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Bob Gorn
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Posts: 58
Location: gimme three steps....
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 Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject: PMU/Al Falak hiring problems? |
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I applied to PMU through TIEC, and got turned down after a long wait. Then I heard about the Al Falak thing, but my friends came home and told me that the Al Falak contract had fallen through and that some of the original applicants might still be hired directly through PMU. They also said that PMU had offered some jobs to applicants, then rescinded the offers.
The people I know who work there will be going back after the summer vacation, so it must not be all bad. I hear that things are going well on the women's side, but not on the men's. The university powers that be have said they will have one hundred new faculty in the fall, but no one knows how that is going to happen.
Good things: the housing has gotten much better, and there are fewer day to day frustrations at the uni. Students are good, but all students complain a lot. Internet now works well. Lots of room for advancement if you can hang on through the first year. Some decent teachers have stayed on and are trying to make things better.
Bad things: lots of spying at work and on the compound, mgmt takes students' complaints too seriously, women held to a higher moral standard than men, mgmt wants "high standards" but no students failing. Men's side has had many resignations, desperately in need of sane, decent teachers. Also, the compound is not very secure by Saudi standards. Takes months to get an iqama.
From my experience in the ME, many of the management issues are par for the course. Are the other things just usual for a start-up year, or are they particular to this uni? I just wonder how many of these one hundred new faculty are going to materialize given these conditions and the problems with hiring. Anybody out there headed for PMU? Anybody with PMU now want to comment? |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:34 am Post subject: |
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My information is that ALL employers are having problems in recruiting for KSA. Unrealisitc expectations on the side of the employers could be one reason.
I also hear very mixed reports on PMU. High turnover in staff in all disciplines, with stories of some people just leaving ('doing a runner'). Also stories (unsubstantiated) of instant disnmissals followed by escorted departure via Bahrain. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 6:32 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Bad things: lots of spying at work and on the compound, mgmt takes students' complaints too seriously, women held to a higher moral standard than men, mgmt wants "high standards" but no students failing. Men's side has had many resignations, desperately in need of sane, decent teachers. Also, the compound is not very secure by Saudi standards. Takes months to get an iqama. |
Most if not all of the above sounds fairly standard for private colleges in KSA. Of course, it's hard to know just how bad things are unless you're there yourself. Something which can sound like a petty irritation to outsiders, can be a real pain when you're going through it yourself. And yes, start-up colleges always seem to have major issues, some of which get ironed out over time, some of which solidify into established policy.
I also agree with Scot that most places are having a hard time recruiting for KSA. Unrealistic employer expectaions may be a part of it, but I think a vague - if inaccurate - fear of the "Middle East" is a also a factor, on top of the usual reluctance many people have regarding KSA in particular. But perhaps most crucial of all, at least for non-USAnians, is the steady fall in the value of the dollar, exacerbated by the fact that salaries seem to have stagnated and benefits have, if anything, been cut back over the years.
In addition to all of this, I think one major shortcoming in Saudi staff management is the failure to identify good employees and to come up with ways of encouraging those people to stay, rather than taking your chances with whichever weirdo answers your ad and claims to have an MA. It doesn't take much imagination - maybe a realistic performance related salary raise or some prospect of promotion. But even that level of insight seems to be beyond most managerial people here - both Saudi and expat. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:35 am Post subject: |
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| The collapsing dollar is certainly a factor. There is continuing discusssion about removing the link between US$ and Saudi Riyals but given that international oil prices ar in dollars not sure how practical that would be. I'll leave that to SAMA. |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:00 am Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| There is continuing discusssion about removing the link between US$ and Saudi Riyals but given that international oil prices ar in dollars not sure how practical that would be. I'll leave that to SAMA. |
Impossible!
No way to divorce Uncle Sam from Uncle Saud. Except in one condition, one of them must die.  |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:42 am Post subject: |
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| For once I agree with Abba: it would be political suicide for the Saudis to abandon the dollar link. I have heard, however, that they are considering revising the rate at which the two currencies are currently pegged. Which might be a good thing. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Kuwait cut the link between the dollar and the KD without any negative ramifications. Of course since the oil industry still works in dollars the effect was not that great.
VS |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't think they cut the link entirely - as far as I know the KD is pegged to a 'basket' of currencies, one of which is the dollar. In any case, Kuwait is far less significant that KSA, and the Saudis have always been dead against any anti-dollar mutterings in OPEC and elsewhere. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Well yes... they had been faxed their talking points. 
I think the basket of currencies idea is better than pegging on just one... and a free float can be rather volatile.
VS |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Just now I heard that the $ is currently 1.37 to the Euro!!! That's certainly the worst I've ever seen it. Even 'volatility' has to be better than this, as far as us Euro-zone exiles are concerned... |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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It seems Uncle Saud is suffering from the peg of his currency to the one of Uncle Sam, and this has led to the following:
� The price of a schawarma sandwich has increased by 30%.
� Fresh fruit prices are up between 50 and 80%.
� Vegetable prices are up 20-40%.
� Beef prices are up 15%
� Fish prices are up 20-35%.
� Rents in Riyadh are up 20-25%.
� Wages for construction jobs are up 50%.
It seems the economic future for English teachers (as well for Math teachers ) is looking bleak in SA. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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| The End is Nigh ! The End Times Are Here ! Prepare To Meet Thy Maker ! |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Wages for construction jobs are up 50% |
Great! So now it's a whole 800SR a month! |
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Bebsi
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 958
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Men's side has had many resignations, desperately in need of sane, decent teachers. |
Who heeds trivial considerations such as sane, decent teachers when you can have something as wonderful as an 'academic eccentric' with an MA from the Internet Institute of Idaho or the United University of Ulan Bator?
Who really cares whether they can actually write or even speak English, or worries about the trifling fact that some of them couldn't teach a starving dog to beg for a bone?
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| The End is Nigh ! The End Times Are Here ! Prepare To Meet Thy Maker ! |
Prepare yourself, the King is coming! |
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