Job Discussion Forums

Janiny · Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 199

Hi everybody,

I've got a job offer for Kuwait that make me suspect it's a scam because even though I am practically "in' they have not told me the name of their school, and the 'white lady' who writes to me bears the name of a mildly famous actress. Her latest letter refers to some websites for more information about the school, but they run one long line so that you must continuously scroll right to read it. Still no mention of the school's name or a specific address.

Here is the offer:

15yearsinQ8 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 462 Location: kuwait

dasman model school - yes, highly qualified and expereinced special needs teachers can make more than their colleagues in 'normal classrooms'
beware the bait and switch though
no after rereading this - it's fawzia sultan or khalifa school (maybe ideal school)
we're taking extremely low level and/or serious behavioural issues
it's entirely possible because each student's tuition is more than 21K a year and you'd have max. 8 in your room - serious revenue stream for the owners, they could afford to pay big

Janiny · Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 199

Thanks for your prompt reply Q8. I'm not a highly qualified special ed teacher, though. I'm a garden-variety ESL teacher. I've taught students with some behavioral problems and a good deal of my students have seemed retarded, but none of their parents would ever admit this. A special ed needs school would have to be a blind idiot to hire me - and without even an interview.

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

I would disagree that most job ads for the Middle East are scams. It is a small percentage and they are mostly directed towards the UAE because Dubai is known worldwide now and people assume that they can get big bucks. Scams are normally pretty easy to identify as they offer big money with only entry level credentials required and they hire you without an interview. (the odd domains are a giveaway... and use of hotmail or yahoo a strong possibility)

So, have you again been offered a job without an interview?

You can't always go by just a bad website. Many of these smallish international schools won't pay the price for a web developer, so it gets done on the cheap. (with the results you see)

The details here say that if it is not a scam, it is at least someone that you probably don't want to work for. What legitimate employer would not tell you the name of the school... first thing!! Rolling Eyes

VS

grab-bag · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 104

It's probably Khalifa School, fairly reputable. A lot of autistic, ADD kids.
Hard work but the kids are nice. I have a friend with a kid here. Nice kid and friendly.

grab-bag · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 104

VS is probably the best informed person around, despite not having living in Q8 for over 10 years. Way to go, VS. Try visiting Q8 to see what's really going on instead of relying on your PM pundits.

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

Can you read dear? Considering that my post was merely generalities concerning Middle East scams since the newbie poster asked whether most ME teacher ads are scams... I didn't even have to consult any of my PMs. The word "Kuwait" was not mentioned in either her question or my answer.

I left the specifics to you... so you wouldn't even have had to add your snotty little remarks. Rolling Eyes

VS

Janiny · Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 199

Now, now friends, no need to quarrel. The real issue is whether I should trust these people. I've got another letter since from the starlet. Now she says she's with a consulting company, which when I googlesearch it is certainly no professional recruitment company. She explains away why she can't tell me the names of her clients, but her explanation is so vague and innocuous that there's no need to quote it here. She' seems to have forgotten that she wanted an essay from me.
Tell me this? If I am to look after autistic children, what do my writing skills matter? And I still don't see how an ESL teacher could even be considered for such a position. Confused

If this is for a special needs school, you'd think she'd say so in case a job candidate was not interested in such work. Hadn't she better know right away? She wrote that she cannot reveal the name of her client's school but would freely give all other information. Surely the fact that the school was for special needs students would be a point worth making. Exclamation

By the by, please don't think I wish to denigrate Kuwait or the Middle East and accusing them of scamming. If this job offer is a scam, the scammer is surely just using Kuwait's good, and affluent, name to attract victims. They could be in Greenland for all we know, but please don't anyone come rushing to Greenland's defense now. It's just an example. Smile

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

Janiny... do try to ignore the regular snipers who wander this board to attack people for their own bizarre reasons which probably shouldn't be mentioned here. Laughing

You ask if you should trust this recruiter. Just my opinion from your comments, but I certainly wouldn't.

If she can't give a straight story on who she is... or her employer is... or what school she is recruiting for... well, that doesn't make the ad a scam (which would mean that the job doesn't exist) but it certainly raises red flags about how dependable the employer might be too. All I can tell you is that if you continue the process with her, don't send her any money.

Naturally these scams use countries that people assume have the wealth to hire them. If it is a scam, it is the first one that has shown up here on the board for Kuwait. You've already had your run-in with the Dubai scammers. And likely their location is from the usual... Nigeria. Laughing

VS

kiefer · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 268

That's an impressively built website, and generally true scammers won't pony up the dough for a decent website--check out the sticky scam thread in the UAE where the scammers use a free dot tk domain to point to a UAE govt site. That said, can't say whether or not there's a decent position available when all is said and none. IMHO: not a true scam

voltaire · Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:43 am Post subject:

Kiefer wrote:

webcafe52 · Joined: 17 Feb 2009 Posts: 12 Location: Kuwait

I am starting my sixth year teaching in Kuwait and I would guess it is probably not a scam. The company trying to recruit you won't ever tell you the name of the school because they are paid a large amount of money to recruit you. If you had the school name you could contact them directly and earn more money by cutting the recruiter out. The wages they have quoted you are TOO LOW, probably because they are taking a cut of your wages. Contact the schools mentioned in some of the other replies and you will find that the salaries are a bit higher. In Kuwait NEVER use a recruiting agency.