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myrrha
Joined: 18 May 2016
Posts: 12
Location: Earth
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 Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 10:33 pm Post subject: Questions about an offer |
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Greetings. I am new to this site, but after reading through the threads here, I think I may have answered my own questions. Still, just to confirm, here’s the offer (university gig) that’s been made to me:
3-year contract
$41,000 US/year (150,590AED/year)
Housing paid
Utilities paid
$3K US for buying furniture and such
Flights paid (including yearly round-trip anywhere)
Two months off
End of service gratuity of one month (hopefully!) paid
Employer pays 50% of monthly medical insurance premiums
About me, I’m single, without debt and in good health. I am also PhD-qualified with 20+ years of full-time university experience (both in the US and overseas). Finally, I'm gainfully employed with job security, but I wouldn't mind a change--of job and country--as long as I can continue to save.
That said, given that this works out to just 12,555AED/month--not to mention the half-payment on insurance--I’m guessing that I wouldn’t be able to save much if at all. Am I correct in this assumption? Should I attempt to negotiate up, and should I turn the position down if negotiations fail?
I would really appreciate any responses. |
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izmigari
Joined: 04 Feb 2016
Posts: 197
Location: Rubbing shoulders with the 8-Ball in the top left pocket
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 12:03 am Post subject: |
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Is this from HCT? If so, then, yes, you've answered your own question.
Let me "paraquote" Judge Marilyn Milian, "I wouldn't trust HCT if its tongue came notarized!"
If not HCT, then another "uni" has learned to abuse new employees for a pittance. Put up with the crap the spoiled nationals can dish out for $41,000?!?
NO WAY, BROTHER!!!
AED 20,000 MINIMUM!!! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 12:12 am Post subject: |
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| myrrha wrote: |
About me, I’m single, without debt and in good health. I am also PhD-qualified with 20+ years of full-time university experience (both in the US and overseas). Finally, I'm gainfully employed with job security, but I wouldn't mind a change--of job and country--as long as I can continue to save.
That said, given that this works out to just 12,555AED/month--not to mention the half-payment on insurance--I’m guessing that I wouldn’t be able to save much if at all. Am I correct in this assumption? Should I attempt to negotiate up, and should I turn the position down if negotiations fail? |
You didn't state what the position is and where the job is located, but on face value, the offer rates a "meh," although keep in mind, it's tax free.
An acceptable salary to you really depends on your particular spending habits against how much you hope to save. But if you're ambivalent about this offer, there's no harm in negotiating... or walking away. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 12:44 am Post subject: |
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It can't be HCT... as they have rarely paid utilities... and no longer provide housing (but an allowance). Perhaps MZ?
Is your PhD related to what you would be teaching? That would be a "meh minus" salary with an MA and 2-3 years of experience.
It depends on how badly you want to escape your home country. LOL You might want to PM me concerning who the employer is... if you don't want to mention them here.
VS |
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myrrha
Joined: 18 May 2016
Posts: 12
Location: Earth
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 12:55 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
It can't be HCT... as they have rarely paid utilities... and no longer provide housing (but an allowance). Perhaps MZ?
Is your PhD related to what you would be teaching? That would be a "meh minus" salary with an MA and 2-3 years of experience.
It depends on how badly you want to escape your home country. LOL You might want to PM me concerning who the employer is... if you don't want to mention them here.
VS |
Don't seem to have enough posts to PM yet, sadly. 
Yes, the PhD is directly related to what I would be teaching. Yes, I have (much) more than three years of experience teaching the exact subject matter I would be teaching in the UAE. |
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myrrha
Joined: 18 May 2016
Posts: 12
Location: Earth
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 12:59 am Post subject: |
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| izmigari wrote: |
Is this from HCT? If so, then, yes, you've answered your own question.
Let me "paraquote" Judge Marilyn Milian, "I wouldn't trust HCT if its tongue came notarized!"
If not HCT, then another "uni" has learned to abuse new employees for a pittance. Put up with the crap the spoiled nationals can dish out for $41,000?!?
NO WAY, BROTHER!!!
AED 20,000 MINIMUM!!! |
I don't want to post the city or university name at this point. (The offer letter mentioned that the correspondence was to be kept confidential.) I did, however, find the salary (and half-pay on health insurance) a bit...surprising. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 1:03 am Post subject: |
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| myrrha wrote: |
| Yes, the PhD is directly related to what I would be teaching. Yes, I have (much) more than three years of experience teaching the exact subject matter I would be teaching in the UAE. |
By location, I meant which emirate. Regardless, is this an English language teaching job or as a lecturer in a BA/MA degree program? |
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myrrha
Joined: 18 May 2016
Posts: 12
Location: Earth
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 1:09 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
It depends on how badly you want to escape your home country. LOL .
VS |
It's more that I've been interested in working in the Middle East for some time. (Call me crazy.... ) I don't mind earning less money than now, as long as I'm still able to save.
That said, I do have a bit of a problem with being paid less than people lacking my background and experience....  |
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myrrha
Joined: 18 May 2016
Posts: 12
Location: Earth
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 1:11 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| myrrha wrote: |
| Yes, the PhD is directly related to what I would be teaching. Yes, I have (much) more than three years of experience teaching the exact subject matter I would be teaching in the UAE. |
By location, I meant which emirate. Regardless, is this an English language teaching job or as a lecturer in a BA/MA degree program? |
The latter.
Thanks, everyone! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 1:25 am Post subject: |
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| myrrha wrote: |
It's more that I've been interested in working in the Middle East for some time.
....
That said, I do have a bit of a problem with being paid less than people lacking my background and experience.... |
You're about 5-8 years too late; salaries in the region have been slowly declining. You're also trying to come at a time when the oil industry isn't doing so well. Plus, there's a push in the GCC (particularly the UAE, Oman, and KSA) for hiring preferences to go to qualified nationals first. It is what it is. |
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Gulezar
Joined: 19 Jun 2007
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 3:42 am Post subject: Yes and no |
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| myrrha wrote: |
It's more that I've been interested in working in the Middle East for some time. (Call me crazy....) I don't mind earning less money than now, as long as I'm still able to save.
That said, I do have a bit of a problem with being paid less than people lacking my background and experience.... |
Go for it if you truly are interested in visiting the Middle East. You should be able to save money, but it really does depend on your location and your lifestyle. However, if you decide that you want to jump off for holidays to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt and the Golden Triangle, you might only break even.
As to your second comment, you already have a problem with the Middle East, because less qualified people being paid more is the norm here. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 3:57 am Post subject: |
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| Gulezar wrote: |
| As to your second comment, you already have a problem with the Middle East, because less qualified people being paid more is the norm here. |
Heck, that's the norm in our home countries as well.  |
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myrrha
Joined: 18 May 2016
Posts: 12
Location: Earth
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 6:29 am Post subject: Re: Yes and no |
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| Gulezar wrote: |
| myrrha wrote: |
It's more that I've been interested in working in the Middle East for some time. (Call me crazy....) I don't mind earning less money than now, as long as I'm still able to save.
That said, I do have a bit of a problem with being paid less than people lacking my background and experience.... |
Go for it if you truly are interested in visiting the Middle East. You should be able to save money, but it really does depend on your location and your lifestyle. However, if you decide that you want to jump off for holidays to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt and the Golden Triangle, you might only break even. |
Good to know. Thanks.
| Gulezar wrote: |
As to your second comment, you already have a problem with the Middle East, because less qualified people being paid more is the norm here. |
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myrrha
Joined: 18 May 2016
Posts: 12
Location: Earth
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 6:54 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Gulezar wrote: |
| As to your second comment, you already have a problem with the Middle East, because less qualified people being paid more is the norm here. |
Heck, that's the norm in our home countries as well. |
Hmm. Maybe so--though I haven't seen it to this extent anywhere else.
Given that I'd be new to the Gulf, I think most likely they just thought they'd try to low-ball me. I'm sure it's worked in the past. Indeed, if I hadn't asked here (and another forum), how would I have known otherwise?
It's shaping up that this offer would put me at nearly 3,000 AED less per month than some of the MA-only EFL staff. The salary would also be lower than all the other PhDs on staff...despite my having pretty strong qualifications and experience (including extensive work with Arab students in the States). That's a significant difference in money. I'll try to negotiate, and if it doesn't go well, I'll just say no.
Thanks again for the help. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2016 7:41 am Post subject: |
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| myrrha wrote: |
Given that I'd be new to the Gulf, I think most likely they just thought they'd try to low-ball me. I'm sure it's worked in the past. Indeed, if I hadn't asked here (and another forum), how would I have known otherwise?
It's shaping up that this offer would put me at nearly 3,000 AED less per month than some of the MA-only EFL staff. The salary would also be lower than all the other PhDs on staff...despite my having pretty strong qualifications and experience (including extensive work with Arab students in the States). That's a significant difference in money. I'll try to negotiate, and if it doesn't go well, I'll just say no. |
Having several years' direct experience in the Mid East is a huge plus over experience teaching Arabic L1s in an Anglophone country. In fact, you'll sometimes see "Middle East experience" indicated as an employer preference or requirement in job ads. That was my situation when I taught English in the ME (in three countries total). I briefly lived in the Levant before deciding to change careers to TEFL a whopping five years later. When I applied for my first teaching job in the ME, my previous time in the region piqued my interviewer's interest and certainly helped me get hired.
I'm not sure you can compare your salary offer to what some MA-holding EFL teachers presently make in the UAE since you'd be teaching an academic subject and not language skills. Without knowing what your doctorate and experience are in, the position you've been offered, and the name of the university, it's hard to say why the salary is low. But it may simply be that you don't have that golden prior ME experience.
Anyway, good luck with your negotiation. (Maybe reiterate your extensive experience with Arabic L1s in detail.) |
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