Last night I had my first business dinner with clients. Our CEO and directors from sales team, R&D, and marketing team broght me to the dinner with guests from the biggest customer. We had dinner at Robin's Grill (2F Grand Formosa Regent Hotel), where food was great. During the meeting we consumed three bottles of red wines and a bottle of Gaoliang white wine with 58% alcohol. After the dinner, we went to "Together", a famous bar in Taipei. It was the first time I went to a place with girls sitting besides everybody, pouring alcoholic drinks, playing games chatting, and singning Karaoke. It's really another world for me, which I don't think I want to get used to. By the time I left around 2:30 a.m., my boss was completely drunk. I guess you can't blame him because the biggest client was just acquired by another company two days ago and a lot a uncertainty awaits ahead.
July 26, 2007
First Night as Salesman
Last night I had my first business dinner with clients. Our CEO and directors from sales team, R&D, and marketing team broght me to the dinner with guests from the biggest customer. We had dinner at Robin's Grill (2F Grand Formosa Regent Hotel), where food was great. During the meeting we consumed three bottles of red wines and a bottle of Gaoliang white wine with 58% alcohol. After the dinner, we went to "Together", a famous bar in Taipei. It was the first time I went to a place with girls sitting besides everybody, pouring alcoholic drinks, playing games chatting, and singning Karaoke. It's really another world for me, which I don't think I want to get used to. By the time I left around 2:30 a.m., my boss was completely drunk. I guess you can't blame him because the biggest client was just acquired by another company two days ago and a lot a uncertainty awaits ahead.
July 25, 2007
Three Months Old
Today is the three-month-old birthday on the Chinese lunar calendar, three days ahead of the regular calendar. He wights 5700g and looks good. He seldom cries in mid-night now, and only need to be fed once around three or four o'clock.
July 19, 2007
On My New Job
This is the fourth day since I came here. My boss was always in meetings somewhere else, and my colleagues basically mind their own business. In other words, I'm on my own. No gossips, no jokes, and no fun in the office. As I'm getting familiar with the new environment and trying to catch up with all the product specs and terms, I was told ten minutes ago that I'm going to have a new boss, starting tomorrow. Now I have to worry if my job description is subject to any change. What a nice surprise for a rookie trying to fit in!
July 12, 2007
James Housewarming Party
James has been refurbishing his house as preparation to get married this year. Unlike most of us, James lives with his parents in a 30-year-old house. Therefore, the refurbishment was under a lot of constrains. Almost 5 months passed since he began, he is finally able to invite us to his new home. Wish him the best on his way of losing freedom!
July 5, 2007
Job Hunting
I've got an offer and may start working sometime next week. So, it's time to share some interesting experience in the past week.
I opened my resume last Monday afternoon. Within an hour, I got a call from a man who did not sound like a human resource guy. He asked me if I could meet him last evening without explaining for which position. I was in doubt and asked him, and he replied that he's the executive vice president of that company. It was of course not what I'd expected. So, I met him and had a little chat after waiting in the lobby for an hour. In the end of the interview, he really taught me a lesson. He said I was not prepared, and I should think about how to model my past experiences and to leverage my career. That was quite a shock. I never saw it that way, so it was a tough but helpful start for my job hunting.
The next day I had an interview with a "normal" company for a "normal" position. Actually I knew I was to be hired immediately, so I just kept browsing for open jobs but wasn't to anxious to send out lots of resumes for interview opportunities.
And on Thursday I received another call. It was from a company my brother-in-law just left. The call was for a director position, which I was never interviewed for, so I agreed for an interview to see what's different. When I got there, the girl I approached asked me to fill a form in a room more like a warehouse or storage. Later, a engineer-style man walked in to talk to me. The interview was in a good atmosphere. Before leaving, I asked what's his role in the company. His business card said, "CEO & President". That really got me thinking if I receive the offer, will I accept it? I mean, if someone thinks I'm qualified to be a director and wants to pay me a lot of money, and the boss is very rich and far away in USA, and their stock is over 10 USD, will you accept it compared to a modestly paid, normal job?
I opened my resume last Monday afternoon. Within an hour, I got a call from a man who did not sound like a human resource guy. He asked me if I could meet him last evening without explaining for which position. I was in doubt and asked him, and he replied that he's the executive vice president of that company. It was of course not what I'd expected. So, I met him and had a little chat after waiting in the lobby for an hour. In the end of the interview, he really taught me a lesson. He said I was not prepared, and I should think about how to model my past experiences and to leverage my career. That was quite a shock. I never saw it that way, so it was a tough but helpful start for my job hunting.
The next day I had an interview with a "normal" company for a "normal" position. Actually I knew I was to be hired immediately, so I just kept browsing for open jobs but wasn't to anxious to send out lots of resumes for interview opportunities.
And on Thursday I received another call. It was from a company my brother-in-law just left. The call was for a director position, which I was never interviewed for, so I agreed for an interview to see what's different. When I got there, the girl I approached asked me to fill a form in a room more like a warehouse or storage. Later, a engineer-style man walked in to talk to me. The interview was in a good atmosphere. Before leaving, I asked what's his role in the company. His business card said, "CEO & President". That really got me thinking if I receive the offer, will I accept it? I mean, if someone thinks I'm qualified to be a director and wants to pay me a lot of money, and the boss is very rich and far away in USA, and their stock is over 10 USD, will you accept it compared to a modestly paid, normal job?
July 4, 2007
MacBook Pro, Sold!
This afternoon Eric got his MacBook Pro, the very first Apple computer in his almost-50-year life. Every time he came to my home, he saw me using my Mac Mini in my living room. But he never though he would buy a Mac, despite that he has all kinds of digital gadgets including an iPod Photo.He was considering buying a new computer recently, so I lured him to switch side to the good guys. I showed him the TV commercials, showed him that Al Gore using a PowerBook in An Inconvinient Truth, but what really got him was Keynote. Now, he can wear an "I'm a Mac" T-shirt and I have a brand new MacBook Pro to borrow.
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