Job Discussion Forums

robotboy · Joined: 27 Feb 2009 Posts: 18

Doha sounds like a nice quiet place, less hectic than where I am. However, I've been reading some of the old threads and it seems there are some difficult personality types at QU. As I said before, one interviewer seemed uncomfortable, he wasn't too verbal and seemed focused on detail. The smiley one seemed to be a happy old guy ready to shoot the breeze. How bad are these personality clashes? Is controling staff movements, attendance, activities, etc. really an issue? Is this tricky trio I've ready about still around? Basically I want to know how much control is there going on. I wouldn't want to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

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

Do I detect "eau de sock?"

robotboy · Joined: 27 Feb 2009 Posts: 18

I think being too forthright is my problem. I like to know where I stand with things and make sure I know the lie of the land before I take up a new place. Looks like I'm being disqualified anyway. Probably Doha is not the place for me.

stickleback · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 76

You find the usual crew: academics, paperpushers, brown-nosers, busy bees, workaholics, shirkers, moaners, groaners, bootlickers, etc. The ones you have to watch out for are Checklist Chuckie,
Tricky Dicky and Chief Consultant. Most teachers are OK but beware of the spy squad. They report back to Checklist Chuckie. So you need to take precautions and keep your eyes open and your back covered.

cowpoke · Joined: 15 May 2009 Posts: 7

Wow - what a group of partiers. QU teachers are all over Facebook.
My students are sending the pictures everywhere. What a gas. Is this what to expect when I join them next fall? It looks great, party, party, party!!! Just my scene!!!

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

Students in Kuwait just love these pix. Where's the chief? He used to do a mean tipple. Is he staying dry? So he got rid of good teachers for this lot???

squirk · Joined: 03 Dec 2009 Posts: 33

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

They are a set of clones that populate most Gulf employers to some degree. You can find them described in every branch here.

VS

lollaerd · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 337

stickleback · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 76

The FIR reports are being used as weapons of mass destruction, just another way of getting rid of people. They are not used to alert people just to damage them. Tricky Dicky has reinvented himself and is still around. So is Chief Consultant (beware). MrFixit was demoted and is now an ordinary mortal. His replacement has switched sides. So proceed with caution. Don't take anything for granted. The spy system is still active. Boy am I glad I left. Mr. quirk you'd better watch your ps and qs.

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

I see after 22 years, the leopard has not changed his spots.

stickleback · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 76

so tricky dicky pulled it off! great smarm charm.

stickleback · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 76

Another list person is Paddywhacks in L2, he loves to keep lists and report to the top dogs. He was also a former Al Zuhoor neighbor and I caution people who work with him to beware.

stickleback · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 76

They are the plastic men,
They are the molded men,
Leaning together,
Heapieces filled with polymer.

This about sizes up the gang operating on the top floor. I hear the Harpyhippo has now been demoted to an ordinary teacher and is no longer a special adviser to the court. She and the boss used to closet themselves inside his office so she could make her daily reports. Hh was a nightmare, always harassing teachers. The most opinioned woman I have ever come across; she constantly harangued and contradicted teachers; she told everyone she knew best and tried to make us look like fools! She said we were all idiots; since she was overheard, we all knew exactly what she thought of us. A first class harpy! Eventually, I heard through the grapevine she made several public and not politically correct put-downs about people. Two semesters with her were more than enough!

Hh constantly put teachers down and acted as if we knew nothing yet some of her emails contained grammatical errors. I kept all of them for a while. I am happy to report I am no longer considered to be an 'idiot' and have been promoted to a supervisor myself. She could make the word idiot string out into 4 syllables at her screechiest. The best thing I learned from Hh is never to put your teachers down, to say thank you and to treat them as intelligent beings. She loved to make us feel small (most of us were smaller than her anyway). Paddywhacks was an improvement over this put-down supervisory style. Military style, though.