Job Discussion Forums

[pink_islands]

[nomad soul]

Pink Islands:

The Saudi British Centre runs the PYP for Princess Noura University; there's no direct hiring of TEFL teachers by the uni. You can find SBC's most recent ad on higheredjobs.com. You'll also want to check this forum for reviews about working for them

[GoldnSilver]

Pink islands if you're already in Saudi you can go to the PNU yourself. They are having some type of job fair for women.

[pink_islands]

Are Americans able to apply for SBC?

I read this in the mission statement:
The British Council is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and is keen to reflect the diversity of UK society at every level within the organisation. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria.

" the diversity of UK society..." Does US count?

BTW thank you guys for your replies they have been really helpful

[nomad soul]

[pink_islands]

What I read on this board is that SBC was better than EDEX(which everyone agrees sucks) and was better than adwaa( who was a recruiter for the recruiter SBC for princess noura) and was better than word education group bc SBC appeared more honest about living conditions the 3 to a room compound info ect.,.--- I gathered this info by reading numerous posts from November 2011- around feb 2012...Adwaa stranded people at the airport and SBC did not...SBC kept coming on top of all the other recruiters....
Example: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=92406&highlight=adwaa


Now all of a sudden people are telling horror stories about SBC...
F$%&$&
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=95035&highlight=pnu

Is there honestly ANY semi decent non scumbag recruiter? I was honestly Excited for a brief moment after spending hours and hours reading through the individual experiences- Now at 4 am, I am seriously like what the deuce.

[johnslat]

Dear pink_islands,

I think the problem is that it's all a crap shoot, and almost always the dice are loaded in favor of the house.

For every even mildly positive report about any recruiter, there seem to be half a dozen negative ones.

I don't think that you're going to be able to pick any recruiter/contractor and feel assured that you've made the best (or even a good) choice.

Regards,
John

[cmp45]

[johnslat]

Dear cmp45,

Well, if a person has a strong desire to do something but is warned off by those who've already "been there, done that," that person could spend the
rest of his/her life wondering, " What if . . . ."

So, which is worse: spending a year having what will probably be an unpleasant experience or spending the future wondering how your life might have been different if you'd done what you wanted to?

Following your heart instead of your brain can lead you into some bad situations, but as long as you survive them, maybe it's often worth it.

Regards,
John

[cmp45]

[Mushakil]

While there are many negative experiences with recruiters and work environments in Saudi Arabia, you can't ignore that there are people who actually like it. They are able to save more than $1000 per month and live a decent lifestyle. Also, there is a considerable amount of free time.
Yet, I have seen seasoned travelers and newbies do just fine. Yes, there are people who smile and laugh at work, and don't stress out about what is wrong.

Certain kinds of things happen in the Middle East that happen in many developing regions, like spotty internet service, utilities and housing with certain issues like the washing machine randomly stopping or the hot water heater not working. If things like this are too much for you to handle, then stay away.

To live in the Middle East as a woman you need a certain mindset.

1) Be knowledgeable: Research everything on the country, the religion, the people and the city.
2) No amount of research or reading of posts on Dave's will prepare you for reality. What you will actually see in reality will differ. Every recruiter has negative stories published about it and to some degree they are true, however every recruiter has many people still working. My point being that, there are many people who are actually finishing their contracts, culturally adjusted, saving money, and doing social events with friends.
3) Have a clear objective of what you want to accomplish. Do you need the job experience? Do you need the money to pay off debt?
4) People who do not succeed in the Middle East or Saudi Arabia usually have several qualities . They are extremely negative, critical and enjoy complaining.
5) Understand the cycle of culture shock. Be willing to modify yourself to blend in.
6) You have to be strong, because women have more challenges but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy yourself or be successful. There is a thriving supportive expat. community.

I personally think, it is an exciting time for the Gulf. There are a lot of ambitious education reform projects and while most of them are far from perfect is great to add to your experience and watch them unfold.

There is an ebook written on teaching in the Middle East on Amazon.com called Teaching in the Middle East through Understanding Culture that discusses what kinds of experiences women may have day to day.

Expatriates.com also has a lot of information

[posh]

Some good points made about KSA survival.

[veiledsentiments]