Job Discussion Forums

[lrnoue]

Any experience dealing with Chemtech, (MOD edit for name)? Some candidates are being flown to Houston next week for a position with Aramco.

[lrnoue]

Quote:
Teachers in Saudi Arabia
min 4 yrs experience, US/Can Citizens
Our client is sub contractor for ARAMCO training Dept. located in Saudi Arabia. State of the art facilities and program, 25 contact hours per week, 40 hour work week. Selected candidates will be interviewed in Houston Texas by apointment.
Benefits:
furnished western standard accommodation, all transportation, medical, 2 weeks paid leave every 4 months with round trip air ticket to London, one year renewable contract, end of contract bonus,

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Very kind of them to dump Can./Am. citizens in London for two weeks every 4 months. Maybe they could spend their time looking up their lineage...assuming that they are Anglo-Saxon?

Goofy benefit!

NCTBA

[veiledsentiments]

Not exactly a cheap place to spend a couple weeks either... hope the salary reflects that.

VS

[lrnoue]

Yes, I was informed that salary will be 55K to 85K.
Any word on chemtech (CT)?

Or, what are the most common red flags when dealing with recruiters?
Also, where can I find Aramco's training/esl website?

[TT-Kira]

ARAMCO don't seem to have anything dedicated to ESL on their website. Interesting they're hiring in N.America via a recruitment agency!

Keep us posted please!

Kira

[lrnoue]

indeed, will keep u posted.

ok, so no aramco esl website...

how about CT? Anybody dealt with them in the past?

perhaps the more senior members could make clearer whether CT is a reputable organization? what precautions should tefl'ers take into account when dealing with aramco recruiters?

[tambok17]

Good points:

They get your visas to Saudi and are very polite and professional. They have contacts in the right places and walk you through the process.

Bad points:

They have been reported by some to not know exact info. about the conditions of various jobs and giving erroneous descriptions of those albeit not necessarily on purpose.

But generally, they are OK and are legit and have been in the business for decades.

[lrnoue]

Thank you for the info.

Now, regarding the interview, is it customary for candidates to pay their own way there and then get reimbursed? Or is it more common practice to get everything paid for before the interview? Please advise.

[lrnoue]

I had my interview in Houston yesterday and I am glad to say that I did really well. Today, I spoke with my recruiter and he informed me that I had passed the interview and also that I should receive a job offer by the end of next week.

This is the preliminary offer:
SAR13,877 per month basic salary
+65% of basic salary for housing and transportation
=SAR22,897 net monthly salary
In addition, vacation, flights, and insurance are all included.

The appointment is in Dhahran and it is a one year contract.

I need some help in determining whether I should negotiate my contract or if I should accept this offer.

Should I ask for more money? If so, how much more?
How expensive is it to rent a house in Dhahran?
Would it be a good idea to share a house with other instructors?

Very broadly, my exp/quals: CELTA, MA AppLin, 9 yrs exp.

I would really appreciate any constructive insights into this issue.

[Stephen Jones]

The basic salary is on the low side but the housing and transportation is more than double the normal allowance.

[lrnoue]

Thanks SJ.

Yeah, the offer seems low to me as well. My recruiter mentioned that if I do well in my first year then I could sign on with Aramco as a direct hire. Is this information accurate?

Also, would it be detrimental to my application if I asked for a 10-15% increase to the offered basic salary?

I appreciate your help.