Job Discussion Forums

moralleader1 · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 69 Location: USA

Dear all,

I have an interview soon with them for a possible February 2008 start, I have a good position at the moment and any info please???

The lady I spoke to over the phone seems very nice (An Aussie or a kiwi, I am assuming), but who knows???

Any one there?

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

try this thread

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=56101&highlight=ecae

Edmond Dantes · Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 13 Location: Q8

They are notoriously rude, inconsiderate and unprofessional. After your interview, don�t expect to ever receive any communication from them�they can�t be bothered. And if they do offer you a job, think twice about accepting it. They are also notoriously mismanaged.

Kaspar Hauser · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 83

You got that right Edmond. A good friend of mine works there, and he hates it--incompetent supervisors, good for nothing lazy students, endless meetings, tons of paperwork. In other words, a bungled mess. But wait a minute, isn't every school in the UAE like that?

nowasta · Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Posts: 74 Location: uranus

with a starting salary of 18,000 dh/mth I can put up with a whole lot of b.s.

maybe holbrook can come back on and shed a little light on recent developments...

moralleader1 · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 69 Location: USA

Well folks! Thank you for your feedback.

Adorabilly for the link, Edmond & Kaspar for updates and Nowasta I am really sorry to hear that 18,000 a month is your only concern, unfortunately, I don't share your idea at all.

People usually, when deciding to take a job or not, consider other important factors such as:

1- Quality of students
2- Teaching & working hours (8 to 5 every day seems like two teaching shifts to me and long long days)
3- Working atmosphere
4- Quality of supervisors/managers
5- Long-term vision
6- If married & with kids, quality of schools and wive's life style
7- College/universities facilities
8- Professional development
9- Leadership & management styles: Authoritarian/ participative/ top-bottom or bottom top and the list goes on
10- Especially the personality and leadership of an employee's DIRECT LINE MANAGER (I am just wondering why that Kiwi/Aussie was so nice to me on the phone???????
11- It is up to Nowasta to think about other important things rather than sacrificing his/her life for 18,000 and working in a rotten management system according to the 2 posters.

Am I going to go to the interview??? After reading Adorabilly link, I am giving it a "go & see".

Thank you guys!

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

Don't bother with HCT if you hope to get everything (actually even 5%) of what's on your shopping list Laughing

moralleader1 · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 69 Location: USA

Well, after reading Adorabilly link comments, I am flirting with HCT Online application form at the moment

bje · Joined: 19 Jun 2005 Posts: 527

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

First off nowasta didn't say that a high salary was his/her only goal. I interpreted it to mean that one can take a great deal more in negatives at a job when one is being paid well.

As to your list moralleader... I suspect that the Gulf may not be the place for you as I don't know of any employers that comes close. Most of the things on the list are completely impossible to know before you arrive.

VS

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

Mora...
When my wife interviewed with the ECAE recruiter (a kiwi/aussie) he was extremely friendly and out going... but dealing with their HR people we had some issues. (like being rude, not writing back, not answering concerns, and then lowering the original salary offer)

It is funny listening to people run down HCT...

We had offers from HCT, ECAE, and 2 jobs in Oman.

The jobs in oman paid less, and had fewer benefits.

The job in the ECAE paid more, but they covered less in terms of housing, and educational allowances, and vacation time than HCT did. (they also offered a different salary than what they offered at the SEATTLE TESOL confrence... they cut $5,000 off the salary...that didn't sit well with us)

We considered very carefully, and looking at the numbers (salary and benefits in abu dhabi, and salary and benefits forHCT in RAK) and we actually make about the same after all the expenses.

ECAE does not cover ALL the educational expenses for the better english expat schools when you have 3 kids (so you would be paying out of pocket), and lets not forget the rising rent costs, and they could not guarantee housing...

HCT (while it does have its faults) covers ALL of the educational expenses for the kids, provided a larger resettlement allowance, longer vacation time, and could guarantee housing (in the RAK)... To top it off they have been around 14 years while ECAE is brand new....

We were more comfortable going with tried and true...

I will not run down the ECAE, because it sounded like it would be an AWESOME job, with a great salary... we just had issues that kept us from taking it.

I know that holbrook went there, and is currently teaching there... so if you have direct questions PM him and ask him directly.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

As a newbie with less than 25 posts, moralleader can't send PMs yet. But if Holbrook is around, he can send mora... a PM that he can read if Holbrook doesn't wish to post at this time.

VS

antonia v · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 49

fweewodewick · Joined: 14 Apr 2007 Posts: 8

nowasta · Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Posts: 74 Location: uranus

moralleader1...
I see your locale is the USA. You really are naive in thinking you will even get 1/4 of that "wishlist" in the Gulf. You will be one notch up on the social ladder from the Indian tea boy. Have you ever worked in a country where indentured servitude is the norm? I doubt it.
To put it quite simply...the vast majority of the people don't come here for the culture! That it is the plain reality.
I wish you all the best, but I do think you should seriously consider coming to this part of the world. Better yet...you should seriously consider a different profession.

moralleader indeed!