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nwtefl
Joined: 20 May 2015
Posts: 148
Location: England
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 Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 3:15 pm Post subject: Middle East jobs - how long to wait? |
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Hi
I have looking for a college/HE level job (not primary or secondary) in the UAE/Qatar/Oman/Bahrain, but a) I don't see that many advertised and b) I have only received 2 replies so far.
SO this leads me to c) how long should I give it until I just decide to apply anywhere in the ME and stop being so fussy ? Is there a cut off date e.g. if I dont get anywhere by end of June, should I apply to other countries not my first choice e.g. Saudi, Kuwait ?
Basically I need to go somewhere for the next academic year, so being stuck jobless is not an option. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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We answered some of your questions in your other thread, "Applying for University Positions in the UAE (and elsewhere)" (http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?p=1208672). But in order to best answer your questions, it would help to know your exact academic qualifications (degree levels and majors), TEFL cert training, and relevant post-degree experience.
For Saudi Arabia, take a look at, "The skinny on direct-hire university opportunities" (http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=103722). |
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nwtefl
Joined: 20 May 2015
Posts: 148
Location: England
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Masters Applied Linguistics, another Masters and BA in unrelated TEFL subjects, CELTA, Level 5 Certificate of Education, Level 4 Cert in ESOL Subject Specifications. 15 years experience teaching EFL : 5 years in Portugal, 10 years ESL and EAP in the UK to college and university level students.
However, my post wasn't targeted at why I might be missing out (I know there are people with higher quals/ME experience), but rather how long I should wait before casting my net further afield or I might not get anywhere. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2015 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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| nwtefl wrote: |
| However, my post wasn't targeted at why I might be missing out (I know there are people with higher quals/ME experience), but rather how long I should wait before casting my net further afield or I might not get anywhere. |
I'm not sure what you're waiting for, but you need to be applying to whatever positions are still open because peak recruiting/hiring for the upcoming academic year started back in March. See the second link in my previous post for info and links to job sites for higher ed positions. |
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MuscatGary
Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 1364
Location: Flying around the ME...
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 12:56 am Post subject: |
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| TATI are recruiting now for MoM Colleges and Hawthorn are recruiting for MoHE Colleges. |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Be aware that KSA direct hire is becoming increasingly long-winded and can take around 6 months from application to arrival in-Kingdom.
If your situation is "desperate" (which is what it sounds like), I would immediately expand your search areas and forget about direct hire or other "nicities" and accept whatever comes along.
There is no DEFINITIVE answer to your question "how long should I wait". Nobody knows the answer to that because there is no answer - you wait as long as necessary is the only viable answer. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu May 28, 2015 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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| hash wrote: |
| Be aware that KSA direct hire is becoming increasingly long-winded and can take around 6 months from application to arrival in-Kingdom. |
There's nothing odd about that since recruitment and hiring typically begin in March/April for the start of the new academic year in August/September. It makes no sense to have your 90-day employment/work visa in hand several months before you're to leave for KSA. |
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Gulezar
Joined: 19 Jun 2007
Posts: 483
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| Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 3:32 am Post subject: UAE is also complex |
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| The clearance process for the UAE has become quite extensive now, meaning that it would probably take three months to get on board there. |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 8:37 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| hash wrote: |
| Be aware that KSA direct hire is becoming increasingly long-winded and can take around 6 months from application to arrival in-Kingdom. |
There's nothing odd about that since recruitment and hiring typically begin in March/April for the start of the new academic year in August/September. It makes no sense to have your 90-day employment/work visa in hand several months before you're to leave for KSA. |
Yes, you're right about that. What I meant to say is that at least with employers I know of, the final hiring authority does not lie with the person doing the interview - it lies with the "distant" personnel office over which even a dept. head has no control and barely any input.
It appears that every hiring decision is now going to the very top of an organization (for some reason) and this is where the delay is taking place as a dept "recommendation for hire" goes from level to higher level.
This is probably due to the massive upheavels in personnel changes that have recently occurred in KSA. How many "ministers" of higher education have there been lately? There's even no longer a ministry of higher education.....just a minister of education.
There appears to be a paralysis at the admin level.....everyone's afraid to move for fear of making the wrong move.
At the "hiring" level, this translates into significant delays. I wouldn't be surprised if teachers interviewed in Feb-Mar are delayed in arrival until Jan or Feb or 2016.
Course, I'm talking about direct hires at universities. Other situations may not be feeling these delays in the same way. That's why I suggested the OP increase his range of employment possibilities further afield since he seemed to want to start work ASAP. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 9:49 am Post subject: |
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| hash wrote: |
| nomad soul wrote: |
| hash wrote: |
| Be aware that KSA direct hire is becoming increasingly long-winded and can take around 6 months from application to arrival in-Kingdom. |
There's nothing odd about that since recruitment and hiring typically begin in March/April for the start of the new academic year in August/September. It makes no sense to have your 90-day employment/work visa in hand several months before you're to leave for KSA. |
Yes, you're right about that. What I meant to say is that at least with employers I know of, the final hiring authority does not lie with the person doing the interview - it lies with the "distant" personnel office over which even a dept. head has no control and barely any input.
It appears that every hiring decision is now going to the very top of an organization (for some reason) and this is where the delay is taking place as a dept "recommendation for hire" goes from level to higher level.
....
At the "hiring" level, this translates into significant delays. I wouldn't be surprised if teachers interviewed in Feb-Mar are delayed in arrival until Jan or Feb or 2016. |
Since you claim to be privy to alleged massive delays in hiring with specific direct-hire employers, I suggest you name these Saudi universities so that job seekers can choose to either avoid them completely or be prepared to sit around for months on end. Otherwise...
| and hash wrote: |
| Course, I'm talking about direct hires at universities. Other situations may not be feeling these delays in the same way. That's why I suggested the OP increase his range of employment possibilities further afield since he seemed to want to start work ASAP. |
FYI: The OP stated that he/she is focusing on a position for the upcoming academic year:
| nwtefl wrote: |
| Basically I need to go somewhere for the next academic year, so being stuck jobless is not an option. |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 11:39 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
Since you claim to be privy to alleged massive delays in hiring with specific direct-hire employers, I suggest you name these Saudi universities so that job seekers can choose to either avoid them completely or be prepared to sit around for months on end. Otherwise... |
That I cannot do. There's no guarantee that anything I'm saying (or anyone else is saying) applies to every job seeker.
That's why I stated in my posting that things "appear" to be going one way or the other. In fact, I have always advised job seekers on this board and elsewhere to apply to as many positions as they can regardless of qualifications, experience or what they may have heard. I myself have done this in the past with great success (including my present job).
| nwtefl wrote: |
| Basically I need to go somewhere for the next academic year, so being stuck jobless is not an option. |
[/quote]
I actually don't understand what the OP means by this sentence....the time sequence appears to me to be out of kilter between the 2 phrases.........so I won't comment on it.
Last edited by hash on Sun May 31, 2015 4:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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| hash wrote: |
That I cannot do. There's no guarantee that anything I'm saying (or anyone else is saying) applies to every job seeker.
That's why I stated in my posting that things "appear" to be going one way or the other. |
Therein lies the problem hash. You are presenting your suspicions as if they were fact. And while they may very well be true, it may be limited to certain employers or be completely wrong.
Thus... we know little more now than we did before you posted.. 
VS |
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hash
Joined: 17 Dec 2014
Posts: 456
Location: Wadi Jinn
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| Thus... we know little more now than we did before you posted.. VS |
Well, not really. My "suspicions" are based on facts I've confronted recently. I'm just ALERTING job seekers to the possibility of unexpected delays in arriving in KSA.
I would say my above statement certainly has as much "validity" as a good 50% of the statements one runs across on this board and elsewhere.
Your statement that: And while they [my statement] may very well be true, it may be limited to certain employers or be completely wrong.
is applicable not only to my statements, but to about 95% of statements addressed to job seekers on this board.
If you disagree with my assessment of this, then there's nothing more to say. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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In 1991 I was offered a job with Saudi Arabian Airlines but my evil employer A.......K........ refused to give me a No Objection Certificate. As a result I was unable to take my "dream job" teaching English to Airline trainees and employees.
I took a job with the British Council in Eastern Europe, with the plan of sitting out a year in the Balkans before heading back to Jeddah.
I eventually made it to the Airline Training Center in May 1996 !
The job was okay but my later job with KFUPM was better ! |
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Gamajorba
Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 357
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| In 1991 I was offered a job with Saudi Arabian Airlines but my evil employer A.......K........ refused to give me a No Objection Certificate. As a result I was unable to take my "dream job" teaching English to Airline trainees and employees. |
Now that sounds like something I would put up with for sure! |
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