Job Discussion Forums

[astrickland]

I have a Skype interview scheduled for Monday with Interlink for a teaching position at the TVTC. After reading all of the bad press, I think I'll cancel and let them know I'm no longer interested. In the threads I've read on here, I think there's been only one person who had anything positive to say. The last posts I've found on them are from last September/October~, so I guess it's possible things could have turned a corner in the last six months, but is it really worth rolling the dice and risk putting myself in a terrible situation? Does anyone know if the company's gotten any better? Thoughts on this, anyone?

[ttxor1]

Hi Astrickland,

I had a brief email exchange with an Interlink administrator a few months ago. Lots of things raised red flags to me, most importantly the housing situation. One of my questions was whether shared housing was not negotiable, and they responded as pasted below.

hope this helps,

ttxor1

It depends on the location.
In some locations, we have already leased an apartment for two teachers. In this case, the apartment is waiting for you. It is not negotiable.
In other locations, our apartments are filled. In this case, you can use local resources to find a place you like and we will send the landlord a check up to 40,000 SAR for your lease (no month-to-month renting is available). If your place costs more than that, then you have to make up the difference. This can be done through payroll deduction.
In a third scenario, again dependent on the location, we have leased more apartments than there are teachers. In this case, you can opt for an apartment all by yourself and pay 35% of the lease amount through payroll deduction.

[revilo]

Good move on avoiding Interlink.

I could have moved up quicker if I had avoided them in 2007.

[TheEasyLife]

Hi astrickland,

I'm probably the guy you found who wrote anything positive about Interlink.

I was in Buraidah last year for 6 months with Interlink but have now left. I'll tell you the good and the bad from my point of view.

Pros -

-They pay on time every month.
-They help you to set up a Saudi bank account so you can transfer money home.
-They will get you an iqama very quickly to make it legal asap.
-The students were surprisingly decent and hospitable (but can be permanently attached to mobile phones and seem half asleep during lessons).
-You could teach what and how you liked in classes and were left alone.
-They pay a good bonus at the end of summer term.

Cons -

-You can get much better pay at other companies. I was on $36,000 a year.
-I was in Buraidah, the most conservative city in the most conservative country in the world. I'm sure other cities are better.
-The course was 21 weeks long with no breaks for teachers or students in between. You teach 2 of these courses per year.
-It was 3, 100 minute classes per day, 5 days a week.
-The 2 day training in Riyadh was useless.
- No women or alcohol of course - just awful.

[Skeletor]

INTERLINK is a terrible company to work for. They will deduct everything they can from your pay in order to earn more money for themselves.

They are very clever though, INTERLINK is paid by the Hijri, but the teachers are on the Gregorian calendar. Last year, the Hijri calendar had an extra month in it compared to the Gregorian calendar. September 2013, INTERLINK got paid twice, the teachers got paid once.

Have some self respect and work for someone better.

[edwar1zl]

I just had an interview with Interlink. They offered me a job at the end of the interview. The pay is not the greatest 38,500. My biggest concern is the housing situation (no compound) and you won't know your location until after you sign the contract. I don't have a good gut feeling about the job and will be turning it down. If the money was more, maybe, but I can get close to the same pay in Asia and still have a social life. So I will wait for something better to come around.

[mahdi1432]

I have been with INTERLINK/EGA for about 4 months now.

Everything is smooth and non problematic in regards to the company, visa/Iqama processing, housing and salary payments.

And no....they don't force you to attend a graduate program.

[veiledsentiments]

[Skeletor]

Terrible company - no to minimal health insurance / iqamas take a life time to get and they refuse to give you exit visas. Prison is better than INTERLINK / EGA

[mahdi1432]

[lcanupp1964]

It always makes me a little apprehensive when someone who has been with any company for only four months gets defensive by informing a poster that he must have spent time in prison just because he isn’t having the same wonderful experience. Why would comments of complete strangers get people so worked up? The people that comment about INTER-SUX is writing about THEIR experience and not the experience of others. Don’t you think you should gain more perspective and experience? Who knows… You might get screwed over (I hope not) next month somehow. Four months, gee. You’re an expert on the company. But I will respect your opinion only if you are a real teacher and not a lackey staffer for the company.

Peace be on to you my brother!?

[mahdi1432]

[veiledsentiments]

It appears to me that you are intentionally misinterpreting his post merely because you don't agree with his opinion. Any sensible reader ought to be able to figure out that it is his opinion even though we might consider it an OTT comparison.

The reality is that in the past few years, this employer has had about 90% negative posts... a VERY poor track record... even when we factor in the fact that more unhappy teachers post than happy.

You have stated your experience based on your 4 months at your branch. Attacking those whose opinion is different from yours merely makes you appear to be either a member of management pretending to be a teacher... or things have changed dramatically. Personally I will believe that when we have a disappearance of the negative posters and a few more posters who reflect your experience.

VS

[lcanupp1964]

I think he might be the new Assistant to the Assistant Manager in Charge of Public Relations, Instructor Satisfaction & Professional Development. Unfortunately. The Assistant Manager position has yet to be filled due to zero planning at their international headquarters located in the center of Waba Crater, about a four-hour drive from Jeddah. Until then, this guy will be the acting Assistant Manager. So far, his biggest challenge has been trying to figure out how to hold meetings with himself.

[rollingk]

I needed a little comedy in my day.

Picking apart someone's statement that something is worse than prison is so fatuous as to be laughable.