Software or IT jobs

[headhonchoII]

I've worked for a few small companies in Taiwan. I had an excellent experience of teamwork in at least one company and it was far more fulfilling than working for a big setup. The problem is that they tend to be unstable.

[superguavaguy]

Why do you want to work in Taiwan? With an IT or CS degree you could get a skilled immigrant visa to either New Zealand or Australia. Frankly, either of those places would probably be better places to work. If you got into video game programming, you might be able to get a job in mainland China with Ubisoft, EA, or an independent game developer, but you'd need to know something about game programming.

[PigBloodCake]

Why do you want to work in Taiwan?

A wild guess: the 正妹

[Smitty1219]

Why do you want to work in Taiwan? With an IT or CS degree you could get a skilled immigrant visa to either New Zealand or Australia. Frankly, either of those places would probably be better places to work. If you got into video game programming, you might be able to get a job in mainland China with Ubisoft, EA, or an independent game developer, but you'd need to know something about game programming.

Well my reasons for wanting to work/live in Taiwan (at least for now, I'm sure not forever =P) are because I want to become more fluent in Mandarin, I enjoy the lifestyle/culture (busy, somewhat unorganized, but enjoyable for me =P). Also, as I said already I have spent two summers there, and have friends there (沒有台妹，哈哈). Finally, I just want a change of pace from living in upstate New York.

I guess I'd be up to living in New Zealand or China as well, I'm not sure. I haven't done much research about those places.

I have done game programming as a hobby and have some stuff I've actually finished (along with tons of dead projects =P), but I don't want to be picky with what jobs I apply for. As long as pay is decent, and the projects are somewhat challenging, I'd be up for it.

[PigBloodCake]

Why do you want to work in Taiwan? With an IT or CS degree you could get a skilled immigrant visa to either New Zealand or Australia. Frankly, either of those places would probably be better places to work. If you got into video game programming, you might be able to get a job in mainland China with Ubisoft, EA, or an independent game developer, but you'd need to know something about game programming.

Well my reasons for wanting to work/live in Taiwan (at least for now, I'm sure not forever =P) are because I want to become more fluent in Mandarin, I enjoy the lifestyle/culture (busy, somewhat unorganized, but enjoyable for me =P). Also, as I said already I have spent two summers there, and have friends there (沒有台妹，哈哈). Finally, I just want a change of pace from living in upstate New York.

I guess I'd be up to living in New Zealand or China as well, I'm not sure. I haven't done much research about those places.

I have done game programming as a hobby and have some stuff I've actually finished (along with tons of dead projects =P), but I don't want to be picky with what jobs I apply for. As long as pay is decent, and the projects are somewhat challenging, I'd be up for it.

Oh trust me...you do NOT want 台妹.....too much baggage.

正妹, OTOH, is different.

I'd say go for Kiwi (although I've never been there).

[superguavaguy]

Speaking as someone who's been living in Asia for almost 10 years, and speaks, reads and writes Chinese, I'd say that speaking Mandarin is a pretty useless skill. Despite the fact that everyone around you may be saying how useful it is because of China's growing economic influence, and despite the stories you may be hearing about so-and-so's friend who went to China with nothing, learned Chinese and is now running his own business, the truth is that other than helping you pay bills and get the brake pads changed on your scooter by yourself, knowing Chinese will not help you much in life. Here's how it works in Asia 90% of the time: if you have a good enough job skill you don't need to speak Chinese, but if you only speak Chinese and don't have some desperately needed job skill you're not much better than a local high school kid (who also lacks a good job skill, speaks better Chinese than you, and may have decent English, to boot). If Chinese is just a hobby, which is what it sounds like, I wouldn't sacrifice your career (software engineering) for your hobby.

I'm going back to the States in 2 weeks to go back to school to study computer science. Afterward I'm planning to go to New Zealand or Australia to live and work because the opportunities, pay and working conditions are so much better in the west. As fun as Asia can be, and as hot as the girls can be, it isn't worth delaying or even sacrificing your career over. Taiwan will always be here, as will the rest of Asia, so you can always come here on vacation. There are hot Asian girls all over the world, and if you get a good paying programming job you'll have your pick of the litter, since they're easily the most materialistic people I've ever met. Here's the way you should do it, if you're smart: get a job in the US, get experience, get a good position while continuing to study Chinese, and then get transfered to the Asian branch of an IT company. Coming on a cushy ex-pat package is the way to go. Frankly, the conditions most foreigners are living and working under in Asia sucks. The only people I've met who have it good are people here on ex-pat packages.

[PigBloodCake]

There are hot Asian girls all over the world, and if you get a good paying programming job you'll have your pick of the litter, since they're easily the most materialistic people I've ever met.

Frankly, I do agree with everything you mentioned above except for the quote above.

I've met more materialistic 恐龍妹 in the US than over here.

[Smitty1219]

Speaking as someone who's been living in Asia for almost 10 years, and speaks, reads and writes Chinese, I'd say that speaking Mandarin is a pretty useless skill. Despite the fact that everyone around you may be saying how useful it is because of China's growing economic influence, and despite the stories you may be hearing about so-and-so's friend who went to China with nothing, learned Chinese and is now running his own business, the truth is that other than helping you pay bills and get the brake pads changed on your scooter by yourself, knowing Chinese will not help you much in life. Here's how it works in Asia 90% of the time: if you have a good enough job skill you don't need to speak Chinese, but if you only speak Chinese and don't have some desperately needed job skill you're not much better than a local high school kid (who also lacks a good job skill, speaks better Chinese than you, and may have decent English, to boot). If Chinese is just a hobby, which is what it sounds like, I wouldn't sacrifice your career (software engineering) for your hobby.

I'm going back to the States in 2 weeks to go back to school to study computer science. Afterward I'm planning to go to New Zealand or Australia to live and work because the opportunities, pay and working conditions are so much better in the west. As fun as Asia can be, and as hot as the girls can be, it isn't worth delaying or even sacrificing your career over. Taiwan will always be here, as will the rest of Asia, so you can always come here on vacation. There are hot Asian girls all over the world, and if you get a good paying programming job you'll have your pick of the litter, since they're easily the most materialistic people I've ever met. Here's the way you should do it, if you're smart: get a job in the US, get experience, get a good position while continuing to study Chinese, and then get transfered to the Asian branch of an IT company. Coming on a cushy ex-pat package is the way to go. Frankly, the conditions most foreigners are living and working under in Asia sucks. The only people I've met who have it good are people here on ex-pat packages.

I realize you can get buy with just English, and I agree that for me Chinese is more of a hobby (like you said it's not knowledge that can make you more valuable), but I am determined to continue learning, and I really do enjoy learning it and being able to use it. Anyway I have a friend that did what you suggested. He works for Corning (a US company) in Taiwan. I'm not sure if he requested a transfer or just was asked to, but either way it is the easiest way because they tend to handle a good amount of the paperwork.

To be honest I never really thought about software engineering as a career. It just happens to be the only profitable skill I have, and I've been messing with computers since I was little. =P

Also, why does everyone think I'm after girls? Haha, I really can't be bothered at the moment, nor do I have the money to fulfill their endless desires.

[superguavaguy]

Also, why does everyone think I'm after girls? Haha, I really can't be bothered at the moment, nor do I have the money to fulfill their endless desires.

Because it's one of the few good reasons to come and work here.

[PigBloodCake]

Also, why does everyone think I'm after girls? Haha, I really can't be bothered at the moment, nor do I have the money to fulfill their endless desires.

Because it's one of the few good reasons to come and work here.

One of the few?

Name another one?

Money?

Weather?

Mando? You can do that in China and they're more accurate, pronunciation-wise. Plus their simplified writing is de-facto standard nowadays (hardly anyone outside the 'wan wanna learn traditional characters).

Come on...it's the kitty. Admit it