Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Beginner help and job prospect advice

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> United Arab Emirates
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Trumpcard



Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 50

PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 3:31 am    Post subject: Beginner help and job prospect advice Reply with quote

Hi, I am a 29yr old esl teacher currently working in South Korea. I have a good undergraduate business degree from an Australian university and a CELTA. Teaching experience includes around 3 years (previously 2 years in Japan which included a year of business English). I teach mainly university students and businesspeople in my current job and am about to star an ESP par time position teaching reading and listening comprehension at a univeristy in Seoul to science major students. I have also compiled the book for this position.

Based on my experience, can I expect to get a decent university job in Dubai? What has sparked my interest is the need to move away from Asia and I recently saw a job advertised which kind of sounded nice ($3500 tax free, all airfares, SHARED accomodation teaching at a university, 6month renewable contract). Is it better or even possible to work multiple part time jobs in the UAE? Am I underqualified/inexperienced? I'm actually only seeking a 6 month contract and thinking of coming over around June next year.

All advice is appreciated!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Iamherebecause



Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 427
Location: . . . such quantities of sand . . .

PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 3:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where was the job? Private or public sector? The salary sounds OK. However the better universities require an MA and offer 3 year contracts only. I know Abu Dhabi U has offered shorter contracts (and also rather mean salaries).

Part time work as you describe is normally only feasible for people here on their spouse's sponsorship. Many university contracts specifically ban you from taking on part time work of any sort other thanovertime organised by them - if they wanted an excuse to fire you, and discovered you were doing a little private IELTS coaching, they could cite breach of contract.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MGreen



Joined: 22 May 2007
Posts: 81

PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 5:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In June the universities go on summer holiday. The only jobs available then would be language schools. It takes a couple of months to get a visa for the UAE, a 6 month gig wouldn't be worth the hassle for an employer to start the process for you. Plus once you're in the country, it takes another 3 plus weeks to convert the visa to a residence permit.

The job ad you're talking about, might be the scam that was mentioned on this and the Middle East forum. Be careful.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 3:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This sounds like it could be another "Global Recruiter" scam. One obvious detail that makes it look bogus is "shared accommodation" because there are no universities that have this. Only the language schools and a few of the lowest international school jobs have teachers in shared housing.

The salary is also much higher that you would qualify for with your limited credentials. That is a salary for people with an MA and a few years of teaching academic English at tertiary level on their CV. This is pretty much the standard requirement for university EFL teaching in the gulf.

The Gulf is not a place where teachers can come and pick up a few part-time jobs and survive because the cost of living is VERY high. Rents are skyrocketing. There are few temporary summer jobs here since most people leave to avoid the worst of the heat and short-term contracts are very rare. It appears to me that the type of work that you are looking for is mainly to be found in the part of the world where you currently teach.

VS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mishmumkin



Joined: 01 Sep 2007
Posts: 929

PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
What has sparked my interest is the need to move away from Asia and I recently saw a job advertised which kind of sounded nice ($3500 tax free, all airfares, SHARED accomodation teaching at a university, 6month renewable contract). Is it better or even possible to work multiple part time jobs in the UAE? Am I underqualified/inexperienced? I'm actually only seeking a 6 month contract and thinking of coming over around June next year.


VS beat me to the punch. No one will offer you $3500 and then stick you in a shared accommodation. I would suspect this is a recruiting scam. With your experience and credentials, I wouldn't expect to find many job opportunities, if any, at the university level. A few dodgy international schools might hire you, but you'd be looking at $1800-2000 USD plus some sort of shared accommodation. Since language academies are not very common, you would be signing on for a full school year contract, at the very least.


Last edited by mishmumkin on Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:02 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Afra



Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Posts: 389

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CERT had people in shared accommodation last year. I think they all left
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NadiaK



Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Posts: 206

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yup. And pay was around 3500/month. Perhaps this is the job the OP saw advertised.

ETA sorry, pay was a little under 3000/month. I'm afraid my maths is not what it should be.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
PattyFlipper



Joined: 14 Nov 2007
Posts: 572

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

veiledsentiments wrote:
This sounds like it could be another "Global Recruiter" scam. One obvious detail that makes it look bogus is "shared accommodation" because there are no universities that have this.


The University of Abu Dhabi has shared accommodation (at least for teachers on short-term contracts).
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That figures... along with all its other problems. They are also the only university in the Gulf which has had to go to short term contracts to get teachers because of all their problems over the last few years.

VS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Trumpcard



Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 50

PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks everybody for all your replies. well guess i'm underqualified then, no biggy! And yes, I believe the advertisement was for Abu Dhabi University. I saw the ad placed on the worknplay korean job site.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If your plan is only for six months and you can tolerate shared housing and a certain level of management problems, ADU is a known commodity. There have been no short-term teachers here complaining about not getting their pay. (and we would have heard)

The catch may be your June time frame as most universities shut down for the summer as everyone that can migrates to somewhere that it isn't 50 degrees and suffocatingly humid. Cool (at night it gets down to about 36 or so)

Now that we know it isn't Global Recruiters, do a search and read the old threads on ADU... see if you think you could take it for the short term. Better to try for a Aug/Sept start though.

VS
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Iamherebecause



Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 427
Location: . . . such quantities of sand . . .

PostPosted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I met someone recently who was on a 6 month ADU contract - not teaching the regular ss, but working on a work preparedness programme. Seemed happy with the work, wanted to renew. No accounting for taste...

Suggest you check whether there's a big deduction from the salary to cover that shared accommodation!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> United Arab Emirates All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China