Job Discussion Forums

[westy]

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[moomama]

B3H has no business running an English Language Teaching program. The management stands on a soapbox of their own bullsh#t. The sad thing is they are playing management with people's lives and mental health. My experiences working for them have led me to issuing this warning. Stay away. It is not worth it.

[LPKSA]

Could you please elaborate more Moomama?? Please do.

The thing is, they post an advert stating the pay and benefits exceed 90,000 USD per year. When I asked the woman over the phone if she would be so kind to break down the payment itemisation of benefits, she simply snapped at me, politely, but it was still, unnecessary. I didn't get a clear answer out of her. From what I gathered, it seems to pay more than many of the lowest of the low paying jobs here (jobs that pay 2,500 USD per month, f that, go to Korea instead).

She scheduled a meeting for me via skype, and when it was time for the meeting, she couldn't be reached, nor did she contact me. I ended up searching through the email correspondences between us and I found her phone number. When I called her, she had no idea who I was or why I was calling.

They have since contacted me again asking if I am interested in working there.

A lot of jobs here come with a fair share of BS. Could a lot of the negative posters on here simply not be cut out for dealing with a lot of BS? Essentially, at the end of the day, it comes down to pay. Yes, it doesn't pay a lot, but also not too low. It's also tax free, and if they're paying you on time, and you need the money, it can't be THAT bad. They also provide a car, from what I was told. Is that really the case?

What about the health insurance? How is life on the compound? She told me that the man who runs the company, a former US Serviceman, cares a lot about his employees and their wellbeing. Is it really true that the compound on which the foreign teachers reside, was attacked ten-fifteen years ago?

[scot47]

If they are accommodated where I think they are it is indeed the locus of the "Oasis Massacre". I was in Khobar when it happened

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Khobar_massacre

[moomama]

To elaborate:

You will take home a little under $3800/month. If you opt for the 401k then it will be closer to $3500/month.

Accommodation: You will live in Mishal Studio Apartments. You will live in a studio apartment on the same floor as all your coworkers unless you request otherwise. Mishal is part of the Oasis Compound. The main Oasis Compound is where the shootings took place. All in all, the accommodations are pretty good but the walls are pretty thin and you will, as mentioned before, be placed near your coworkers.

Insurance: The insurance is good. You have two facilities (Saad Hospital and Procare) that are within 10 minutes driving from the compound.

Cars: You will have access to a car but not your own car. You will be part of a team of 4 that share the vehicle. You work it out with your car group. The cars are all Toyota Camrys.

Corporate: The suck. That lady is problematic and disorganized. Honestly speaking, she is a bit of a loon. The president of the company is a dickhead that does not car about you. He is greedy and a control freak which is one of the main problems of the program. He is trying to run the program from America. You will get paid on time.

Manager: The manager is a nice guy but is useless. He is basically a robot for corporate. He has no ELT experience and is not allowed to even teach a minute of any class. He does not understand the job or the frustrations. He is an intermediary for corporate. Any decision that needs to be made has to be okayed by corporate. This will be the most poorly organized program that you will ever work for.

Desperate: The company is desperate to keep people. They are in the last year of their contract with the Saudis. It ends at the end of January 2016. There might be an extension for up to 6 months but that is just drivel that corporate leaks out of their word holes. As of the end of January (this month) 5 teachers that are employed by Booz Allen and DLS will be reassigned. Rumor has it that the B3H presidents told Booz and DLS to be on board for the rebidding of the contract or exit.

The students: If you taught in Saudi before and did not have a problem with the Saudis' study habits and work ethics then you should not have a problem. You will probably average 10 to a class and the will be at a low level (DLI Book 1,2,3...). You are a babysitter.

The schedule: It changes every other week. Now, I hear that you can leave at 1pm but once every 4 weeks you have to work a "study hall" shift that lets you out at 3 pm.

My advice -

If you need the money, take the job and when you have had enough do a runner. You usually get paid by the 7th of the following month.

If you value yourself as an educator, do not take this job and get a university job somewhere outside of Saudi Arabia.

[das31]

Woah, Moomama, telling it like it is!

[LPKSA]

[johnslat]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't meant to be funny - more like a sad warning. Scot 47 was there at the time - so was I.

I strongly suspect you weren't.

Regards,
John

[CanukBook]

[lcanupp1964]

I mean this in a sincere way, so don't freak out if anyone thinks I'm referring to someone here.

Let's say that a person is making 15,000sr at a place that provides zero housing money, but gives all teachers a real crappy place that really sucks. You have a roommate that takes a bath once a week, your having to share the same bathroom, etc..

If it was me, I would move out and find a place for around 20,000sr a year. This would come to around $450 a month for a much better life while here. We get tax free income, so think of the tax that you would have to pay if you found the same pay in your country as "extra money" and use most of that for a place of your own.

If anyone is worried about getting fired, or leaving because many other things are very bad and one might loose a big part of your rent, you can do the following:

1. in KSA, you can pay 3 months up front (as well as the more common six months up front).

2. Find a nicer hotel apartment and you can pay by the day, week, or month.

I found a nice one myself in Jeddah that was 2000sr a month and came fully loaded with everything from pot and pans, to a TV/Sat system. I lived there for about 60 days while I found a better apartment that was 1/2 mile from my job.

I guess I'm trying to say that if a person is that bad off in their current housing set-up, do yourself a favor and move. I know this is much easier if you are in a larger city. If you leave in the area with very few places to rent, especially of you are single, keep trying. I lived in a very small town in KSA when I first got over here, but I was still ale to find a place to rent.

Stay in the crappy place with that smelly roommate until you find a place and move out. You can find a person that you work with that you get along with and both of you can split the rent.

I don't think anybody is on a contract that states all teachers MUST live in the provided housing, but I could be wrong. If so, that person is more than likely not a direct hire.

[scot47]

LPKSA
People in Oasis Compound were slaughtered. I was a couple of km away when it happened. You want me to forget about what happened because it makes you feel uncomfortable ?

Or do you just want me to avoid the topic in polite society ?

[hash]

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[LPKSA]

THIS: A total compensation package in excess of $90,000 USD/year

...is what absolutely kills me about this advertisement.

Again, I asked the representative over the phone what the itemised breakdown of the salary and benefits are, just about half of 90,000, and she became defensive.

Really just going to give this position a pass at this point. Too many other offers are drowning this one out.

Scott47, are the ghosts still there or have they passed on from purgatory?

[shotten99]

[nomad soul]