And I got so fed up reading, "vague", everywhere, especially in detail-laden paragraphs!

Initially I accepted their 'suggestions' and did revision but eventually I realized they were only trying to make problems where they didn't exist so they could continually postpone payment (already 3 months overdue). I got the impression they were just waiting for me to get fed up and go. I didn't. I wrote 2-3 strongly worded, professional emails to them, basically asking them what they were doing and how ridiculous they were being. I stopped doing any revisions but instead demanded payment - you have to respect yourself and your own work even if they don't. The criticisms stopped, as did the further revision requests. I think they realized that way wasn't working any more.

They told me at the end that my items would be given to another reviewer (not 'Martha' any more) to check but again this shows to me how dubious they are. I just got the feeling they were using my work, including the initial test items to get the job (which received only praise, interestingly enough!), without paying for them.

So let's not give up with them. If the payment isn't made in the first week of November, we need to keep pestering them until it is. It only costs an email and a few seconds so why not.

[Taylor]

Dear Readers,

I hope that everyone who deserves payment will receive it soon.

If not, it might be a good idea to contact a few news reporters in the Taipei area.

Taylor
Texas

[barriosc]

Hi fellow LTTC test writers!

I just got paid for the work I did -- less than $100, but it's something. If you haven't seen money yet, keep after them, and you may get lucky.

[kaijia]

Got paid too! Very much needed.