Job Discussion Forums

Brian Hugh · Joined: 07 Jan 2012 Posts: 140 Location: China

I have been hearing this expression a lot these days, both from Chinese and expats. They say that you must let your boss know that you have money and you can leave the job anytime. They also tell me the people who need the money get mistreated by their employers. Has this become a kind of buzz expression in America? I just ran into a foreigner on the street and he was on his way to his second job and he told me this. The ways he was rushing indicated he was afraid to be late.

johntpartee · Joined: 02 Mar 2010 Posts: 3258

I've never come out and told employers I have money and/or that I don't need the job. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to let them know if you're broke. Not just in China, anywhere.

Sounds like the person who was in a hurry was conducting himself in a professional manner, keeping his appointments.

Miles Smiles · Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 1294 Location: Heebee Jeebee

I think that it's best not to give one's employer the impression that one is desperate either at home or in China, as John Partee said. In China, there ARE desperate people, and the FAOs know who they are sooner or later. If one acts professionally and gives the impression that he knows that he is employable elsewhere, the FAO is less likely to take advantage of the FT.

I wouldn't sayanything that resembles that statement unless I needed to pull a power play on the FAO and I knew that I could get another job in China, or if i were ready to allow the FAO to send me back to my home country.

In many cases, it is the FAO (or employer) who is most needy.

Miles Smiles · Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 1294 Location: Heebee Jeebee

I don't know it to be a common practice or a stock response to an employer either. I just don't think it's a good idea to let any employer (in China or otherwise) know that one is willing to put up with anything in order to keep his job.

I HAVE told a Chinese employer "Look, I don't need this nonsense from you. We have a legal contract, so you must turn on the air conditioning. No air conditioning in my apartment, no teach. Got that? I can make more money at home, so if the A/C isn't turned on, I will consider the contract broken, and I will get a job down the street, or you can buy a plane ticket for me to return home. It's your choice."

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Heard it a lot, although I do not believe the people who say it to be telling the truth. People look for work because they need the job, otherwise they would not be applying in the first place.

Fact is, as another poster mentioned, there are a lot of desperate people in China looking for work.

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

Bosses, women, whatever.... it is always better that they feel that they need you more than you need them....

Javelin of Radiance · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 1187 Location: The West

Watch this episode of the Simpsons for a lesson on negotiation - "Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk."

Burns sells the power plant to Germans for $100 million. The German investors discover that the plant is in bad need of repairs and decide to sell before they sink too much money into it. Burns, noting their desperation to sell, offers them $50 million for the plant, and they reluctantly accept half of what they paid him. "Desperate to sell? Advantage Burns." Followed by evil laughter. Twisted Evil

Ariadne · Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 960

Wanting a job is different from needing a job although sometimes they happen at the same time.

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Lobster · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 1:04 pm Post subject:

Maybe they want the job but don't need the aggravation that accompanies it.

RED

Brian Hugh · Joined: 07 Jan 2012 Posts: 140 Location: China

The guy from the US said he was retired and was doing a second job (he has two jobs teaching ENglish)as a favor to a friend. He said you must let the boss know that you are not afraid to walk or you will be exploited. He said there were teachers he worked with who were taken advantage of because they needed the money. The girl who said this same thing to me where I am working now is home for the summer. She goes to school in New Brunswick. She took a job for two weeks at the school I am at now. Then she decided that she didn't want to work there anymore. Her real purpose in life is to find an investment in Canada for her parents.
Everyday I go to Macdonalds and drink the bottomless cup of coffee. It cost me 8 rmb and I get a chicken burger with it. Everyone is in a uniform and the turnover of staff is just like my school. Big meetings with the boss once a week. Meetings go for hours. How can you goof in a restaurant that has everything automated. Manaise machine that puts exaclth 1,67 grams on the bun. French fry machine that beeps when the fries are ctispy. Computer that when the order is taken delivers the order directly to the person in the kitchen. Mind numbing work. Kind of like my school where the teachers just translate everything form the Young Cambridge Learners series. Working at Macdonalds for 9rmb an hour. I am Ronald Macdonald for my school.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

Brian Hugh · Joined: 07 Jan 2012 Posts: 140 Location: China

Opiate do you work for the government of China? Maybe a 6 mao person because of your English abilities

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

Gringo Greg · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:34 am Post subject:

If your employer thinks of you as poor, they will look down on you.

If your employer thinks you desperately need the job, they will ask anything from you.

With this in mind, I make it a point to let people know that a) I have plenty of money and b) that I have a job I can go back to at any time or for any reason.

While it is one thing to be able to say that, it is another thing to have it be true. Luckily, over the last 4 years I have been able to turn it into something true.

Lobster · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 7:25 am Post subject:

I agree with Greg. Why anyone would show themselves to be anywhere but in a position of strength, particularly during the critical negotiation phase, is beyond me. I let employers know that I'm doing them a favor by agreeing to work with them, and that I do in fact work with them and not for them.

RED