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Should I accept a contract in the KSA with Adwaa Arabia?
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archie40



Joined: 11 Nov 2012
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:39 pm    Post subject: Should I accept a contract in the KSA with Adwaa Arabia? Reply with quote

I've been offered a teaching contract in the KSA with Adwaa.
$2700 per month.
30 days paid holiday.
25 teaching hours a week, 40 working hours in total.
Single apartment.
Should I accept?
All advice welcome.
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Qaaolchoura



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 539
Location: 21 miles from the Syrian border

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 1:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What are your quals?
Frankly, with a BA and TESOL cert + one year experience, I got a job offer that paid over 3k/month, before deciding even that wasn't worth it to work in Saudi. Also, I think usually Saudi employers give two month's paid vacation. (Though I'm going on what I've read on these forums.) I assume you are getting airfare?

If you have an MA TESOL don't even consider it. Even with entry-level quals I'd think thrice if I were you. (You can make almost as much at entry-level in Korea or Oman, while being in a substantially less repressive society.)

Regards,
~Q
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abdi181



Joined: 04 Oct 2012
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 1:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Qaaolchoura,

what company or school did you that 3k job from?
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rdobbs98



Joined: 08 Oct 2010
Posts: 236

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do a search on Adwaa and I think you would reconsider anything with them.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 6:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"I think usually Saudi employers give two month's paid vacation. " That applies to educational instiutions in the public sectort (unis etc). In the private sectorf 30 days is common. That is what I got when I worked foir the airline.

Having said that, I would only go with the outfit mentioned if I were desperate for a job.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 6:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Qaaolchoura wrote:
Frankly, with a BA and TESOL cert + one year experience, I got a job offer that paid over 3k/month, before deciding even that wasn't worth it to work in Saudi. Also, I think usually Saudi employers give two month's paid vacation. (Though I'm going on what I've read on these forums.) I assume you are getting airfare?

Minimal qualifications like a BA + TEFL cert + one year of experience will only get you a low-paying job with a sketchy contracting company. Plus, you'd most likely be on a business visit visa. In contrast, direct-hire positions pay more and offer better benefits, such as paid holidays including 60 days time off in the summer, and you'd have a proper residence permit (iqama). These positions require solid/stronger qualifications.

rdobbs98 wrote:
Do a search on Adwaa and I think you would reconsider anything with them.

Ditto that. Plus, Adwaa may only be the recruiter. Always find out who the actual contracting company is when going through recruiters and then research that entity.
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Qaaolchoura



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 539
Location: 21 miles from the Syrian border

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

abdi181 wrote:
Qaaolchoura,

what company or school did you that 3k job from?

It was called the European Language Center. After doing a search on this forum, I found out that they were indeed a very sketchy outfit.

Basically, I was trying to say what nomad soul said. If you're well qualified, you might make enough money in Saudi to make it worth your while. If you're more or less entry-level, there are other countries where you can make almost as much, without having to deal with living in a socially-repressed theocracy.

~Q
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archie40



Joined: 11 Nov 2012
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all your replies.
yeah, i must say i was very, very wary of this offer.
i slept on it last night and i've decided not to accept.
i searched Adwaa and they sound very shady.
yes, i felt that the salary was low and that the holidays offered were less than other packages i've heard of.
i have an MA (not in english or english-related though), a TEFL cert and 1 years experience.
i do desperately need a job. i've been out of work for months.
but i'm not that desperate.
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hashim99uk



Joined: 23 Dec 2007
Posts: 47
Location: UK

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

archie40 wrote:
Thanks for all your replies.
yeah, i must say i was very, very wary of this offer.
i slept on it last night and i've decided not to accept.
i searched Adwaa and they sound very shady.
yes, i felt that the salary was low and that the holidays offered were less than other packages i've heard of.
i have an MA (not in english or english-related though), a TEFL cert and 1 years experience.
i do desperately need a job. i've been out of work for months.
but i'm not that desperate.


Hi
Despite I left Saudi Arabia but sometimes read the teachers' comments on Eslcafe, very interesting and also for not to blame myself for leaving Saudi Arabia! But I left it after one year of teaching accounting with a very bad company. I was desperate for the job and unemployed for a year.
I advise you if you are unemployed, get this job and accept it. I agree with you, it is low, just 10000 SR but better than sitting and searching jobs, fill in hundreds of application forms, do interviews, get the feedback, real maze and nerves burning!!
When you arrive in Saudi Arabia you will see the job market yourself, and choose the best one. You lose nothing. I found some teachers are realistic and say negative things, that is true, I am not blaming them as they had bad experience with these companies, or heard bad about it. But maybe they are different from you as they saved good money, can do business or found different field of business...everybody has different issues and perspective. Do not take quick decision or be hasty. Say Yes, sign the contract and travel to Saudi Arabia, if you are unhappy, leave or wait 2 months to find another recruiter. I met with a female teacher at PNU in Saudi Arabia, she was unhappy, but she just walked to the head office of Dar Al-Uloum university, signed the contract and went back to the UK, came back with new visa and better off now. New horizons open before you when you move and travel, but if you sit and listen to the people, you will be negative and blame yourself for this. Just try, we learn from mistakes.
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear hashim99uk,

So, how's the recruiting going these days?

I've got to hand it to you, though. Some people wouldn't have what it takes to come on an ESL site and post in such fractured English.

That takes a certain amount of chutzpaz Very Happy

Regards,
John
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hashim99uk



Joined: 23 Dec 2007
Posts: 47
Location: UK

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 2:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

johnslat wrote:
Dear hashim99uk,

So, how's the recruiting going these days?

I've got to hand it to you, though. Some people wouldn't have what it takes to come on an ESL site and post in such fractured English.

That takes a certain amount of chutzpaz Very Happy

Regards,
John


We have to be objective and straightforward when we give an advise to desperate people. I think you spent many years in Saudi Arabia, saved good money, then went back to US. If somebody is unhappy with SA why stays for a long time, he should leave after a while! Maybe you say that I needed money, OK people also need money and they can stand the situation as you stood before, why we block the way!! Yes with us, no for others!! It is selfishness indeed. I met with many Westerners in Saudi Arabia, they just complain but never leave the place!! and warn another teachers about SA !! Say: Yes sir to Saudis then they backbite them! What you call this sort of people! Double-faced is not enough!
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can understand why many desperate people take these terrible jobs, but we would be remiss if we didn't warn them of the real situations at way too many of these places. The recruiters/employers lie and mislead so many of the applicants and they think that they are getting a good job with decent money. They need to know that they are getting a crap job with... perhaps what they promised... perhaps not... and they may be very slow in actually paying their teachers... and they may or may not be working legally...

Not to mention that jumping from PNU to Dar Al-Uloum may very well be jumping from the frying pan to the fire... both have terrible reputations as employers.

VS
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archie40



Joined: 11 Nov 2012
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

veiledsentiments wrote:
I can understand why many desperate people take these terrible jobs, but we would be remiss if we didn't warn them of the real situations at way too many of these places. The recruiters/employers lie and mislead so many of the applicants and they think that they are getting a good job with decent money. They need to know that they are getting a crap job with... perhaps what they promised... perhaps not... and they may be very slow in actually paying their teachers... and they may or may not be working legally...

Not to mention that jumping from PNU to Dar Al-Uloum may very well be jumping from the frying pan to the fire... both have terrible reputations as employers.

VS


Yes - i've heard some bad things about PNU. i actually interviewed for a job with them through Auckland University and I was rejected. I was disappointed that i didn't get accepted. I'm really not sure at all now about going to the KSA, primarily because I'm female.
Thanks for all the advice.
Any others with experience - I'd love to hear from you.
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Middle East Beast



Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree

PostPosted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 4:13 pm    Post subject: Re: Should I accept a contract in the KSA with Adwaa Arabia? Reply with quote

archie40 wrote:
I've been offered a teaching contract in the KSA with Adwaa.
$2700 per month.
30 days paid holiday.
25 teaching hours a week, 40 working hours in total.
Single apartment.
Should I accept?
All advice welcome.


My advice would have been...no.

The salary is ridiculous for KSA as are only 30 days paid holiday and 25 teaching hours per week (that's probably a minimum, by the way). The only plus is the single apartment.

You made the right choice. It's just another crummy contract from a crummy Saudi employer.

I wish everyone would reject such contracts.

All the best in your job search.

MEB Cool
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jaffa



Joined: 25 Oct 2012
Posts: 403

PostPosted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Agree with MEB - it's an awful contract, money-wise and vacation-wise, but a sign of things to come.

Behind the scenes, the Saudis will be getting nervous about the rumours/truth about their diminishing oil resources, and without this there is nothing here other than camels, despite the bluster about KSA being a centre of excellence (Surprised), etc. Therefore savings are already being made (ie. salaries) to give the locals (middle men in education) a bigger slice of the hand-outs.

Let's face it, anyone who has spent time here can see that education is merely a sham for flashing the cash and pretending all his hunky-dory. Most students don't have 2 brain cells to rub together.

Recently found out that if you take the oil and gas out of the economic equation for the 22 countries in the Arab world, then their COMBINED economies are HALF of Finland's.
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