Starting a Job in Taiwan: What do you call yourself?

Today, we are talking about work, specifically that awkward time when you first join a company.

應屆畢業生 Fresh Graduate

The literal meaning is "current year graduate."

This term usually refers to someone who has recently completed their education and is ready to enter the workforce, but lacks any practical experience.

The word means the same thing as "社會新鮮人." Both terms refer to someone who has just graduated. Check out my previous video for a full introduction to the term!

例句：

她雖然是應屆畢業生，但有不少實習經驗。

Although she is a fresh graduate, she has a lot of internship experience.

新人 Newcomer

The literal meaning is "New Person."

When introducing a new colleague, say:

這位是新人 or 這位是新來的。他/她叫做 {name}.  (This is our new hire. His/Her name is {name}.)

It is appropriate for use with bosses, coworkers, and clients.

"新人" and "新來的" are more casual, conversational terms. A slightly more formal way to say this is "新進員工."

例句：

明天公司會舉辦「新人研習」，請所有剛報到的新進員工準時參加。

The company will hold a "newcomer orientation" tomorrow. All newly arrived newcomers, please attend on time.

菜鳥 Rookie / Noob

The literal meaning is "Vegetable Bird."

This is slang. It means "rookie," "newbie," or "clueless person."

You can also say this word in Taiwanese Hokkien.

例句：

之前來的菜鳥還沒有進入狀況，你去教一下。

The rookie who recently joined hasn't gotten the hang of things yet. Go show him the ropes.

Thanks for reading! If you want to hear the correct pronunciation and intonation, don't forget to watch the video at the beginning of this post. See you next time!