Job Discussion Forums

[emilykprobear]

I'm looking into going to Taiwan for a year-ish and was wondering if anyone has experience with these agencies - Hess Education or Teach Away Inc.

[markholmes]

Hess is not an agency, it's the largest chain school in Taiwan. If you do a search of this forum you'll find multiple threads on Hess.

[Nip]

Apparently, you'll be...

Hard-worked
entry-level paid to the furthest extreme
supplied with a uniform
smiling for the pleasure

[yamahuh]

Or you might be:

Harrassed
Exploited
Saddened and
Short-Changed

Hey, this is fun!!

[aahz]

I know many people who work for HESS. Some seem to work in editing, others seem to be teachers. None of them really talk about work when we hang out; it seems like they don't really enjoy it too much, but then again who really wants to talk about their job when you're hanging out with friends?
Well, I guess I do...
Anyways, I was looking at HESS but just couldn't really get into the idea of their contract. It was just too complicated and bulky to accept. You had to promise to work a certain amount, and had to work a certain amount, but you could get more hours, and you got paid based on how many hours you got...
I suppose, from what my friends seem to do, it is at least a job of one type. But I'm pretty sure that they're not making too much, not really overly satisfied, and generally it's just something to do while they look for something else (or hope for better economy on the horizon).

[yamahuh]

If memory serves me correctly - and I freely admit it might not - the Hess contract stated that you wouldn't be paid your full earnings for the first 6 months of your contract?

They used the withheld wages as the proverbial 'carrot' to force you to stay past 6 months. If you didn't then 'oh well' the schol keeps your earnings and if you did then you were 'paid' your held earnings incrementally from the 6 month mark to the end of your contract.

Any school that has to bribe their teachers to stay by holding their wages hostage isn't a place I want to work...

[123Loto]

Hess doesn't withhold any of your pay for the first 6 months... they do offer an interest free loan of $30,000NTD that they will take from your pay for up to 6 months - maybe that's what's getting mixed up there?

[yamahuh]

Possibly - doesn't sound right but as I said earlier, I wasn't sure if it was Hess or someone else that withheld the wages.

[Shimokitazawa]

[yamahuh]

But people still keep showing up to work for them, as evidenced by the proliferation of their schools...

[123Loto]

[creztor]

In all fairness, working at HESS really depends on the branch you are assigned to. Many people, like me, have no problems at all, but you have to be careful because each branch has its own manager. The definite downside is that you will spend at least half an hour to an hour each day outside of class grading home work. Expect to spend one to 2 hours grading tests when it comes to administer tests. However, HESS isn't the only school that does this and you will find that many other big chains use a very similar set up. Again take all of the above with a grain of salt, because it really does depend on how good or bad the branch manager is where you work.

[chaiplz]

[123Loto]

My information is now out of date so I can't be of much help sorry! Just ask the recruiter what the name of the HNST or NAM is at your branch. If there is one, this is a better indicator of a healthy workplace than if there isn't one. No guarantee but still an indicator.

[chaiplz]

will do if i end up in that situation -- thanks anyhow!