Job Discussion Forums

[Mojoski]

I've received a provisional offer. The only search results on them are from a year ago. They are somewhat disturbing. Does anyone have more recent info about them? Thanks.

Oh, and the school is the Salalah colleges of Technology of the Ministry of Manpower. Any insight on them is alos appreciated.

[runninggirl]

yes I am looking for infor too. The previous posts are terrible about Globnet from the apts they offer to the salary.
I am surprised they are still in business and I'm afraid to send them my information because of what terrible things I have read on here about them.
Where was that anyway I couldn't find it again?

[airapets]

When I worked at the Ibri College of Technology, I noted that between a third and a half of those in the English department worked for them. None seem too excited about this and from what they said, most felt it was a predicament, and if they were to get a new contract to work in Oman, it would not be with them.

As for me, I worked with Tati, which wasn't great, but wasn't bad. I did notice, that being a white male, though, had its benefits, like being able to keep my passport. People from anywhere but the US, UK, and the other natively speaking English countries had to tolerate withholding of passports and other bureaucratic nonsense.

[Winstonio]

I have received an offer from Ibri College of Technology via AL NAWA MANAGEMENT & HRD CONSULTANT. Do teachers have different contracts depending on which recruiter hired them? Does anyone have any info about this recruiter?

[Pikgitina]

[jdl]

This is a very free market type of enterprise so you will find a great deal of variation with the purpose of the variation in contracts being to attract good employees while maintaining a high profit margin.

Contractors get paid a certain amount for each instructor position with each contractor being given a set quota of positions; that is each contractor is allowed a set number of employment visas. ( this is all part of the budget control process with the number of visas being tightly controlled and monitored and acting as the 'thin end of the funnel') The contractor wants to maximize its 'cut' of the contracted price as well as attracting stable and competent staff so it configures a contract(s) toward a particular set or sets of desired instructors. It should be noted though that the bottom line $ value of each contract is the same. It is a question of how this pie is divided and who gets the pieces. For example, a contractor may offer a slightly higher base salary but no family travel assistance. One contractor may offer a housing allowance while another may not and provide housing in lieu. The contractor decides which type of contract puts more money in its pocket while maintaining a certain level of quality. If the market changes the contractor may even have its employees on different contracts. CECN is the only contractor I know which had a standard contract based on a recognizable North American pay grid. Other contractors seemed to favour the individually negotiated type of contract potentially resulting in as many different contracts as employees. This has changed recently; given CECN success in the employee satisfaction arena particularly among North American employees

The secret here is to look at your situation and decide which contract/contractor allows you to take a bigger piece of the pie. This can be a time consuming exercise requiring you to decide where you want to work since housing availabilty/price varies greatly in Oman, whether you travel with a family or solo since travel allowances vary to advantage families in one case and singles in another, whether taking a simple higher base salary vs a benefits pkg is better for your circumstances.

All a bit like selecting a mobile phone contract or buying a new car or a computer. Buyer beware and get the contract information as directly as possible from the contractor. A thorough study of various contracts as offered by various contractors can result in quite a lucrative personal contract tailored to the employee. Do your homework and you can walk away with a very large piece of the pie.

Oh, contractors may be reluctant to share information with 'idle enquirers' since they do not want to encourage employee 'shopping around'.

Good luck

[ruqahya]

I can offer some advice for the original poster, having taken a job through Globnet. Avoid them at all costs! What you have read before is completely true, and not even the whole of it. My dealings with them were disappointing. Their staff is incompetent, and the owner as well. They seem to exist solely for their own benefit. The Ministry of Labour in Oman should not use them for placement.

Globnet will avoid negotiating your salary before arriving. There will be lies and manipulation to avoid your being able to accomplish this. They will try to pay you as little as possible for as long as possible. They will not respond to many emails during the process. They will force you into decisions with this avoidance.

Globnet does not offer decent, clean, safe housing for the 10 days specified on the contracts. They do not offer any housing information or alternatives. Instead, they will suggest their filthy apartments are the "solution" to the low salary they pay, and they will deduct the rent from that salary.

Globnet does not provide a copy of the Oman Labour Law beforehand as required by such law.

Globnet does not itemize required areas of a contract such as airfare terms and annual leave, leaving you to guess, or trust them.

Globnet will not help if/when you must change a flight itinerary, even if you assume responsibility for the cost of such changes. They purchase the lowest class of tickets which are nearly impossible to change.

Globnet does not speak the same language as you do if you are the type of person who is professional, honest, and in need of any assistance to insure a mutually beneficial work experience. They take the whole purpose out of being there.

Look for a job in Oman, and discard any openings offered through Globnet.