Adeline's job hunting experiences in Newcastle's Chinatown is interesting to say the least...
"In relation to job hunting, I even went around the restaurants in Chinatown, asking if they were hiring.It was a bit nerve wrecking to just go in and ask, but quite interesting. The way the Chinese restaurants hire is completely different from the way English companies hire.
First, if you are Chinese, you already have a chance of being hired (whether or not they already have a lot of staff).Secondly, if you can speak/read/write Chinese, you are a shoo-in. The waitress at one restaurant thought I couldn't speak Chinese and said as much right in front of the manager, but I understood and instantly piped in Mandarin, 'wo hui jiang zhong wen' and 'wo shi ma lai xi ya ren'. Thereafter, I was immediately sat down for an interview with the manager (who was also from Malaysia). So there, bonus for me cause (a) Fluent in English, (b) Can speak Mandarin.
Thirdly, you have to be prepared to work 14 hour days, 6 days a week. Crazy right? The manager of the same restaurant said if you want to earn cash, that's what you have to do. I felt that I am not that desperate to earn money. I will be really unhappy for one thing, and I don't think I can survive standing on my feet for 14 hours everyday, 6 days a week.
And they even offered to train me on the spot! Very different from English companies that go through stage 1: Application, stage 2: Online Assessment, and then stage 3: In-store Interview.
I told them I couldn't do 14 hour days, 6 days a week. So good bye waitressing in that Chinese restaurant.
I also entered another restaurant (both restaurants are places I eat at frequently). They gave me a 'Chinese reading test' to see if I could read off the menu in Chinese. I could only read one character out of 6. So failed the test. Also, I wanted to work part-time, to which they said derisively, 'You can only work till February 2013 and you want to work part-time?' I know la Chinese restaurant means Chinese work ethics but this is not how I envisioned spending my last days in Newcastle (slaving away in a Chinese restaurant), so I said 'Yes, part-time.' Furthermore, I can't even read the Chinese menu, so good bye waitressing in that restaurant.
However, I also learned that there will always be a place for you in a restaurant, if you are Chinese. The Chinese restaurants look out for their own kind. They don't hire white people to work for them because, that's not very authentic isn't it? Chinese hirers are also more straight to the point. No beating around the bush like English companies with the 'Why do you want to work for us?' 'Do you have experience?' mentality *cue polish the company's shoe, saying they have a brilliant rep, and then showcasing yourself as the best one for the job*. Just straight up, 'Can you speak Chinese?'/ 'Can you work ungodly hours?'. No experience never mind, we train you on the spot!
Next, I applied online to work as a Christmas temp sales assistant for Boots Pharmacy. Got invited to do online assessment. Just completed it. If I pass that, I will get called for an in-store interview. Really hope I get this job because (a) It is temporary, (b) The hours are reasonable. I just want a small source of income, not looking to make big bucks before returning. But imagine! Christmas temp also must go through so many stages. This is how the English company works (frankly I don't mind because English companies also adhere to the labour laws and don't ask you to work 14 hour days, 6 days a week. That's actually illegal).
I am not lazy. I just don't want to slave away, when I am already going to slave away as a lawyer back in Malaysia"
Well its my prayer that Adeline gets this job at Boots Pharmacy cos I am getting a bit worried about her dwindling funds!
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