Job Discussion Forums

EFLprofessional · Joined: 05 Mar 2011 Posts: 22

I interviewed for a position as a center manager with ELS and after being lead to believe that I had a GOOD chance of getting the position, I never heard from MOD EDIT again, nor would he take any of my calls.

I am STILL waiting to hear from ELS as to whether or not I was acceptable for the position....and I interviewed 6 MONTHS ago. How "professional" is that?

From what I have heard subsequently, I'm very glad that I didn't get the job, i.e. managers and staff not being paid for MONTHS, being fired without cause, and ELS "gutting" budgets to cover their OWN mismangement and then blaming others to name just a few.

My advice to anyone is to AVOID ELS Languagae Centers in Oman as if they had the plague!!!

urbanversion · Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 426

Was working at a language centre anywhere in Asia ever a good idea? Rolling Eyes

chamiros · Joined: 27 Oct 2010 Posts: 1

I worked for ELS Oman for over a year and although I had an excellent boss, there were serious issues with management. Salary was typically late, they tried to have me teach French at another school in order to make more money for them, and requests for contract renegotiation were ignored.
So count yourself lucky that you never heard from them again. It's not worth the aggravation.

eslbear · Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 93

I have been in Oman for more than 7 years and worked with ELS off and on all this time. I have known various people in management and many many teachers both full and part time and I have never heard of the experiences as related by these two new posters.

I can't speak for the non response after the interview except to surmise that the interview didn't go well. Not replying is discourteous but I wouldn't say a cause for alarm bells. And as for teaching French? I have to highly doubt that one as they do nothing but teach English - it's an English language center, and that's it - pretty simple really. I have never heard of late payments - salaries on the low end, sure -it's the first rung on the ESL ladder. If you want to be paid more, get a different job. I did !

eslbear

TheSilentKind · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 23

I'm sorry to say eslbear but what the two previous posters have stated is true. I've worked inside of ELS Oman and know of these cases as well as many others.
I hope that you can accept that not everyone was lucky enough to have such a positive experience with the ELS Oman management as you did.

eslbear · Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 93

Not being paid for months, teaching French, fired without cause?? No, I don't think so. I feel well enough in tune with the people and happenings there that I would have heard something about it - Oman is not a big place after all.

yes, I have had good experiences with ELS Oman. I'm not naive enough to think that some people haven't but I am pretty skeptical that they have been somehow abused or mistreated.

eslbear

TheSilentKind · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 23

eslbear · Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 93

Fair comment, but just because it is posted on an anonymous forum, doesn't mean that it has either.

It is very easy to throw unverifiable claims out there on a forum board, especially if you have a bone to pick or out of sheer malice. I take issue with this tactic because if have seen it almost ruin a colleague in another country.

If I could convince them or if they could be bothered, I could find 15-20 people to post here about the benign, possibly boring but otherwise positive and harmless experiences they have had working in Oman for ELS.

eslbear

TheSilentKind · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 23

Perfect. Invite your friends to post comments. That's the idea of an open forum. Then new people to the area can make an informed decision.

EFLprofessional · Joined: 05 Mar 2011 Posts: 22

EVERYTHING that I wrote about can either be verified by my own records or by COURT RECORDS here in Oman.

People who work for ELS, and who are trying to deflect any negative comments and pull the wool over prospective employees eyes to protect the false reputation that ELS has carefully cultivated by their lies and deceits CAN ALSO POST TO THIS FORUM.

Therefore, I suggest that ANYONE even remotely considering any kind of position/offer at ELS, sit back, take a breath, take what you are told by ELS with a grain of salt, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, and, most of all, don't be blinded by their welcoming smle and their flattering compliments of your qualifications. In other words, BEWARE, but most of all BE SMART!

There are to many liars in the EFL racket and ELS Oman is certainly one of them.

sheikh yer money-maker · Joined: 23 Aug 2010 Posts: 79 Location: Saudi Arabia

Duh!!!

eslbear · Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 93

Yes, by all means, do your research. It is to be expected and what you will find are very few problems posted over the last decade about ELS in the Middle east or Oman.

Lately, the search will show this thread with some hyperbolic and unverifiable claims from what appears to be former employees who were maybe stiffed out of their Christmas bonus or something and have been afflicted with "caps lock" syndrome in order to add some passion to their posts.

This latest one, having only applied and apparently failed an interview now claims to have records and even court records? Strange for someone who has never worked there......so angry about a job they never had ??

For the newcomer, do the research, contact the place, even contact me if you like and I will happily tell you about my experiences with ELS.

eslbear

TheSilentKind · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 23

Just a clarification on the previous comments, ELS Oman is run independently from the other ELS Centers in the region. I haven't heard bad comments about them.

Also be aware that ELS Oman held the foundation program for the universities of Sharqiya and Buraimi. Other threads mention what is happening there.

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

ELS has been around Oman for many years and like all of these language schools has had its ups and downs. It seems to always depend on the management of the moment. Cool

As was mentioned, this is an entry level employer. Thus, you can expect to find teachers who had a bad experience because of joining during a bad management time... or you find teachers who shouldn't be in this field at all and are unable to cope with it. It is often difficult to figure out which of them is posting here. Any of us who have been in the field for a few years knows what I mean.

So... for entry level teachers who get an offer... if you accept, be sure to have realistic expectations and be flexible. Finish out a year or two and have something on your CV to get you up the employment ladder. It is always good to leave with a letter of recommendation.

VS

jydog · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3 Location: turkey

yo man,

My friend had great frustrations over at U or buraimi where he got so annoyed with the management that he got into a fight with one of the brown nosers. i hear they now have an idiot in charge there. dat aint right. peopple there r crazy man.