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paul.conlong
Joined: 31 Mar 2015
Posts: 84
Location: Rochdale, UK
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 Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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So qualification, as long as it's not online is fine and not set in stone. But what about experience.
What are the chances for someone with an unrelated BA and a CELTA winth no working experience to land a job in KSA? |
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In the heat of the moment
Joined: 22 May 2015
Posts: 393
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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| paul.conlong wrote: |
So qualification, as long as it's not online is fine and not set in stone. But what about experience.
What are the chances for someone with an unrelated BA and a CELTA winth no working experience to land a job in KSA? |
No reason to not apply, then report back here with the horrible offers you've been given so we can all have a laugh. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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| paul.conlong wrote: |
| What are the chances for someone with an unrelated BA and a CELTA winth no working experience to land a job in KSA? |
KSA isn't a good destination for one's first teaching experience. Newbies usually head to countries like China, Japan, Korea, etc., before considering the Gulf.
That said, you'd probably catch the eye of one or two of the sketchier contracting companies; your opportunities will be limited to just those employers. That generally equates to so-so pay and work conditions. So be realistic with your expectations and whether you feel Saudi Arabia is personally doable. |
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forumchi
Joined: 05 Nov 2014
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 4:47 am Post subject: |
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| 1 year Saudi experience holds more value than 5 years Asian one. If you can get your foot in Saudi by any means then do it. |
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mnruman
Joined: 30 Mar 2015
Posts: 93
Location: Manchester, UK
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| Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| paul.conlong wrote: |
So qualification, as long as it's not online is fine and not set in stone. But what about experience.
What are the chances for someone with an unrelated BA and a CELTA winth no working experience to land a job in KSA? |
Is there any reason, as to why you would head to KSA with no experience? Do you have anybody there already etc? |
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mnruman
Joined: 30 Mar 2015
Posts: 93
Location: Manchester, UK
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| Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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| forumchi wrote: |
| 1 year Saudi experience holds more value than 5 years Asian one. If you can get your foot in Saudi by any means then do it. |
That's probably easier said than done, but if someone really does want to fast track into KSA I suppose this would be the way to go. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 9:20 am Post subject: |
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| forumchi wrote: |
| 1 year Saudi experience holds more value than 5 years Asian one. |
Yes, but ONLY if you want to spend the rest of your career in the Kingdom or elsewhere in the Gulf.
If you want to go on to teach in any country where students and staff take studying English seriously, that 1 year in Saudi can put you back 5 years in terms of progress up the job ladder. |
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paul.conlong
Joined: 31 Mar 2015
Posts: 84
Location: Rochdale, UK
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| Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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| mnruman wrote: |
| paul.conlong wrote: |
So qualification, as long as it's not online is fine and not set in stone. But what about experience.
What are the chances for someone with an unrelated BA and a CELTA winth no working experience to land a job in KSA? |
Is there any reason, as to why you would head to KSA with no experience? Do you have anybody there already etc? |
It's personal preference, I did have a family memeber who has been KSA many years ago. I may be able to get a place in their previous place of work via recommendation but I'm not commiting to going KSA just yet. |
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Willoughby
Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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Hi! To add to this list, I have a BA in history, CELTA, MA in TESOL to be completed in June 2016 and three years experience pre-MA. I would like to get my foot in the door in KSA. I know that the best jobs are out, but are there decent language schools or second-tier colleges that would consider employing me after my MA? Thanks in advance.  |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Willoughby wrote: |
| I have a BA in history, CELTA, MA in TESOL to be completed in June 2016 and three years experience pre-MA. I would like to get my foot in the door in KSA. I know that the best jobs are out, but are there decent language schools or second-tier colleges that would consider employing me after my MA? |
I'm not sure what you mean by "decent"; it depends on your particular expectations. Anyway, you'll rarely see ads for language schools since most tend to hire locally. However, there are plenty of vocational schools (i.e., "Colleges of Excellence") with openings as well as opportunities via the umpteen companies that staff teachers in university prep year programs and in military and oil training facilities (the latter if you're male). See the Cafe's job board and similar TEFL sites.
That said, you might catch the eye of King Abdulaziz and Prince Sultan Universities --- both hire directly. (See "The skinny on direct-hire university opportunities" for info.) You'd have to apply before completion of your degree since these two universities tend to do the brunt of their recruiting in the spring, but you'd likely have your diploma in hand by the time you apply for a visa.
Be aware that the Saudi government does not recognize degrees that included online coursework. The medium of instruction will get checked with your university registrar when you submit your qualifying degree for authentication/attestation for visa purposes. So if that's your situation, you'd have to focus on job ads that indicate an unrelated BA as acceptable, if your bachelor's was completed on campus. |
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Willoughby
Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Willoughby wrote: |
| I have a BA in history, CELTA, MA in TESOL to be completed in June 2016 and three years experience pre-MA. I would like to get my foot in the door in KSA. I know that the best jobs are out, but are there decent language schools or second-tier colleges that would consider employing me after my MA? |
I'm not sure what you mean by "decent"; it depends on your particular expectations. Anyway, you'll rarely see ads for language schools since most tend to hire locally. However, there are plenty of vocational schools (i.e., "Colleges of Excellence") with openings as well as opportunities via the umpteen companies that staff teachers in university prep year programs and in military and oil training facilities (the latter if you're male). See the Cafe's job board and similar TEFL sites. |
Hi nomad soul
Thanks for your response. What do you mean by language schools tend to hire locally? Do you mean that they hire Saudis?
By decent language schools, I mean 15-20 hours of teaching that are are nicely spread out over the working week and not all crammed at the weekend, access to good teaching resources, being paid on time and colleagues who are not too dysfunctional.
It's these recruiting agents that are scaring me off. I'm not desperate and TESOL is a mid career switch for me - I have a bit of financial security from my first career. I'm willing to take less pay for a couple of years (I know this sounds arbitrary) if it means I can get solid experience for better jobs in the future.
I'm doing my MA in TESOL on campus. My BA was also done on campus. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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"Decent language school" is an oxymoron...  since they all would have way more hours... from dusk to dawn with split shifts pretty much. By local hire, she means that they hire people who are already in the country on another visa... a spouse... or a moonlighter. (yes, that is normally illegal per contracts, but...)
If you are looking for better conditions, I would wait until your MA is completed with papers in hand... and look at the other Gulf countries too. Or even further afield if money is no object. KSA is pretty much only for the money. I would go and get my experience somewhere that is fun to live... like Morocco.
VS |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Willoughby wrote: |
It's these recruiting agents that are scaring me off. I'm not desperate and TESOL is a mid career switch for me - I have a bit of financial security from my first career. I'm willing to take less pay for a couple of years (I know this sounds arbitrary) if it means I can get solid experience for better jobs in the future.
I'm doing my MA in TESOL on campus. My BA was also done on campus. |
Avoid recruiting agents and apply directly with the two Saudi universities I mentioned when they start posting openings in spring. Or check AMIDEAST for opportunities in Morocco. Oman might interest you as well. |
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Willoughby
Joined: 28 Jun 2015
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 2:54 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
If you are looking for better conditions, I would wait until your MA is completed with papers in hand... and look at the other Gulf countries too. Or even further afield if money is no object. KSA is pretty much only for the money. I would go and get my experience somewhere that is fun to live... like Morocco.
VS |
Hi VS
I wouldn't say that money is no object! What I meant was that I don't have to worry about my next paycheck, start-up funds, etc. Morocco sounds interesting. PM on the way... |
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mnruman
Joined: 30 Mar 2015
Posts: 93
Location: Manchester, UK
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| Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 8:26 am Post subject: |
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In terms of experience, am I right to assume private tutoring isnt taken into account?
How about working for an umbrella company? |
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