Job Discussion Forums

cptgulliver · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 13 Location: EU

Be very careful about Interlink. They invited me to Bahrain to apply for my work permit. I was left there with no support. They wanted me to pay for the medical and the visa place was not happy with my police report. They did not communicate with me and then dropped me, sticking me with the hotel bill and stranded in Bahrain. Many teachers I met said they never reimbursed for medical or visa expenses as they promised. A very high turn over, go figure!

wantok · Joined: 05 Jul 2012 Posts: 168

WOT, YOU DIDN'T KNOW?!?!

http://worldpress.org/Mideast/3740.cfm

http://vimeo.com/16912768

Beast · Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Posts: 120

Interlink has nothing to do with the business operations in Saudi Arabia. That is ALL done by English Gate Academy in Riyadh and employees are under contract with EGA. [/code]

babur · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 6:04 am Post subject: interlink saga

I heard a group of IL promoters were here. It was like dealing with a US university cashier. There was even talk of "commissions".
Riyadh was described as "their" college run under the auspices of TVTIC(?). It was like encountering a cross between Jehovah's Witnessess/Mormons/Scientology. I'd suspect they're the latter. You can find members of all three in Kabul.
The idea is to get people to sign up for scholarship programs in the US. USAID in Kabul (auaf and KU) provide the funds. It's American aid money being funneled back into the education system. So-called "American" universities all over the world do it.

daveweave2 · Joined: 04 Jul 2012 Posts: 6

Beast · Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Posts: 120

The contracts are NOT with Interlink. They are with EGA. They are separate companies. Anything good ro bad from the visas onward are under EGA and Interlink has no relative input or influence. EGA runs the show....... not Interlink.

daveweave2 · Joined: 04 Jul 2012 Posts: 6

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

"Saudi is not a democracy so anything goes,"

Some people have bizarre thought processes.

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

flow · Joined: 31 Aug 2012 Posts: 44

I Skyped with them not long ago. Very VERY unprofessional people at the helm. I was supposed to be interviewed by 2 members of the board (whatever that means) only 1 switched on his cam or rather I shall say his mic he never bothered opening his webcam even though mine was on. he was also 15 minutes late AND I had to make the call. So rude. Then proceeded by asking me what my nationality was even though I had sent Interlink a week earlier my resume. The conversation went from why I was using the Skype ID "Winwolf" and where my middle name originated from to why only losers would make negative comments when he asked if I had read posts on Interlink on this board. WTF?

Others didn't fair any better in my book. Pretty similar mob-like style Skype interviews - - very VERY unprofessional, again. The only one that seemed professional Skyping me were PINZ of New Zealand.

Anyways, lost interest in Saudi. Oman here I come!

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

NUTS to Interlink! Laughing

MEB

TheEasyLife · Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Posts: 57

Anyone have any updates on Interlink. They want me to fly out asap. Are they a total shambles or not bad to work for if you are a decent teacher?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Depends... which Interlink position? They work with a university which is almost tolerable... and some language school type stuff which has really bad press here.

Personally I would avoid them unless it is the only job on the horizon and/or how badly a job is needed.

VS

Beast · Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Posts: 120

Any position you have in the Middle East..... You are going to lose money. You know it's coming. You just don't know how much and when it will happen. Anybody who thinks otherwise probably still believes in Santa Claus. It may be as small as 15/SR for passport photos or it may be substantially larger amounts. But it IS coming with any employer. Interlink is no worse than anybody else. It's probably better than most.
The big advantage with Interlink is they don't micromanage your classes. You know what you are supposed to do and it's up to you to get the job done in any acceptable manner you see fit. If you are the kind of teacher who is a Material Operator and adds nothing to the class or someone who lives and dies by the photocopied Grammar Exercise, then you should probably look elsewhere. It seems they are looking for people who can actually teach and take control of their teaching instead of page turners.

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain