Job Discussion Forums

dackinator · Joined: 17 Sep 2010 Posts: 105

I've been applying for Saudi jobs with little luck so far, because i dont have an MA and my bachelors isnt in education.

Until this morning i received a strange email from an agency. I had sent them my CV and filled out a basic application form for a job. And now they emailing me to say I was accepted for a place at 'x academy' and attaching a contract?!

I'm not sure if,
-it's a mistake. But I can see the reply from the school itself confirming my name.
-the school expected the agency to interview, and they are skipping it.
-they're so desperate they dont even want to interview?

Also the contract has a very sneaky accounting trick. I'm not sure how normal this in saudi arabia but it says my basic salary is 1000 SAR, with a bonus of 11000 SAR, with severence and holiday calculated on the basic only.

Anyone heard of this before? The school is named after a news TV channel.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

I assume you're referring to Al Jazeera International Academy. Do a search on them. (Always check out the company and work site before accepting an offer.)

It seems they're banking on your desperation. Regardless, that's a bad sign. Hit 'delete' and move on.

hash · Joined: 17 Dec 2014 Posts: 456 Location: Wadi Jinn

Pikgitina · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 420 Location: KSA

nellyp · Joined: 29 Mar 2015 Posts: 58

dackinator · Joined: 17 Sep 2010 Posts: 105

Hash, I wrote correctly.
The contract states a total of 12000/month, but this is broken down into a basic salary of 1000 with the rest considered 'other', and not relevant when calculating benefits. So I assume it is an accounting trick to make sick pay and end of contract pay very low.

Hello Nelly, yes same agency as me. Did you have an interview? Being offered a job somewhere without them even speaking to me is setting off alarm bells. How do they know i'm not nuts?

RedLightning · Joined: 08 Aug 2015 Posts: 137 Location: United States

nellyp · Joined: 29 Mar 2015 Posts: 58

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

dackinator · Joined: 17 Sep 2010 Posts: 105

Unfortunately yes I agree. Searching for a school before accepting a job is great advice and I do it every time.

But... most teachers aren't going to write about how great their school is, or make a post when everything is just acceptable. The people who are moved to share their experiences on the internet are usually the ones who feel shafted or annoyed!
Anyway dont worry I declined, i just thought it was very odd, never experienced it before. Even at uk summer schools they at least called me first and pretended to care about the questions being asked.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

dackinator · Joined: 17 Sep 2010 Posts: 105

It looks like the school is still searching, I just got offered the same contract with the same school (through a different agency), again with no interview.

bertonneau · Joined: 26 May 2009 Posts: 79 Location: Colorado USA

Any institution that would offer you a job with no interview on the other side of the world is either stupid or lazy and incompetent. This could be the same in Saudi even with an interview but at least you know they know enough to talk to you. 12,000-13,000 SAR per month would be an absolute minimum if you're desperate or eager to get your foot in the door in Saudi if your quals are basically not what anyone else is looking for. But what a crap shoot. I'd demand an interview with a manager or HR person and ask some hard questions and request a few Western teachers emails names etc. to ask some questions to.prior to jumping on a plane. If they wont provide that to you I'd say forget it. You may very well end up going over there, be disgusted and/or frustrated as many are and leave after a few months anyway, assuming they don't bring you over on a single entry visa, highly not recommended as you're stuck there even if you hate it. assuming you're not totally desperate in Saudi to say the least better safe than sorry. Always assume the worse case scenario over here until proven otherwise.

plumpy nut · Joined: 12 Mar 2011 Posts: 1652

Interviews are for the sole purpose of making sure that you don't look distasteful like Quasimodo to your distinguished Arab interviewer who is possibly wearing a thobe and checkered headdress with maybe a few flies going around on the SKYPE screen.

bertonneau · Joined: 26 May 2009 Posts: 79 Location: Colorado USA

My interviews that I take control over, consist of everything from pay of course, to transportation situation, housing and conditions, vacation details, health benefits, iqama or work visa, single or multiple entry visa prior to entry into the country and usually I require a list of Westerners (3) with emails and Skype addresses to speak with who are currently working there. If these things aren't met, which they always have been, I don't take or even consider the job.I've still always had some clusterish issue that has come up, but have avoided many of the avoidable issues which those who haven't asked and demanded these kinds of answers usually pay the price for their lack of asking. Id much rather lose a bad job than take one just to be miserable for a year because I didn't ask and didn't assume the worst from Saudi in the first place.