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Job Prospects in Saudi Arabia
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DesertDuck

Joined: 19 Jan 2011
Posts: 24
Location: Never near a body of water

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 12:50 pm Post subject:

nomad soul wrote:

DesertDuck wrote:

nomad soul wrote:

I'm sure others would like to know the name of this university --- that an unrelated BA and white skin are key to nailing a direct-hire contract there.

Now putting words in my mouth .... not the best way to respond to facts, Nomad. I thought you as one of the most helpful, serious users on the ME forums. Why is it so difficult for you to accept that we don't all have similar experiences while working here ... starting with the pay and quals that get us hired. I thought this is one reason why we all try to share our work experiences so that those looking to work here can make informed decisions about employment in this part of the world. It's not as if we can rely on laws and regulations to protect us from potentially fickle or abusive employers. I've known ladies who got physically hurt because their employers did not fulfill their contractual obligations. This is why I do not believe these forums are the right venue to display political correctness. Work conditions in the Middle East are what they are. It's not for me to judge. However, I believe those who want to come here to work should be aware of what they can expect and what are getting themselves into.

To come back to my friend's situation, she most likely lucked-up. Offer was made towards the end of the summer, so she most likely was not a first choice, but as we all know, when people can't get visas or give up on a job here because the visa process becomes too much to handle, an employer might get desperate. Again, all this to show that the employment variables here are great. Even the native speaker requirement listed on most job ads is in many cases waved. Again, dear Nomad, I have facts to back that up....I have had colleagues on passports from Poland, France, Romania, or Spain. This, however, depends largely on availability of visa slots. Middle Eastern employers do not follow a strict set of hiring practices and requirements; they may have them, but how they are applied varies according to employer and their needs at a particular time.

Seriously, my comments were solely about the OP's degree and her particular job hunt and nothing more. No mention of work conditions, physically-abusive employers, labor laws, the (perceived) value of white skin, political correctness, etc. Moreover, you've obviously never read my posts; throughout this forum, I've consistently stated that job seekers should apply to see what their specific qualifications with net them rather than rely on others' experiences because there's no set one-size-fits-all situation. So either you're getting me mixed up with another poster or you've posted on the wrong thread or...

Anyway, rather than focus on me, perhaps it's best that your comments address the OP directly in terms of where she should apply to get the most bang with her education and experience.

....yes, your highness! If you truly believe that at your nearly 7,000 posts on several forums you can be mixed up with other posters, you've finally reached your goal of rendering me speechless at your arguments.

Balzac

Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Posts: 266

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:55 am Post subject: MAs/MScs

Travels wrote:

Good question, NS. I don't really know, though. I received an offer from Jeddah for 14,500 SAR, not sure if that took my Masters into account or not.

Actually, by law and specifically with the College of Excellence (CoE) contracts, all staff including TEFLers must have an MA/MSc. to teach but I know that many colleges flout this rule.

I wouldn't worry about others saying above one in MA in Cross-cultural Communication won't help you. This is bad advice. With the salaries going down the toilet in KSA, they are struggling these days to get anyone with postgrad degrees and as I said, it is a legal requirement anyway (certainly for CoEs) so I think your MA in Cross-cultural Communication will open quite a few doors for you assuming of course it was achieved on a face to face, taught course. Many hirers in KSA still don't like online degrees, but that is slowly changing.

Good luck!

B

rosalind

Joined: 02 Oct 2005
Posts: 28

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:50 am Post subject:

bigdurian wrote:

But at the same time, I have an unrelated degree, only a 120 hour tesol, and yet I still earn 75k $+a year, plus housing, plus flight allowance, plus a company car in my name to do with what I will.
I've said it before, but network. Come here on a crap job, and if you have anything about you, you'll get a better job.
Some people like to say that everything is set in stone about what you can and can't do. I beg to differ. Nothing is written.

I would love to believe that's true, but, bigdurian, there's one critical disclaimer you didn't mention. Are you male, or are you female?

Is the job you obtained open to women, or only to men?

Do people like me (and the OP) actually have any chance at all of obtaining that excellent job, which pays you twice as much as I earn, despite my related degrees? Or would we only have the chance of Allah helping us, as he's helped you, if we'd been born male?

bigdurian

Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:17 am Post subject:

I'm male. I don't make the rules. You know what you're signing up for before you come to Saudi.

plumpy nut

Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:47 pm Post subject:

rosalind wrote:

Do people like me (and the OP) actually have any chance at all of obtaining that excellent job, which pays you twice as much as I earn, despite my related degrees? Or would we only have the chance of Allah helping us, as he's helped you, if we'd been born male?

Interesting view Smile

Lord T

Joined: 07 Jul 2015
Posts: 285

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 9:52 am Post subject:

If today's desperate job advert by a well-known recruiter is anything to go by, the chances of getting a job in Saudi are quite good. Unfortunately, the salary scale appears to have hit a new low: people with doctorates will be paid 10,000 SAR a month. Read the advert and cry yourself to sleep-I did. Lord T

veiledsentiments

Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 2:04 pm Post subject:

Lord T wrote:

Unfortunately, the salary scale appears to have hit a new low: people with doctorates will be paid 10,000 SAR a month.

And I love how they end the ad with an admonition to not even bother to try to negotiate. Yet they are obviously desperately wanting immediate starts.

That pay for a PhD is less than I got in 1992 in the UAE with an MA + 5 years. (where salaries have also dropped, but not this much)

VS

Spelunker

Joined: 03 Nov 2013
Posts: 392

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:12 pm Post subject: re: salaries schmalaries...

Quote:

That pay for a PhD is less than I got in 1992 in the UAE with an MA + 5 years. (where salaries have also dropped, but not this much)

Economic boom nearing it's end in Saudi means lower salaries, + desperate teachers from the West= things will not improve and salaries will decrease/remain static. For someone with just a degree,even 9,000 SAR plus rent free housing (presumably incl. all bills, or with nominal utility bills?) and transport/transport allowance, is better than waiting in line in the dole queue in the bankrupt UK, or perhaps just as worse, being a teacher in some inner city UK school. Not sure about USania or Canookistan, so cannot comment.

Lord T

Joined: 07 Jul 2015
Posts: 285

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 6:43 pm Post subject:

Yes Spelunker I agree with what you have written about the UK, but I still find it hard to believe that anyone from the UK would put up with life in Saudi for 9,000 riyal per month. I find that I can only get a realistic perspective on my salary when I am actually in the kingdom. 9,000 may sound ok when you are at home, but 2 months into the semester and.....well, it won't seem worth it then, I would suggest. Also, the pound is weak at present; it will bounce back, and you will be on 20,000 pounds a year. Think about it, fellow teachers.

Spelunker

Joined: 03 Nov 2013
Posts: 392

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 7:35 pm Post subject: re: hmmmm

Quote:

but I still find it hard to believe that anyone from the UK would put up with life in Saudi for 9,000 riyal per month.

I suppose it depends on the type of person.To someone desperate that salary with a free flat and bills would mean a lot to a single bloke. Every ex-saudi teacher I met in Oman, was a bit messed up to put it politely. Not meaning to demean them, I quite liked a lot of them, but they ranged from creepy to nice, generous to stingy, and most with a certain amount of idleness/dipsomania/racism thrown in.

bigdurian

Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 8:04 pm Post subject: Re: re: hmmmm

Spelunker wrote:

Quote:

but I still find it hard to believe that anyone from the UK would put up with life in Saudi for 9,000 riyal per month.

But that could say more about the guys you hung around with......

bigdurian

Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: re: salaries schmalaries...

Spelunker wrote:

Quote:

That pay for a PhD is less than I got in 1992 in the UAE with an MA + 5 years. (where salaries have also dropped, but not this much)

This is the economic reality, and nothing will change anytime soon. Even@10k a month, any average Joe can earn/save far more than they would in the UK, unless you are a qualified teacher.

Starting salaries in inner London are about £28k a year, 22 elsewhere. But this involves years of study and training. Compared to McJobs, Saudi is a good option for many who have no qualifications. And they will keep coming.

The lack of workplace training, and trade skills for the natives in countries such as the UK will ensure that this will continue for a long time to come.

You can bemoan the state of play all you like, this is the way it is. The Saudis don't really care who they get, so why care who goes.....

bigdurian

Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 8:26 pm Post subject: Re: re: hmmmm

bigdurian wrote:

Spelunker wrote:

Quote:

but I still find it hard to believe that anyone from the UK would put up with life in Saudi for 9,000 riyal per month.

But that could say more about the guys you hung around with......

I'll add that most of the guys I've come across in Saudi have been okay. Apart from any British manager at Saudi run schools. Saudi are fine, it's just the British who think they're something special you have to watch out for. Know where you're from!

Silver clipboards anyone......

Spelunker

Joined: 03 Nov 2013
Posts: 392

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 10:49 am Post subject: re: hanging around

Quote:

But that could say more about the guys you hung around with......

I don't know about this american term of hung around, but if you mean socialized with....I didn't. In the office I was forced to interact with some of them, like it or not, the size of the space being what it was, and not wanting to risk complaints about me being a miserable *beep* to the HOD....yes there were same saddos who would go whining about individual FT's if they were not friendly/smiley enough, had not showered that morning ad infinitum.

I agree with you about the pay and that the Saudis don't care who they get over there. But some blokes/guys on the dole/social welfare with a degree don't care also, and 9,000 SAR a month and free digs is not bad to them.Certainly better than shuffling in your shoes and sleeping in a doorway at night while trying to avoid a kicking/getting throat cut while waiting for your dole money, or freezing to death in a tent in some woods, hoping to avoid a stalker/nutters, or living in a council house with nuisance neighbours, or god forbid, a bedsit with other junkies living in other bedsits in the same house. A few months in the sun, even sans alcohol, tax free, may be very appealing to some with nothing to lose, desperation can drive one to things that others would think is lunacy, it may be low pay to some, but not all is what I mean to say.

Cheers for the replies,
Sp

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