Job Discussion Forums

[nickelgoat]

I just interviewed with a contractor for a good position. It went well and they seem happy with me. My name was put forward to the head of the company, an older Saudi man. We had several phone conversations thereafter. He is in Dammam, and I am in Riyadh. The talks on the phone went well. Then he told me he was going to be in Riyadh and wanted to see me. I arranged a meeting.

The face-to-face was very unsettling to me because he seemed to make negative comments about my resume, which had included a photo. He wondered why I had not included my religion, exact date of birth and nationality on the resume. I told him that attachments of my passport info page showing my nationality and date of birth were sent, and as far as religion went, that I never put that on my resume. He said he knew things were different regarding these things in America but he thought I wasn't bowing to Saudi culture by revealing this information.

I then told him that in the USA, an applicant is hired and then this information is revealed. Religion is never revealed.

While this man may not have seen the info his employees got, it disturbed me that he was doing everything he could to find out my real age, which still fell within the client's guidelines. I did tell him, but after such a successful talk earlier, I left the conversation very uneasy.

Do many of you from Western countries include all of this info directly at the top of your resumes? Is there a way this could have been handled better?

Very nervous now.

[hocus pocus]

Age is usually handled by Date of Birth on the CV.

But, religion? Never seen that on a CV and I'd never put it on mine.

Maybe this is a guy you wouldn't want to work for? His questions may foreshadow trouble.

[MixtecaMike]

I include age, religion (if asked) and a photo. No point wasting my time chasing a job where they want a 25 year-old blonde woman with a pretty face when I am a 50-year-old gray-haired man with a faceful of "character".

[cmp45]

I don't think you have anything to be nervous about. He asked and you clarified your stance on the matter. What we don't know is your tone of voice or the exact way you gave your answer to the said questioning...most of the time it's not what you say, but how you say it.
Honestly I think the Saudi was asking stupid questions and indicates a lack of awareness on his part. I supose you will find out sooner or most likely later if you got the job or not. If not...move on.

In my estimate, interviews are never easy. You do your best.

[scot47]

You would not expect it iof applying for a job in the liberal environment of education in the USA. In Saudi, Riyadh writes the rules !

[nickelgoat]

I said what I did in an even voice and tone. I told him that I had received resumes from potential teachers myself for the school I am leaving, and every Western candidate omitted those things from the resume, and all Arabic speakers put Muslim as their religion. I just told him that if I'd had the opportunity to choose, I wouldn't base it on any of the personal items listed, but on their skills. That was it.

[cmp45]

[rollingk]

If the interviewer is going to be around in your job environment in KSA, it may be better that you were not witlessly accommodating to such stupidity in the interview. Intimidation is used a lot here, but many employers will back off if you show a little backbone. Sadly, too few of us do.

[cmp45]

[babur]

[CANDLES]

Yes, granted you tell your age, religion when asked by a Saudi employer, but
to include this information on your resume is the first time I've heard of it.

Why or why do people give the benefit of doubt to Saudi employers by saying ---- oh perhaps you insulted him, or your tone wasn't correct, or you didn't look down...etc, etc. I'm sorry, but some Saudi employers are rubbish and to belittle yourself is just waste of time.

[currentaffairs]

I think most people outside the US would always put age and place of birth on their CV.

Religion is something I wouldn't usually put on my CV, although I often have to write down my religion on various in-house forms during the year...

[nomad soul]

I'm not taking any side in this situation because there's not enough info provided, but from the Saudi company's standpoint, employment could be an issue if you're, say, Jewish. (By the way, the color of the iqama indicates whether the holder is 'Muslim' or 'Non-Muslim.') Additionally, the Saudi labor law limits legal employment based on age---that is, being ineligible for employment because you're too young/old per the labor law.

[scot47]

UK-style CVs rourionely have date of birth

[Trips]

Sounds like he was looking for a reason to reject you. He could have just been in a bad mood. I agree with you that DOB and nationality aren't standard resume fodder though.