Job Discussion Forums

balqis · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 373

Ot looks like it is 500 more, but in reality, well in my case at least, it wasn't 500 more, coz you need to furnish and ac [ enormous cost ! ]ur own flat, then pay the rent for the flat and the utilities too. Whereas the recruiters pay all ur rent, furniture, ac and bills for you.

balqis

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:46 am Post subject:

Good point Balqis, but, if you're going to stay long-term, the MOHE deal is probably still the way to go. It might not be a 500 OMR per month difference (when you factor in the recruiters' allowances etc.), but, my understanding is that it still usually works out to a few hundred extra a month (depending on how long you have been with the Ministry), which certainly adds up over time and is nothing to sniff at. Better job security as well.

However, on the negative side, you have to deal with the Ministry. The recruitment process is very long-winded and, from what I have heard, it is common to wait anywhere up to four months after you have started before getting your first pay check. Speaking for myself, Hawthorne has always paid me on time and in full and the recruitment process could not have been smoother. For the Ministry, you will definitely need a Masters as well. All in all, if you are looking at a posting for a year or two, I'd probably just go through Hawthorne. If you are in it for the long run, and have the academic qualifications, then, personally, I think a MOHE gig could definitely be worth the extra hassle.

balqis · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 373

True Lieutenant Welsh, I forgot to menion the sumptous one-time settling-in allowance for MOHE people. Yet, from my experience, many a time the MoHE profs choose to live in quite utter squalor, in conditions much worse than Hawthorn faculty, as they try to make savings out of their own standard of living, so they go down to almost zero-level, with one ac for the whole flat and self-assembled plastic furniture from Bengali sector at Lulu. Whereas willy-nilly the Hawthorn faculty are offered certain standard by the Hawthorn contract, be it cheap basic Ikea, like it was in my flat, yet still standard.

balqis

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 12:50 pm Post subject:

In Salalah, Hawthorne doesn't provide the accommodation. You just get the accommodation allowance and it's up to you to find your own digs. I actually prefer it this way. In effect, the allowance is just part of your salary. I know Hawthorne teachers who are living in beautiful villas for 300 OMR a month (and having to dip into their wages to meet the rent) and those who inhabit one-bedroom apartments where you can't swing a cat. However, these guys are only paying 100 OMR a month and are actually turning a profit out of their accommodation allowance. Of course, there is everything else in between. The Ministry teachers might not get the accommodation allowance, but they are still on higher pay anyway and both Ministry and Hawthorne teachers in Salalah, it appears to me, are just getting the accommodation that suits their particular budget and needs. If someone wants to live simply so they can squirrel away some extra cash then fair play to them. Likewise, if someone wants to live in a nice place and are prepared to pay for it then that's no skin off my nose.

MuscatGary · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:34 am Post subject:

MoHE teachers get a furniture allowance in the form of a soft loan, it depreciates by 25% p.a. If they terminate or fail to renew a teacher the loan is forgiven. It's plenty to furnish an apartment, 1,800 for Masters teachers and 2,100 for thoise with Ph.D.'s

Financially it's a no-brainer the MoHE is way better but the requirements re paperwork are much greater and there is a waiting period before the first paycheck, in my case 5 months. The Hawthorn PRO was also head and shoulders above the Ministry equivalent.

MuscatGary · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:35 am Post subject:

MoHE teachers get a furniture allowance in the form of a soft loan, it depreciates by 25% p.a. If they terminate or fail to renew a teacher the loan is forgiven. It's plenty to furnish an apartment, 1,800 for Masters teachers and 2,100 for thoise with Ph.D.'s

Financially it's a no-brainer the MoHE is way better but the requirements re paperwork are much greater and there is a waiting period before the first paycheck, in my case 5 months. The Hawthorn PRO was also head and shoulders above the Ministry equivalent.

Whatever will be · Joined: 05 Feb 2014 Posts: 303

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 6:10 am Post subject:

Whatever will be · Joined: 05 Feb 2014 Posts: 303

balqis · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 373

Yes, but there is nothing abnormal with Lieutenant Welsh's salary. It is normal for most places in Oman, and more than average for most colleges in Muscat I know of or interviewed with, where Indians set the standard of payment. The Military College salary is abnormal, therefore there are attempts to make it normal for Oman. Why pay so much money as they pay in the Military College? There is no justification at all, and even if they make the salary there average, there will be one hundred applications for a single position there.

balqis

Whatever will be · Joined: 05 Feb 2014 Posts: 303

balqis · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 373

In all colleges in Muscat I had interviews with there is no such thing as 1500 a month. but way way less.
And in CAS and Kulijat Takanya it is just like Lieutenant Welsh's, no more. In UoNizwa, UoDhofar and UoBuraimi, same same level [ I have had contracts of all three unis in my mailbox, and made an error to select Nizwa. in fact UoBuraimi offers even less].
Certainly, in Muscat Military they have The Romanov's Jewellery for disaply when it comes to their teachers. Otherwise why?

balqis

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 1:20 pm Post subject:

omanoman · Joined: 11 Jun 2014 Posts: 140

Nice one Sgt., no need to take back handed compliments from forum grumps. Indeed, the "take home" value of ones salary is dependent on expenses.

And anyway, companies advertising these salaries have seen the market and will take their chances. I think the real truth is that the ESL field is saturated and they will receive easily 100 applications for that job, many of which will not meet the criteria and many will not be native. But, there will be plenty to choose from after sifting through and they might just get someone who is perfectly happy to give a shot.

Who knows, maybe we will see future evidence of their sunny disposition right here on the boards?