Thursday, April 13, 2006
Haven't been writing for ages... Either too busy finding jobs or too lazy to go online lately...
I had found 2 jobs recently, namely a hotel desk receptionist and an administrative cum question paper setting job at a tuition centre, both of which I rejected. For the former, the jobscope is something really new to me and I had looked forward to starting work had not my parents been strongly against it because of the relatively long working hours and shift work. I had even purchased the required workclothes for the job and had felt resentful for quite a number of days after being forced to give it up. However, I did not regret giving up the later as I found the boss of the tuition centre, which I would not name, quite dishonest and exploiting. He offered to pay a sum of three thousand for the setting of 8 papers per subject per level for maths and science from Pri. 1 to Sec.2. That, I calculated, worked out to be more than 110 papers but according to his erroneous calculations there were only 88 he claimed. That was only the first part. In addition,I had to do some administrative work and be in the office 9 hours a day for 5 days a week. The total sum of $3000 is actually paid on the basis of $30 per day for the 2 1/2 months I would be working, amounting to $2100. The remaining $900 would be paid provided that I finished all the papers within the given time, but this is subjective to satisfaction with my work. Again, I felt that something was amiss and worked out the pay to be ONLY $3.30 per hour! I brought this up to the boss during the interview but he said that I would likely to be paid the $900 part of the salary so my earnings per hour would be about $6 or even higher, depending on how fast I could finish the whole project. I later actually worked this out to be less than five dollars an hour! I felt that there are too many discrepancies between what the boss told me and the reality. There were too many uncertainties in the jobscope as well as the pay. How would I know what exactly his standards are and how he would be satisfied enough to pay the $900. Furthermore, I found his attitude a little arrogant and condescending when he told me that he WAS being a nice guy and gentlemanly to have let me keep my weekends free for my own tuition lessons as he had initially expected me to work for a 5 1/2 day week. He said that we should be gentlemen and and compromise each other. I was taken in by his offer finally, though unpleased by his condescending attitude.
Luckily, when I went home and thought about it again, I decided to give it a miss. There was even mention of a contract, which I would have to sign the following day when I report for work. Why wasn't it prepared for me to bring home and go through carefully? Was I being pressurized or even psychoed, to work for such a low pay? I would advise those looking for work to pay attention to the terms of their employers' contracts and look out for any discrepancies in what their would-be employers have told them. Do not be rushed to sign the contract and all doubts should be cleared before making the decision.
Posted by charles at 9:55 PM