Job Discussion Forums

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

The previous SQU thread is a couple of months old. Plus it is recruiting season. I have a phone interview on Monday.

Let me recap what I have learned from the other threads, tell me if I am missing anything.

They pay about 1K OMR/month = US$2,600/month.
That is not enough in Muscat.
Management is not supportive. (Is there universal agreement on that?)
Avoid recruiters.

How about the schedule? The housing?

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

Oh, I see the ad I replied to was from the Hawthorn guy mentioned in the other thread. Let me do some more poking around about him. Of course I would welcome your comments here.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

That is all very encouraging. I thought I was dealing with SQU directly.

(Where is the university? I am playing with Google Earth.)

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

Nope recruiter. Not the same domain name as the university.

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

Hey Paul

The area is called Al-Khodh, which naturally has 5 different spellings - as is usual. If you can locate Seeb on the coast... or the airport... you are getting close. It is between the two - closer to the airport - and more inland. It is quite a large campus and very nice. I have about a dozen friends and acquaintances still teaching there, some of them for over 20 years.

They haven't used recruiters (for many years) and have only been doing direct hire - which is totally an advantage. IMHO they are the best of the employers in Oman. The pay is not stellar, benefits are good, housing is good... but almost everyone has an MA these days. Your many years in the ME may help you.

Get in touch with them directly. Definitely avoid Hawthorn/Majali if you can. Apply directly to SQU.

VS

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

I am dealing with this Hawthorn fellow (company?). The caller's e-mail matches that on this ad:
http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/index.cgi?read=17918

OK, so which university are we talking about and what horror stories can you tell?

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

Just do a search here of "Majali" and you will get all the dirt. (and dirt it is) Probably 25% of the really bad threads have been pulled to put things into perspective.

But, you do have experience with poor management. Cool

They are called "Higher Colleges of Technology" (no relation to HCT in the UAE)

VS

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

For clarification, Majali is doing the hiring for the MoHE schools (of which SQU is not a part)....is that still the case? Was your interview for SQU or for one of the technical colleges?

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

Lemme do a search.

I see the job is not in Muscat. We are looking at Sohar, Sur or Rurtaq. Remarkable what you can learn when you closely read the ad.

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

What a concept!! Laughing

Perhaps you should change the title of this thread.

VS
(PS: SQU is under the MoHE, but functions independently)

Paul in Saudi · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 404 Location: Doha, Qatar

Oman! It's like a whole 'nother country!

So, my search for "Majali" indicates they fired a bunch of Americans with no notice.

Let me see if I can change the title. Bet I can't!

johnslat · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:13 pm Post subject: For Whom the Tell Bowls

And let's not forget that immortal quote:

"Oman is no island."

Regards,
John

jwbhomer · Joined: 14 Dec 2003 Posts: 876 Location: CANADA