Job Discussion Forums

[globalnomad]

Hi all,

My qualifications: Master's ESL - Bachelor of Science Degree in Education
Teaching Certificate - Certified K- 12 10+ years exp.


ANYWAY....I'm getting an offer from IH - Dhahran...well no money has been offered yet but they called seemed interested and promised an offer was forth coming...which I know may mean nothing....but just in case...

Can the experts here, that have given such good advice to other please help me....

What's the lowdown on IH House? a good organization or...???

What should I expect to be offered in terms of salary???

They mentioned something about a new school having just been built, growing school, expanding rapidly, so I imagine that their infra structutre and organization must still be "in the works". How are conditions? Students?

How are they on reliability, pay on time, get your working papers in order...you know..all the nightmare things one doesn't want to get caught up in....

Also what's Dhahran like??? I'm 40+ not one that has to go out all the times, but not a hermit.... I love to fish, heard fishing on the Gulf is good...is it something one can do recreationally??

I'm currently living with a girl (3 years now), but I don't know if it would be fair to her to bring her with me (if she's willing to come), or if I can bring her with me (not officially married, no papers), what would she do (she's studies at the university now), I wonder what it would be like for her there while I am off at work.

I'm told housing was included in the offer....will I be able to save, and what percentage can one usually save of ones salary? I adapted to local foods and customs well, so I don't need american food or anything like that...and like I said, I'm not one to go out much...if going out is an option.......and if one is able to save...is one allowed to convert it into dollars and sent it out of the country....if so...is this easy or difficult...expensive...???

Don't mean to sound like a mercenary teacher, but I have some responsibilities to take care of back home, and I'm actually hoping this will be a good experience, and I can find a good school where I feel like I'm doing some positive work and actually stay for a good long while in the Gulf.

Thx for your help in advance.....

[Nomad Dan]

Greetings, You'll not be bringing the girlfriend if she isn't your wife, and many teaching positions will be for bachelor status only... full stop. And think long about that because I have seen more than one man come to the Land of Sand and his relationship with his mate fall apart..
With your credentials, you might want to look at an international school. IH doesn't sound like a good place to work to me personally. I think as a teacher in the KSA, you will need to be working with either the military or the petroleum industries. IH sounds like a language institute...
The pay won't be impressive.
Good luck.
Daniel

[veiledsentiments]

From the comment about bringing the girlfriend to Saudi Arabia, I'd have to say that you have a great deal to learn about this country/culture - and I'd say do some studying up before you make a jump like this purely for money with no thought of what kind of lifestyle you are getting into.

Are you aware that there is no booze either...

VS

[Stephen Jones]

You won't be able to get a visa for the girlfriend, and if you did the best that would happen to you would be deportation, and the worst imprisonment and public flogging.

You haven't been given a salary figure, so it's impossible to answer any of your other questions. With your qualifications and experience you should be able to get a salary of around SR10,500 at KFUPM or DCC, SR12,500 at JIC or YIC, and SR15,000 + working on a military contract., which would probably have shorter holidays. I don't believe IH pays that much, but it depends on what they offer you personally.

I do know that they were bussing people up to Jubail from Dammam (an houf and a quarter commute each way every day) so I would check things out very carefully. Remember that in Saudi your employer can prevent you working for anybody else even after your contract is up, so you want to be careful about your first hire.

[globalnomad]

Well.....

Thx for the info, so far.....it would have been enough to say that if you are not legally married you can't bring a companion....I had assumed as much...yes I have done some research about the area....I realize you are a "Dry" country..no sale or consumption (booze) allowed in the country is what I assume.....you have to run for the border to booze up....this requires a permit I believe..to travel...etc....As to the woman....if she comes it will be as wife, legal...if she doesn't, there will be no relationship.....

Now....so you have heard of IH...this is a recognized organization? It's this kind of info. I was after......It's interesting that you mention that they are likely not to pay the better salary, though you seem to imply that salary is on a case by case basis and I may be offered an attractive offer, by local terms......Thank you for the tip on being sent around to different places, I'll make sure to bring that up if there are further negotiations. I wonder how one agrees on that clause, "I`ll work but I don't want to be ship all over the Arabian peninsula" I wonder if the travel time is paid for if it's considered "dead" time.

There were no comments on what this companion of mine (wife) would do while I was at work? (we can assume if she is there that it is legally, and yes, I need to find out if this is a bachelors only position) but all things considered, would she be pretty much couped in the apartment waiting for me to come home, or are there things for her to do, (she doesn't hava a degree, nor speaks English all that well for that matter) but I was thinking like woud she be able to go out shoping or for a walk, etc... And, no, I don't know If I'm living in a compound or not...If yes, what's that like?.... and if No, what's that like?...

No feed back on what Dhahran is like? As a foreigner is one pretty much limited to the compound or is there freedom of movement...for example, was my fishing comment totally crazy??? would a foreigner not be allowed...or be crazy to think about going out fishing on the coast or a boat (if allowed)???

thx again for all and any help you can give me...

[Nomad Dan]

You need to make sure that bringing her over is even a possibility. I think with IH it might be....just check that.
Dhahran is great for expats...if you are on a decent compound. It will all depend on that. Again, brother, I assure you that IH won't be housing employees in the better ones because IH is at the bottom of the feeding chain so to speak.
Let me be straight as I can as a Saudi vetran, I would look elsewhere.
Nomad Dan

[grahamb]

The IH website has details of vacancies in Saudia Arabia: http://www.ihworld.com/recruitment/vacancies_by_country.asp?country=Saudi%20Arabia
Sounds like slave labour to me, but check it out for yourself.

[globalnomad]

hi,

Grahamb,

I have seen that page....I'm curious to know what makes you say "slave labour" from what you read??? (not saying you're not right) I'm trying to get info on this place etc... But I don't see what it is from this page that leads me to thnk "slave labour" ???

[globalnomad]

Nomad Dan....

I hear what you're saying...actually what all of you are saying...I'm not hell bent on accepting this job, and I am totally taking everything I hear here into account......BUT...let's say...."bottom of the food chain and all"

what kind of an offer would thay have to make you before you would consider signing with IH.....and I mean a realistic offer... RS11,000....
RS 13,000 ???? What else would the offer have to have besides salary to make you consider signing???

I'm curious to hear what you have to say...(within realistic parameters)

1. The Minimum you consider accepting...

2. You'd be happy to accept....

3. Can't believe they are offering you so much...

[globalnomad]

Hi all..

Seems like I used up my quota of questions...no more responses???

[grahamb]

You've read the job ad but can't see why it's slave labour?
For the benefit of those who haven't read it, here it is, straight from the horse's (should that be camel's?) mouth:
Approx 35 classes per week. Each class is 45 minutes
Other Hours: 5-7 hrs of standby per week
Gross month salary Up to 8,000 month depending on qualifications and experience.
The vacation will be from 1st August to 31st August annually. It is a paid annual vacation. Apart from these there will be Approx 10 paid national holidays during different times in the year.
Travel: A Two way economy class ticket to the country of origin will be paid during the annual vacation only.
Given your qualifications I'd say you can find a job with better pay and conditions.

[Tomton]

With a monthly salary of SR8,000, a weekly teaching load of 26 hours and 7 hours on standby it does sound like slavery. A lot of the teachers are from South Africa.

[scot47]

8000 is not good.

IH is an iternationally known name but this is a franchise operation.

And bear in mind that it is a private language school. The less he pays you, the more he puts in his own pockets.

Go for a job in the public sector : Jubail Industrial College, DCC, KFUPM. Or head for the military - BAE for Brits and SALTS for Yanks.

And forget any ideas of taking girlfriends or concubines.

[Cleopatra]

[Nomad Dan]

I would not take any offer from the IH people...They sound like a place to go eat breakfast. The contract isn't close to anything that would make me want to work for them. We are not in negotiating range.
As to what I would accept...Well, nothing from IH, because it would not happen. I would need to be making four grand a month at least. Then, there is the housing, vehicle, etc.
No, I am not an IH candidate. You'd be much better off with the Snoopy Kindergarten in Taiwan....
Cheers,