Job Discussion Forums

[cocosheff]

Hi everyone,

Circumstances:
2 years teaching in S. Korea.
Studying full time MA in ELT in England.

I'm hoping to land a job in SA, ideally the in Dammam area.
I would really appreciate if you guys over there could give some pointers:
- What skills do they look for?
- What kind of personalities do they appreciate/dislike over there?
- Any do/do not advice in my applications?

I'm hoping to go over there and work for quite a while, at least 5 years - so I'm not going to just go over, get my money and go...

Any advice would be so so so appreciated...
thank you

[nomad soul]

Skills? Use the various job posting descriptions to guide you in what you should have. But generally a TEFL-related MA + experience will cover the essential qualifications for teaching in a Saudi uni foundation year program. You didn't state when your degree will be completed, but are you presently teaching while attending school? Keep in mind employers want to see recent teaching experience. Plus, be aware that you may have to provide official employment verification letters from each previous employer---they're used to verify experience and determine salary.

I suggest you stick with direct-hire opportunities---try to avoid working for a contracting company, if possible, especially since you intend to stay for more than a few years. (See http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=103722 .) Also, research the employer/teaching situation before applying for the job. Universities post their (direct-hire) employment opportunities on their individual university websites, TESOL.org's career page, TESOL Arabia's job fair page, higheredjobs.com, and/or bayt.com, among others. The majority of the Saudi job postings on the Cafe's job page are with contracting companies. The brunt of recruiting/hiring for the upcoming academic year usually occurs in spring for; however, there may still be ads for openings year round. You can find a list of Saudi universities via wikipedia.

In terms of personality, to manage life/work in ultra-conservative KSA, you definitely need to be open-minded/flexible and adaptable. Having low expectations and a healthy sense of humor are also key. It's important to read up on the culture; there are a half dozen or so good forums and blogs on the Net dedicated to expat life and work in the Kingdom.