Job Discussion Forums

[siologen]

Given the amount of job offers on the internet these days, granted at one of these fairs you can talk to prospective employers in person, but for those who cannot afford to go to one of these fairs, the internet at least allows contact via skype? Not sure which is better/worse?

[nomad soul]

[Desert Dueller]

[leggeymountbatten]

Nomad Soul states "hiring managers can better size up an applicant's professional appearance, organizational skills, personality/demeanor, and body language."

And I could have added, "the extent to which they can hold their alcohol."

I am sorry, and with all due respect, I am finding it difficult not to laugh.

Can I remind people that we are talking about Tefl in the Middle East.

All those who do the hiring are interested in is whether the poor soul in front of them has a functioning pulse. That is the extent of it.

Just for the purposes of clarity, can one interpret "networking" as "brown nosing?"

Or is one being cynical??

Leggey

[veiledsentiments]

[nomad soul]

[leggeymountbatten]

Nomad Soul states; "
Yes, you're being quite cynical on both accounts. Not every work situation is like that vocational college you and others gripe ad nauseam about. Plus, the hiring managers attending TESOL Arabia, IATEFL, and TESOL Int'l are mostly from universities recruiting for direct-hire positions. Employers can afford to be uber-picky about qualifications and who they hire."

I think what you will find is that many work situations and environments in Saudi Arabia are indeed dysfunctional.

The vocational college you referred to were "uber picky" about the people they selected as well. As part of their recruitment drive they traveled all over the Middle East to headhunt what they considered to be the best candidates.

The problem tends to be the mix of characters you get. In the Middle East, there seems to be a high proportion of "unusual" people. That isn't the fault of the recruiter, it's merely the pool from which the candidates get chosen.

Direct hire positions at universities are indeed fine positions to hold. I know that because I hold one myself. That doesn't give me the excuse to be overly pretentious, however. My body language never got me the job, nor my ravishing good looks. But, my record of being able to hack it in difficult environments did.

[bigdurian]

TBH, some people go on about direct-hire positions like they're the holy grail of TESOL in KSA, which they're not.

They may have some advantages, as in you're more likely to have a Iqama, blah blah blah......

But at the end of the day, if a workplace is dysfunctional, it's dysfunctional.

There's more to life than working at some uni in KSA, for what is often not that great a deal, direct hire or round the houses hire.

None of it really matters that much. If you've got a good job, you've got a good job. Khalas.

[nomad soul]