Job Discussion Forums

Kipling · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 5:07 am Post subject: Wham, Scam, Thank you Mam

Just found an interesting ad here
http://www.tefl.com/jobs/job.html?jo_id=41664

The offer is as follows

Compensation:
Up to $75,000 depending on experience and qualifications.
Medical benefits included.
Yearly return airfare to home country.
Travel allowance provided.
40 work hours per week.
Paid overtime.
Excellent facilities and professional environment.
High potential for long term career security.
No info on what or where you would work for that.
Do you think it would be sufficient enough for our favourite Caledonian to postpone his retirement and accumulate even more Ackers than he already has?
Is it all a scam?
Personally I am not interested in the ME any more but it's such a civilised and interesting board that one cannot help but drop by now and again just for the patter.
I remain as always
Mr K

Very Happy

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I'd say that it probably isn't a scam. I notice that it doesn't provide housing, so you have to pay that out of your salary. Also note that it says "up to" $75,000. I suspect that getting to that number would require an MA and lots of related experience.

VS

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I would like to inform the original poster and everybody else that I have almost zero Ackers, Piastres, Girsh, Dinars, Dollars, Thalers or Pounds.

My income has gone to help buy and renovate a house now occupied by my ex-wife and daughters.

My retirement will be funded not from the HUGE savings that EFL teachrs dream of - since I have none. I will be relying on my State Retirement Pension with a possible top-up from Means-tested Benefits from the State in Ukania.

Neil McBeath · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 277 Location: Saudi Arabia

If the teaching is at "various locations throughout Saudi Arabia" it could be something like the job a former colleague of mine once had.

It was at Well Head 43 somewhere in the Libyan Desert. The man himself claimed not to be sure where he had been, because he was flown there in Company Aircraft which took off from Tripoli in the late afternoon and landed at dusk.

He worked 35 days on - continuous - and then had 30 days R&R.

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Scam? No, I agree with VS.

I know absolutely for sure of a magical job in the magical kingdom that pays $74K and the work week total is 25 hours. Naturally, it comes with housing in addition to company car with free gas.

As for rotation jobs, my last one was somewhere in a better area of West Africa; the rotation was 28 on/28 off. Too bad that program was transferred to Exxon-Mobil, and long story short, they hired their own cronies.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

US$74,000 per annum is about SR 23,000 a month. There are people earning that teaching EFL in KSA. Not me though !

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Heard you've got endless vacations though.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

If you feel they are paying you too much you can send a contribution to my pension fund.

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Sorry to hear from your post that some of your funds have had to be diverted to accommodations for ex-wife. Most unpalatable to one's bottom line. I had to do that too, but I've got 6 years till 66 and at that time US social security and medicare will kick in, to add to retirement funds that will be invested.

sharter · Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 878 Location: All over the place

Neil are you sure it wasn't 103? I'm on a Libyan rotation...good dosh,lots of paid holiday,nice students...don't knock Libyan oil gigs! I found KSA much duller and full of weirdos. Here I can also fail people!

Neil McBeath · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 277 Location: Saudi Arabia

Sharter,

It could indeed have been 103. This was a long time ago.

I'm not knocking Libyan oil company posts at all. I was just looking for a reason why a Saudi company might make mention of accommodation, and the most obvious one was that accommodation was on-site. I was in the same situation when I taught at the Omani Armour Brigade - ten kilometres down a wadi-crossed road thee was a petrol station, and a few kilometres after that there was a small village.

But after a while you get used to it. I even got used to Masirah.

If it IS an oil company though, then $74,000 isn't very generous. I was making far more than that at BAE Systems, on the other side of the wall from you-know-who at KFUPM.

sharter · Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 878 Location: All over the place

BAe's a top gig, but not enough holiday for me. Oil gig money is not quite in the premier league,but the bens are good. BUPA worldwide coverage, all expenses paid 8 months per year,6 flights etc. It's the 3 weeks off every 6 that is what swings it. Some of the camps have pools, gyms and a brew scene and can be, dare I say it,fun! Salaries start at 50,000 US, which is what a toolpusher makes in 3 months!

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Well, I'm sorry, and I don't want to seem holier than thou, but 3 weeks off every 6 is not very good compared to many oil rotation jobs. My last one was 4 and 4! Pay was $58K.

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Neil McBeath · Joined: 01 Dec 2005 Posts: 277 Location: Saudi Arabia

Dear Shake and Bake,

Thank you for that, but do try to keep up.

I KNOW BAE Systems is a military job and not an oil job. I worked at BAE Systems for two years, and after about a week even the slowest of us would see the difference.

Sharter and I were comparing salaries.

Given the facilities that were available to BAE employees, and the additional benefits of not working in the back of beyond, the BAE salary was exceptional.

But as Sharter piints out, the ancilliary benefits of the oil company jobs might be tempting for some people.