Job Discussion Forums

[jijor]

Can anyone recommend recruiters or schools to apply to? After being burnt in China, I'm a little nerve racked.

[nomad soul]

If you're nerved racked now, think twice about looking at jobs in ultra-restrictive Saudi Arabia if your only option is to get work through with a contracting company (usually via a recruiter). These contractors tend to be sketchy, so that's who you'll need to research and not the recruiter. On the other hand, solid qualifications can get you hired directly with a university.

[spiral78]

Racked or wracked? I've never known, but I vote for wracked.

[nomad soul]

[jijor]

Probably a little of all three. (I knew there was something wrong with my fingers when I typed that!)

I'm not that nerve wracked. Just irritated by China.

[nomad soul]

[jijor]

I can put up with a lot, as long as they actually pay.

[jijor]

[plumpy nut]

[nomad soul]

You're likely to only get a trickle of responses to your question, if at all, because what you're asking for (recommended recruiters) generally doesn't equate to getting on with a decent employer. To clarify, recruiting agencies can be fine; however, they usually recruit for sketchy contracting companies---the actual potential employer (their client) that you need to concern yourself with. Also, be aware that some of these contracting companies do their own recruiting.

Aside from the British Council, Berlitz, Wall Street Institute, and a few other private language schools, you won't find much in the way of job opportunities similar to those in Asia. Employment for both male and female EFL teachers in KSA mostly consists of teaching in a university foundation year program. If you're male, there's the oil/gas industry as well as job opportunities with military/government contracts.

As mentioned before, if you have solid qualifications/experience, look into direct-hire EFL positions in one of the Kingdom's many universities. Direct hire means the university does its own recruiting and hiring. Although direct-hire teachers work alongside teachers employed by contracting companies, there's a big gap in terms of benefits and salary and quality of life/work. See "The skinny on direct-hire university opportunities" (http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=103722).

By the way, for the many EFL teachers who work for these companies, nerve wracking can be an appropriate label for their employment situation as well as day-to-day living in ultra-conservative/restrictive Saudi Arabia. Look through this forum for threads about ICEAT, EdEx, Al Khaleej, AETG, Interlink, SBC, Al Shabaka... Most of these outfits employ teachers to teach in university foundation year programs, while others focus on supplying teachers in other industries. So if money is all you're concerned about, then go with whichever company offers the best benefits and salary (with the expectation they'll deliver on that contract).