Job Discussion Forums

[Anglophony]

AVOID University of Buraimi: Direct hire no better than a scumbag recruiter at UoB.

At last moment Dr. A claims to need MA, when it was clear throughout that I possess a BA/CELTA/11 years experience (including university experience). They obviously just wanted to hire someone else.

Details/Lies

1. Accomodations:

-Told in interview first few nights were in hotel, and first month in university housing while I look for apartment. HR takes over and says "3 nights hotel, then you find apartment".

-Told in interview and by email that apartment would be 130 OR, and no money needed up front. Sure, after a bit of research I learn that it's 200-250 OR, and many months rent up front. Perhaps 6 months. Thousands of dollars different from his words in interview. Was he just confused? I think not.

2. Communication

-They communicate nothing about Buraimi or the UNI, and after interview man who hires is defensive to answer ANYTHING. So, I am forced to scour sites like this for weeks. Not that I mind it -I enjoy the process.

-After interview by the Dr. A, HR takes over and can barely communicate in English. They take my documents and know full well of my credentials. They say process is "all done" (I know, it needs to be done after arriving. But they full well what the requirements are for this job -and can anticipate what they will require).

3. The "News"

-After the interview, after the job offer was signed & returned, and after all documents sent -they wait a month and tell me need an MA. -acting as if he didn't know I didn't have one.

If it weren't bad enough that slimebag recruiters drag down the standards, hiring practices, and quality of life for teachers in Oman -must we expect the same from a direct hire?

I know I "should have known" they would disappoint. But how tiresome to let your guard down, to slow down your job hunt elsewhere and make plans to leave JUST 2 WEEKS LATER, because you are assured it's all kosher. Not to mention all the research on the locale.

Vermin like this need a kick to the face. Were I in Oman I would gladly have done it.

Apologists for incompetence and dishonesty in recruiting -please spare me the typical "the world doesn't owe you a living" or "you are bitter" routine.

Teachers be warned.

[madrileno]

Sorry that happened to you. If it makes you feel any better, the U of Baraimi has had three runners so far this semester that I know of, as well as unresolved salary and vacation payments.

Consider yourself lucky for having avoided that mess.

[lizziebennet]

Hey there I was sad to read that you had a rough time of it but I would like to clarify a few things.

A smallish villa will cost you about OMR200-250 but an apartment would be less. Prices can range and you could get an apartment for OMR130. OMR150-OMR180 is what most people I know are paying but they are in nice blocks. I am sure you can get something much cheaper in a rundown block.

You are right by saying that you need to pay a few months upfront but I am sure the university would help you with this. Did they say they wouldn't?

Earlier I said that the direct hires got about the same salary as the hires from ELS. I should have mentioned that they are on 20 hour contracts and the ELS employees are on 25 hour contracts. This means that the direct hires fair better than the ELS hires.

As far as the HR goes I am not sure who you spoke to but I know at least three of the HR people personally and they have good English skills. No one here has had any difficulty understanding them in person or by email.

Also from a person who has met Dr. A in person I can say he is a very nice man and that the teachers working under him like and respect him. I have never heard a bad word spoken about him and he is always in a cheerful mood. I am not sure what transpired between you two and it is sad that you had a bad experience with him but this is not to say that everyone else will.

Sorry it never worked out for you and good luck with your continued job hunt.

Lizzie

[Anglophony]

Good to hear ELS is treating you good Lizzie, -and that when people get lied to, or jerked over -it couldn't possibly be those charming, fluent HR people or sweet Mr. A -but rather an applicant's fault.

Nothing was said about helping me about with a apartment deposit because your reputable Mr. A said, quote "nothing is needed in advance". I did some research, and I found it to be false. That's no big deal. However, after doing the interview he seemed to think that HR would take care of everything and his job was done. They didn't.

I ask 2 or 3 simple questions -they reply after 4-5 days with one answer in crappy confusing English. They lack ANY basic recruiting skills and did NOT answer basic questions. I was going to give them a fact sheet for recruiting people from my country, as they obviously had no clue. HR did not communicate in coherant English -and was of no help -except to promise airline tickets within days.

I'm sure for your loyal service to ELS -they will post you elsewhere when this place closes. LOL

Mr. A seemed like a nice enough guy in the interview -but a remorseless, spineless, arrogant liar afterwards. The HR lady, named "S. Al-N" is known as an unscrupulous windbag. She has a reputation for being a selfish liar. How would I know this?

When I emailed these two idiots back, I just happened to blind carbon copy it to as many on the staff email directory as I could -so people could get a feel for how "Mr A-hole" & HR lady "S. Al-N" do business.

What came as a reply? Here is a quote from just one of 3 Omani professors who emailed me, all assuming the university was a train wreck waiting to close.

"They have done me more than what they�did for u. You must thanks God because you are not here. Every day i pray to find another job.i cant work for this university any more. Sorry for the expression but it is "a Bull Shit" University. Most of the staff and students are not satisfied here. They are hypocrites people ("S. Al-N" , new junior Acting VC. i don't� know how they think. they are stupid. I don't like� ("S. Al-N", HR lady) because she is unfair. She's� just looking for her interest, if she do not protect the rights of her employees how can she� protect yours?"

That is a very, very good question.

Cost of authenticating documents in a hurry? Time spent on this? Jesus Christ, when will some people grow up. "Cheerful" is a nice trait... but it is naive to defend people who lie and commit what would be a CRIME in your home country -because they seem sweet and cheerful. He is a coward and would be sued in your country.

Such double standards make me sick.

[Anglophony]

"the U of Baraimi has had three runners so far this semester that I know of, as well as unresolved salary and vacation payments."

[lizziebennet]

Hi there,

Once again you need to be careful who you listen to.

We have had ONE runner but that member if staff was happy enough to work at UOB for more than a year and basically just came back to get his vacation pay because he took a longer vacation in the summer.

The other two members of staff gave the required amount of notice. The one accepted a very lucrative offer in Saudi Arabia because Oman wasn't paying enough while the other had to rush home for an emergency but he returned last week to pack up and sort everything out with the company before he returned home.

There is one person in the whole company that hasn't been given his entire vacation pay but he has got more than half of it. He just so happens to be on Dave's. I am not sure what the problem there is but I am sure it is an accounting error and will be sorted out eventually.

I have seen posts by other previous members of staff but as far as I know they all left early in order to take an extended vacation and so were not entitled to vacation pay as they had not worked for the company for a year.

As far as outstanding salaries go this is entirely untrue. ELS pays salaries early most of the time. The only thing people have to wait for is their overtime pay. This is very usual in the gulf. I am sure V.S and others could confirm that even SQU does not pay their overtime on a monthly basis but rather every few months.

Don't get me wrong, I have had a number of issues with ELS and have quite a reputation for giving them a hard time with everything. However, I am still here with them and if it was as bad as some people would want you to believe I assure you I would have left like I left EDEX in Saudi Arabia.

If you are interested in working in Oman give UoB a chance but make sure you are willing to pay for a car and a border pass to enjoy the full benifits of living in Buraimi.

Also be careful who you listen to as there are a lot of TROLLS on Daves.

Take Care,

Lizzie

[It's Scary!]

Well,,,it seems that your "all in"!

It's not like we haven't been watching your posts!

[lizziebennet]

Yep, I enjoy my job and love life in Oman. Not sure if I will stay here once my two year contract is up but only because there may be better offers elsewhere.

I guess you can read some people's negative posts and my overly positive posts and then you can think of reality as being inbetween

[lizziebennet]

[Anglophony]

Glad to hear that those 3 "runners" were not actually unhappy at UoB.

I am gald you are happy there.

Your logic doesn't dazzle. Because it's a new university u think that they can lie and grossly inconvenience prospective employees? Remarkable. Irrespective of how old a uni is the hiring process should not be so deceitful.

What they did was illegal. Why can't you admit that if it were in North America or England you would sue them for doing that?

Ah, but when it's in a developing country it's "ah, those poor little brown people can't get it right. It's either our fault (as self-loathing white liberals), or they can't simply help themselves". Let's give them a pass because they don't know any better and, besides.... we really haven't helped them enough yet".

I have worked in developing countries. You are verging on the type of apologetic crap that sets standards back -allows people to avoid responsibility -->and makes one hell of a troll out of you.

I emailed the colleagues of these two *rude* idiots to embarrass them -only because I can't sue them. It says nothing about me, and Everything about UoB that three local Omani professors immediately write me to say that HR can't be trusted, and that they regret taking a position there. Normally they'd never speak up -unless as they say, staff and students are full of resentment.

At the end of the day your assessment of the school means little. You are happy to claw your way up in a low-end outfit like ELS -inside of a university that has a so-far dubious reputation.

Again, happy to hear that your day-to-day working environment is nice.

But the consensus is -from 4 others- that if you have a career worth protecting- the school is to be avoided.

[lizziebennet]

k, I get your point. We do excuse that sort of behavior and we shouldn't.

But as far as a career worth protecting goes this is the starting rung. If you have excellent qualifications go to TESOL Arabia and interview with SQU and the like as you probably won't be happy at UoB... If you want a challenge or if you don't have enough university experience and are wanting to get more university experience so that you can move on to teach at more established universities UoB is good.

I just want people to know that there are some people that are happy at UoB. There are people that haven't been treated badly by the university. Take heed of Anglophony's experience but also remember that he isn't here at UoB. I am. I have been here for more than a year and if it was that bad I assure you I would have moved already.

[pret a porter]

Here are the latest developments at the UoB for those considering ELS or the University.

Just before the end of the first semester, the UoB had decided to create and run its own General Foundation Program, one that is entirely separate from the one that is contracted out to and administered by ELS. In the usual gulf fashion, the University decided that students with no English background should be able to master the language in just three semesters, and be capable of University-level study after 18 months.

ELS, whose General Foundation Program has six levels instead of the University's three, was obviously nervous that students would leave their program for the university's, leading to them losing their contract with the University. So ELS copied the university, and consolidated their general foundation program from six levels to three.

This led to the expected chaos, with students who passed being put in the same class as students who failed the previous semester, students from Level 1 being put into Level 4, etc. Also, the passing grade was lowered to 65 from 70 in order to accommodate the students who are constantly threatening to leave or protest.

Add to this mess the University's decision to no longer require students to pass the IELTS examination before they can begin their formal studies. This has guaranteed the University will NOT be getting the European accreditation they were working so hard for the past year.

Just another Middle Eastern institution and company that are completely at the mercy of students who unfortunately are often too lazy, stupid, and selfish to take their education seriously.

Teachers be warned!

[veiledsentiments]

That is sadly typical of Gulf institutions... especially those that have been appeared in the last 5 years or so.

To be honest, this is situation to expect at every entry level university job. This is invariably how your first job in the Gulf will be unless you have an MA and extensive experience so that you are eligible for a job at the established places.

VS

[Sirens of Cyprus]

established places? "entry level" is your favorite thing to say and you call everything in oman entry level except SQU

[veiledsentiments]

The reality is that is pretty much what nearly all of the jobs in Oman are. They are the entry level jobs for the Gulf. They are some of the few that will hire people without an MA and with limited unrelated experience (ie a couple years in Korea or China). If you use your time there well... getting a couple years of experience with Arabic speakers... and completing an MA as many do, you may be able to get one of the non-entry level jobs.

Entry level = low pay and low credential requirements...

VS