Job Discussion Forums

[rustyrockets]

Next week I will have my second interview for a job at one of the colleges of excellence (more specifically Mondragon-Wintec, I made a post some time ago asking about them) in Tabuk province. I would really like to know if someone here has had any experience with the Colleges of Excellence regarding what the challenges are, what the environment is like, etc. (I'm female btw).

Also if someone has some second interview tips, the first one was pretty general, they just wanted to know what I'm about and to tell me about the college. I think this second one will be far more specific and I've never gotten this far in a recruitment process in Saudi Arabia.

Any advice will be helpful!

[currentaffairs]

I'm sure that you will do fine. I worked for another CoE college and they are mostly disorganised, new and changing all the time in terms of staff and procedures. The money was pretty good, though.

Best of luck..

[rustyrockets]

yes, the money is really good on this one, but of course the college is in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, I am also aware that the Colleges of Excellence are pretty new and their administrations haven't figured out how to proceed with many things. At least during the first interview they were pretty honest about the job being challenging.

The only issue I have is that I am not a native speaker...

[flannery2015]

I had a fairly intensive interview (about 30 min). She asked whether I'd had experience in any formal assessment/certification body, classroom management skills, list 3 strengths, the intersection between vocational/foundation English and content, my experience teaching vocational English/college foundation programs, familiarity with the Cambridge exams, and a couple of other standard questions (describe a time you had a challenge in the classroom, approach to teaching, etc)

Good luck!

Genevieve

[In the heat of the moment]

Hi rustyrockets, I've worked in the region (Tabouk) but not Al Wajh (although I visited Duba, to the north). From my visit and the limited info online the positives look to be the coast, the climate and lack of pollution/traffic, the negatives will be a sore lack of things to keep you occupied and foods to buy.

I think flannery2015's advice is excellent, but I would guess that a second interview is also to ascertain how eager you still are to go there. Many would be discouraged because of the underdeveloped nature of the place, so I would advise you to compile of list of things to ask them, including but not limited to;

1) How is the internet connection?
2) How many colleagues will you have to talk with?
3) Are there easy transport links to Sharm and Hurghada in Egypt?
4) Which supermarkets are there or in nearby cities?
5) If you're offered a role, what would your colleagues like you to take out with you? E.g. cosmetics, dried herbs and spices, tea, coffee, condiments etc (check if there are food restrictions at the border before doing so). Sometimes all you want is a comforting cup of your favourite coffee after a hard day at work

If I were you I'd take at least a terabyte of films and popular tv series, the internet might be excellent or it could be intermittent.

From the website it looks as though being a non-native speaker won't impede your application. Good luck!

[rustyrockets]

Very useful questions!

The first interview was one hour and consisted mostly on them telling me about the college and the region. Then they wanted to know about myself and really paying attention at how motivated I was. I basically showed that I was very eager to do the job and that I didn't mind the region (I love the Middle East and I speak some Arabic so I have that going for me). The interview was in Spain and in Spanish btw.

I think this second interview, which is now directly in Saudi will be more about the things mentioned by flannery2015 . Much more related to English knowledge and classroom management, this time obviously in English.

I know it is going to be boring but I also used to hang out a lot in rural Oman and I assume it won't be that different (except for the driving I guess) so I adapt pretty well, or at least I hope so...

[nomad soul]

[rustyrockets]

[currentaffairs]

The north is probably more conservative than most other parts of Saudi. Very tribal, not so many foreigners, and it is difficult getting around - Sakaka for example has no public taxis and no town buses. There are no places where foreigners congregate other than in the supermarket, and most of those are pretty basic.

[rustyrockets]

I heard and read that Buraidah is by far the most conservative town in Saudi and in there every single woman wears the niqab, even the expats. There is a Brazilian woman that works as an English teacher there and she has a youtube channel in which she shows and talks about the place, always wearing a niqab saying that it is required for every woman in there no exceptions.

[In the heat of the moment]

Before living there I heard Riyadh was 'the Most Conservative Place in Saudi', which is plainly isn't, many women don't bother with a hijab or niqab. Khobar is supposed to be very liberal but I only saw one abaya-less expat in public; a very large, fierce-looking, African-American woman (I'm guessing, hope that's PC enough for this board).

We've all heard of extreme places and practices but has anyone ever, actually, personally experienced them or are they just the product of fevered minds borne of relentless boredom and dodgy sid? Will the old, British dude's experience later on be transmogrified into a tale, illustration how town X is "Really Conservative - they flog old expats to death - don't go there!!!!"?

[buravirgil]

Someone say Buraydah? And flogged expats? Show Me the Money!
Oh, wait, I was there, briefly, and that didn't happen...regularly.

It's sexist to assert, but whatever a woman wishes to complain about in the Kingdom is theirs to so do. Their lot can be approached with empathy, but sympathy from a man isn't possible by the terms I distinguish those words. Any gripe session of men is dwarfed by what women must adapt to thrive.

That said, I'm in total agreement with the above poster-- first hand is the only hand. Nobody knows another's limits. And limits are what the Kingdom are all about.

[In the heat of the moment]

[johnslat]

Dear In the heat of the moment,

It would seem you agree with Janis - that freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose.

I say that because the restrictions on women's freedoms in Saudi are, in my opinion, greater, even far greater in many cases, than those imposed upon men.

Am I right in assuming that you're speaking mostly about "foreign" men and woman - because a good number of Saudi women likely don't feel those restrictions so keenly, having, in many cases, known no other way of life.

Regards,
John

[In the heat of the moment]