Job Discussion Forums

[sammysez]

I see there are other Saudi Aramco threads, but the threads seem to have become something they were not originally, such as Ph.D vs. Master's degree etc... just seems to have gotten off topic pages and pages ago.


What questions are asked during the interview process? grammar? classroom discipline?

What's the difference between direct hire and recruiters? There seems to be hiring all year, what is the reason for that? and why?

It must be at the discretion of the recruiter, but some offer airfare reimbursement and others require for you to pay for your own health screening tests.

[sicklyman]

Grammar and classroom discipline are usually grilled. Be prepared to give examples of how you teach specific skills and levels and grammar topics. Also how you deal with discipline issues.

Direct hire positions are like hen's teeth. I'm not even sure if they are recruiting directly for ITCs currently. They haven't done any recruiting at all for ITCs for over three years so your idea that they recruit all year round is off.

Direct hire offers significantly more benefits so that the whole package is a much better deal, esp. if you are from the US.

All contracting companies reimburse airfare for work and any medical fees. This should be standard because it's Aramco that set the standard, not the contracting company. You may be confusing payment up front and later reimbursement with you footing the bill. This is normal too but you should definitely get your costs reimbursed for your medical when you arrive. You do not pay for your flight to Saudi.

[sammysez]

I meant for the INTERVIEW in Houston.

Seems some recruiters offer to reimbursement some for the airfare.


Also, I'm being asked, if I'm hired, to do my own medical screening tests. I thought the employer or recruiter always paid for those.


Is this a continuous ROLLLING HIRE POSITION? I see differing dates etc...

[sicklyman]

I didn't fly for my interview so can't really address that issue.

You mean they are saying they won't reimburse you for the medical fees once you arrive? As I said, that has been standard. Which contracting company is this you are dealing with?

If you could link to what you're seeing I could see if it makes sense from this end. Historically, hiring has been done very sporadically with almost no logic when it comes to matching demand in the classrooms. Many ITCs have, for example, had mandatory overtime for years for teachers. I met one guy over two years after we flew out on the same plane together. In comparing our experiences since we'd arrived he had a shock. He'd been on continuous overtime since he'd arrived and I'd had one week of mandatory overtime.

ALthough you'd think that it would be wise not to burn through teachers in this way, recruitment hasn't matched load in the last four years. We are expecting a big intake of trainees in November so I assume that someone has triggered some recruitment to match that demand. That would be a refreshing change.

[scot47]

Would it help to have a "crib sheet" with model answers ?That is a favourite ruse of local students !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheat_sheet

[dragonpiwo]

Well I heard they recruited earlier in the year, then Aramco nearly outsourced the lot to a third party, now it's on again, so the start dates Oct/Nov.

[sicklyman]

[Hatcher]

I heard the interview is intense. Not sure why they ask detailed grammar questions as that can be looked up and you rarely get to high level grammar anyway.
But on an hourly basis, you will be the highest paid ESL teacher in the world and prob quit from exhaustion after two years.
They want to know how tough you are.

[hash]

[sammysez]

Hatcher some of us were thinking the same thing.

How high level grammar intensive are some of the students actually going to be? or is this an opportunity to weed people out?

[BreadHead]

I was told by the recruiter accommodation isn't part of the deal. Is that normal for ITC teachers? Seems that the salary they're quoting ($6K- $7K per month) isn't so high if you're paying for your own flat.

[timmytopee]

[timmytopee]

[sicklyman]

[BreadHead]

Thanks for clearing up the accommodation question. I don't know much about ITC, so thought I would ask. When one hears "Saudi Aramco", I think it's natural to imagine compound living. Good to know