Job Discussion Forums

[SandyM]

Rumour has it that an e-mail went out recently to HCT teachers 'advising' them that their workloads would be increasing by 25% next semester - due to an apparent 'recruitment crisis' in certain subjects (notably English).

What this 'crisis' consists of, exactly, is hard to define. Maybe it's just a crisis for the teachers, as the college can't be bothered to try properly to recruit all the teachers it needs!

It could be related to the fact that starting salaries have been pegged at 1998 levels, and the fact that the dollar has been in nosedive for about a year now, making ME posts less attractive in general.

If you are interested in working for HCT, and by all accounts the employer does appear to be one of the best in the region, try the site below:

http://www.hct.ac.ae/

Good Luck!

[veiledsentiments]

I heard from someone with 'good connections' that there is an expansion going on for next year and they still need quite a few teachers.

If someone with good credentials is out there... and you haven't already been interviewed or turned down by them in the past... I would definitely apply.

VS

[turtlepi1]

Well I think I have figured out what the "problem" is with the hiring process.

First you submit resume to central services.
They submit it to a group of three managers to review it.
If pre-screened you get an interview.
then blah...continue with process.

As you would expect a lot of people die at pre-screening.
BUT...I think some of the managers prescreening look at the resumes and decide if THEY can use the person's qualifiations. If the answer is no, then they reject the person. The problem is the needs from campus to campus are quite different, so the manager should be prescreening for some sort of minuimum or standard requirements and (some) don't appear to be doing this so a lot of (perhaps) good candidates are getting turned away before the interview process.

Which leaves the current staff working extra because they are running at a staffing shortage.

But that is only my assessment. (with a little self-serving research conducted on the matter)

[lionbrian]

I do not think that HCT are desperate for teachers. In my HO, they are doing it in purpose to freeze the hiring and overwork the ones who are already there .

C'mon! I was at TESOL Arabia recently, talked to several highly qualified teachers with ME teaching experience, and they did not even make it at the screening stage. How would you explain it?

Sometimes, you gotta jot your brain cells, otherwise anyone on the street will be able to sell you .....!

[veiledsentiments]

That is pretty accurate, Turtle. And then once one gets to the interview process, the failure rate goes even higher. There are different people who do the interviewing - there are teams that alternate during things like TESOLArabia - and most people who fail at that stage are never really sure why.

The process there has always been rather cumbersome and inefficient (OK... that 'rather' should be a 'very...). One thing that it does do well is weed out bad people. But, at the same time, it also weeds out a high number of very good people.

Just part of the Mysterious Midde East...

VS

[Gnocchiman]

Isn't it a fairly well-known fact that HCT is controlled by the infamous "Canadian Mafia"?

Basically it works this way if I understand it correctly: If you're Canadian and have the necessary qualifications, you're in. If you're from a country in the Commonwealth and you have the necessary qualifications, you might be in (as long as a lot of Canadians haven't applied this year). If you're from the United States and have the necessary qualifications, you can wait and wait and wait and wait and..........................maybe..........well, no......sorry.......you're not Canadian.

Please correct me if I'm wrong-but this is how their hiring process is perceived by many here in the UAE.

[lionbrian]

Gnocchiman!

I just want to add one thing to your list:

YES YES YES! You have to be Canadian and FIRST-CLASS CITIZEN (NO COLOR TEACHERS PLEASE!): Typical Caucasian/ tall/ attractive/ YES SIR sort of teacher/ Weak personality/ passive/ naive/ & Still believe that Canada is the most beautiful country on Earth!

HCT as well as College of North Atlantic in Qatar HIRING PRATICE LEAVES MUCH TO DESIRE!

With all these new universities & colleges in the Gulf, I am pretty convinced that their time is running!

JUST MY KIMCHI OPINION AGAIN!

[veiledsentiments]

I think you may be wrong on this one, gnocchi. HCT has been controlled by every national 'mafia' through the years. Many years ago a Canadian group set it up - early 80's... then rather got thrown out as these things tend to go. When I was there, the British had control, but an Aussie Director was hired. Suddenly flocks of Aussies were showing up. I think that there was an American in the position for awhile and they even hired a few more Americans for awhile. But, whatever the nationality of the teachers I knew, they were worthy of hire. And there are people of all nationalities in management now. (heaven knows they have a big enough management!!)

jeeeesss lionbrian... there is absolutely no comparison between that joke of a College of the North Atlantic in Qatar and HCT. HCT is not new, but has been around for about 20 years. It has been very successful and is highly professional. But, there are many people who have hurt feelings because they couldn't get a job there.

VS (who loves gnocchi, but isn't too wild about kimchi...)

[lionbrian]

Dear Veiledsentiments,

Please be informed that I am not on the list of those potential teachers who got hurt.

Sorry you were right! In terms of chronological order, I should have listed CNQ-Q first, then HCT the second. Also, please do not try to cover up (HCT) their hiring practice because they are not better than CNA-Q in my years of collecting solid evidence.

P.S; It is easy to find out: If you have a chance, go to HCT and take a look at the teachers who they hired and you will understand the whole drama.

THIS COULD BE A THESIS FOR A PHD STUDENT: HIRING PRACTICE IN THE GULF: Superficial versus professional.

[ecl]

I have survived at the HCT for almost ten years. Word has it that recuriment is difficult because the salary is no longer so competitive. A colleague from another campus also told me while we were administering an exam together a few weeks ago that the less than savory reputation of HCT management has spread and many who would have otherwise readily accepted an offer are weighing their options. During the recent job fair at the TESOL Arabia conference many were given offers on the spot but declined, politely informing interviewers that they "would need time to consider". One quesiton I have for this forum is why does the HCT seem to have almost rarified status among the posters here, as if it were the ivy league of places to work?

[Gnocchiman]

Hey VS, thanks for keeping my "facts" in check! I must admit I heard the Canadian Mafia story from a dubious source and shouldn't have posted it without further researching the facts. But, I do have to say the managers and teachers I do know at various HCT sites are pretty much all Canadian (do you think the Canadians have regained power and are now back to stop all hiring of honest, hard-working American EFL teachers?). But, like you said VS, they have some darn good teachers!

ecl wrote:

[veiledsentiments]

Gnocchi,

Love the description of the Thursday eve b*itchfest... brings back such memories. I must say that one needs a scorecard to know which mafia is currently in power. I expect that what tends to happen is that teachers hired match the management of a college. The Gulf has always been famous for the various English-speaking nationalities vying for power in their institution - a constant everywhere I have worked.

ecl

It sounds to me like HCT has become complacent and is resting on its laurels. For so many years they had the best pay and benefit package - first matched by ZU - then AUS - and it seems that the UAE Ministry of Higher Education is trying to equalize the salaries in those colleges that they control. HCT has also grown rapidly and is losing the collegiality that it had for years. Then there is the internet that gets the good and bad news out quickly.

I still think that it is a system that offers high pay, an organized management (ie - new teachers well taken care of with plenty of money in hand immediately - rather than waiting for 6 months for your housing allowance like some places), good housing. And, I think that it is a system that allows a teacher to expand professionally - if you are able to deal with an over-zealous management who often seems dedicated to making the teachers' jobs more complicated. (such as exam procedures)

So, it is not the best place in the whole world to teach and I would consider 'ivy league' as just a bit of overstatement. But, compared to so many of the AWFUL places in the ME EFL world (think MLI, ADU, and sooooo many others...) it does rather stand out. Even in its deterioration, it is still in the top - say - five better places to teach.

It sounds like HCT is going to have to adjust for changing times. If they push teachers to do 25 hours a week with no extra pay, long timers like you are soon going to bail out... and will be harder to replace. (mabruk on lasting almost 10 years!! 4 was enough for me )

VS

[ecl]

<I>It sounds to me like HCT has become complacent and is resting on its laurels. For so many years they had the best pay and benefit package - first matched by ZU - then AUS - and it seems that the UAE Ministry of Higher Education is trying to equalize the salaries in those colleges that they control. HCT has also grown rapidly and is losing the collegiality that it had for years. Then there is the internet that gets the good and bad news out quickly.

I still think that it is a system that offers high pay, an organized management (ie - new teachers well taken care of with plenty of money in hand immediately - rather than waiting for 6 months for your housing allowance like some places), good housing. And, I think that it is a system that allows a teacher to expand professionally - if you are able to deal with an over-zealous management who often seems dedicated to making the teachers' jobs more complicated. (such as exam procedures) </I>


What is URGU? The pay at the HCT is certainly not bad once you've capped out on the salary scale. I reached the top of the scale after 6 years. Still, develop professionally? Collegiality? Hmm. If you have any other reason to be in Gulf other than the money you're in the wrong place. It is the reason to be here. At least it has enabled me to save a chunk of change and invest it. At which campus did you work?

[ecl]

A caveat....

Where on earth did you ever get the idea that AUS matched HCT and ZU in pay and benefits. This is NOT THE CASE. Such assertions compel to question your reliability on other issues you raised. ELT faculty at AUS are paid a paltry 26 K a year, not enough to warrant being in the Gulf, and US citizens working there have to pay social security tax to boot. Faculty are also required to take housing on campus. When did you work at the HCT and at which campus? As for mafias based on nationality, this is an exaggeration, typical chatter from outsiders who are parroting rumor and hearsay.

[ecl]

And yet another caveat,

Who on earth told you that we'd be teaching 25 hours next year? I haven't heard anything. And if the HCT is so great, why was 4 years "enough" for you? Surely, if you were part of such a great organization, you would have extended your tenure there. Pun intended. There is no tenure. Although contracts are 3 years, they can get rid of you with a 6-month notice. Don't ever forget that.