Job Discussion Forums

meteacher · Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 60 Location: UAE

Hi

Does anyone have any information regarding the Scholarship Coordination Office in Abu Dhabi? I have been offered an interview there for the position of ESL Academic Advisor.

Thanks

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 12:54 pm Post subject:

Weird(-ish) working hours as you have to be working when the students are up half-way around the world. My interview with them sucked, but that was because I didn't state the obvious...and...apparently...that's what they wanted.

NCTBA

meteacher · Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 60 Location: UAE

What kind of working hours are we talking? I was quite confused about all that....

Any other info?

sowsan · Joined: 27 Apr 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Island Paradise

State the obvious? What is it? I feel stupid...

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject:

Well...don't go feelin' stupid! I'll answer both here. By force of nature, some parts of the US and Canada are 12 hours or more behind UAE time. Therefore, to be able to communicate telephonically with that part of the world, many or all of the scholarship advisors work split shifts...for example 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For example, I say, cuz my interview was a few years ago.

I think that it's good work if you can get it. As I said, I failed as I failed to state the obvious. The question posed to me was what strategy would I undertake if a student received a particularly low TOEFL score. I answered by talking about ways I would advise his/her stateside academic advisor and so forth and so on. What I didn't start off by saying is, "First, I would insist that the student immediately enroll in a TOEFL prep course". Duh! I don't have to look up when I flip a light switch in a dark room to see if the light came on! But, I guess that they'd interviewed enough dull pencil points that they JUST HAD to hear THAT.

I didn't consider that at the point I was at in this industry, I had to state the obvious. Obviously, I didn't! For those who need me to write this, I am now ending my message and placing my initials two lines down...FULL STOP

NCTBA

meteacher · Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 60 Location: UAE

How was the interview other than that?

Did they mention anything about the package that they were offering? Think it's supposed to be good but not sure...

Thanks for your help!

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject:

Sorry, meteacher. Having not gotten past the "He looks like he's alive, let's see if he can pass the fogging up the mirror test", I wouldn't know.

Like I said though, it's good employment if you can get it. I'm sure that it has all the usual benefits: decent pay-paid accommodation-health (premium or not)-annual airfare (you, wife and kiddies...up to a limit) I knew a fellow who lived in my block and he seemed to have no complaints.

NCTBA

meteacher · Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 60 Location: UAE

Thanks NCTBA! Interview is next week so we'll see what happens!