I read this on the discussion site Forumosa.com recently:

Trying to have a “normal” career in Taiwan (working hard, getting raises and promotions, finding better jobs, and so on) is generally a waste of time here. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a successful career, but you will need to create it for yourself out of whole cloth. I can only offer general advice:

• Improve your Chinese. Get fluent in general conversation and topics related to your work.
• Make friends and connections in your profession and your customer base. Actively network at shows, expos, Facebook groups, or whatever is available.
• Make a name for yourself. Your job won’t give you many opportunities to do this but there are sure to be things you can do on your own time — do concept work and share it online, write a blog, give talks, contribute to magazines, do freelance work for your friends and connections.

Do this for long enough (ten years, say) and you will eventually reach some mysterious critical mass where work is always available and you can make good money. Until then, don’t quit your job unless you have something better lined up.

In a nutshell, this is what’s happened to me. I didn’t consciously set out to get to where I’m now. But by accepting the work that was offered – even when it didn’t quite match my interests, or didn’t pay very well – I’ve got to a position where I seldom seek work, and I’m very seldom bored with what I’m doing. From time to time, I do turn work down.

There are three or four editors I make a point of staying in touch with; I send them article ideas every few months, and because I have a good idea of what they’re looking for, more often than not they give me the green light. I spend less than 30 minutes each week investigating publications I’ve never written for. Perhaps that isn’t enough, but in professional terms I’m stable and comfortable. I’m lucky. And complacent…