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One of the easiest ways to find a professional career within Taiwan is through internship or by becoming employed with a multinational company. The latter is the more lucrative option. Many foreigners end up doing the same job as their colleagues who were employed in the Taiwan office, but for as much as 3 or 4 times their counterparts pay.

Job Market

Taiwan welcomes people that are highly skilled in any capacity. Experience in consulting, English language teaching, tourism or development work is highly sought after. Learning Mandarin or Taiwanese could increase the range of opportunities available.

Kompass is a worldwide business directory searchable by country and product/service. The Taiwan Yellow Pages is another important resource to locate available positions.

Working Conditions

Taipei maintains similar standards to most business practices held in the UK.
The work week is usually Monday to Friday, from about 8:30 till 17:00. The maximum working week in Taiwan is 44 hours, not exceeding eight hours per day. Employees are entitled to a weekly rest of at least 24 hours, which is usually taken on a Sunday. Most full-time employers offer benefits, including health insurance.

Mandarin is the accepted language for business communications in Taiwan. English has become increasingly important and is widely understood within the population.

For more information, consult our "Work Usage" section.

Resume/CV

A resume or CV (curriculum vitae) is needed to apply for a professional position. Standard English CVs or American-style résumés are generally acceptable. If you are fluent in both Mandarin and English, it is worthwhile preparing a CV in both languages. However, it is not uncommon for employers to ask for more personal details than in the UK. The resume should contain:

Contact Information: Relevant personal contact information at the top of the page including:
name
phone number
fax number
address
email address
Optional: A current photograph may be included, but it not mandatory. It has become increasingly popular, but is more prevalent at lower levels.

Professional Experience: Usually this information is listed chronologically. List your work experience with:
your title
the name of the company you worked for
the dates of your employment
a brief description of your achievements in that job

Education: This section should come before work experience if you are in school or have been out of school for one to three years, depending on your level of work experience and how relevant your education is to your career.

Certificates & Diplomas: Courses, seminars, congresses or conferences that are relevant in relation to the position. Long or prestigious courses are also interesting. Point out a course's duration in hours. List these in a chronologically inverse order.

Languages: This is very relevant to an international job. List which languages you speak and your level: advanced, intermediate or beginner. Point out if you can translate, speak, or write in each language and list any associated degrees. If you are submitting your resume in Portuguese, be sure to have a native speaker read it first. Punctuation and grammar are extremely important.

Computer Skills: Programs, applications, word processing, database, Internet, etc.

Recommendations: References are important in Taiwan and may be the reason you even know about a position. Copy your correspondent's name and title exactly as printed on his or her business card, letter head, or company information.

Tips

• Style should be straightforward. Use standard paper and a simple font, such as Times New Roman (12 font) or Arial (10) font
• Print original copies on high quality paper - don't send photocopies.
• Be neat. Take care with the presentation, design, spaces, and spelling of your resume. Don't use abbreviations. Emphasize sections and things that are important with underlines or bold type.
• Make sure your resume is as organized as possible, so the information can be found easily.
• You do not need to date or sign your resume.
• Have a base resume that you can adjust to each job you are applying for.
• Attach a cover letter specific to the job you are applying for with the resume.

For some basic templates as well as templates specific to the job, look at www.resumetemplates.org.

Job Search

A checklist of what you need to start your Taiwanian career:
• Network
• Write a resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Research potential employers
• Find job opportunities
• Write cover letters
• Complete job applications
• Interview
• Follow-Up
• Get hired!

Networking

As in much of Asia, networking can be very useful in finding positions and getting hired. Employers generally prefer to hire someone they have worked with before, or who is known by someone else they trust. Seek recommendations through friends, colleagues, professional associates and industry contacts. Applications can be made by approaching employers, as not all jobs are necessarily advertised. See if you have any contacts within companies in which you wish to work.

Interview

Interviews are a chance for a company to get to know you before hiring you. Research the company before the interview to discover their managerial control and interests. The interviewer(s) may come from a variety of cultural backgrounds and this will affect the style of the interview.

• Dress neatly and conservatively. Women should avoid excessive jewelry and heavy make-up and choose a smart dress or suit. Men should look neat and tidy and may wear a suit or a sports jacket with tie.
• Arrive on time. Punctuality is taken seriously in Taiwanese culture.
• Expect a handshake and/or bow when being introduced.
• Sit down only when invited to do so.
• Expect to discuss the content of your CV in Mandarin if you have expressed any degree of ability in conversational Chinese.
• Be modest and respectful. In all Chinese culture it is important to respect seniority and not interrupt.

Useful Resources

There are several useful websites to locate openings: JobERA.com, Jobs Abroad, and Taiwan-Teachers. Other useful sites include: B2B China Sources, China Economic News Service, EYP, HESS Educational Organization, Kojen ELS, and the Taiwan Yellow Pages.

It is also possible to look for openings in local newspapers. Some of the most notable include: China Post, Taiwan Headlines, Taiwan News, and Taipei Times. The Kidon Media-Link offers links to various other helpful papers.

Temporary Agencies

If you are in need of short term work of any kind, there are agencies that will find you employment with another company. As an added bonus, sometimes short term work can lead to longer contract.

Agencies:
• Adecco Taiwan- http://www.adecco.com.tw/
• Manpower Taiwan- http://www.manpower.com.tw/
• Antal International- http://www.antal.com/

Work Visas & Permits

A foreign applicant working in another country must prove proprietary knowledge, specialized skills, or managerial/executive-level skills that are not readily available. In addition, minimum formal education and professional experience requirements apply.

To conduct business within Taiwan, it is necessary to obtain a business visa. This visa is valid for 90 days and has the same requirements as a tourist visa. To get a visa, bring a letter on your company letterhead addressed to the Taiwanese embassy or consulate, stating your business in Taiwan, your arrival and departure dates and your contacts. The letter from your employer must also assume full financial and moral responsibility for you during your stay

A foreign national employee may NOT convert his or her immigration status from a Visitor status to Work status while remaining in Taiwan. The employee can be present in Taiwan while the work permit application is being processed; however, the employee will not have authorization to work. Once the work permit application is approved, the employee MUST obtain his or her work visa from a Taiwanese consular post.

There are several Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices in Taiwan that can help you understand the necessary paperwork. To find out more about the ministry and locate offices, go to their site.