Job Discussion Forums

[slaqdog]

So here we are another academic year nears its end and here's a short round up from Sur College of Applied Sciences:
'Rum, sodomy and the lash'
enjoy your holidays luvvlies cos, believe me, next year will be worse.......
Or it could be summed up as;
Lies, damn lies and statistics'
Or:
'Thieves, BS and the never ending round of firings and hirings'
Take your pick.

[veiledsentiments]

Is Majali still around?

VS

[slaqdog]

yes

[veiledsentiments]

An explanation for the phrase "some things never change..."

I've always wondered at the source of the wasta that allows him to bilk the country of vast sums of money while continually skating on and over the edge of legality...

VS

[krasnykamen]

so, slagdog, what's the story with this place?? or this person??

got an email from him the other day. last minute request for phone interview about open positions??

any info appreciated

[veiledsentiments]

[slaqdog]

yes please read other posts--and hang onto your valuables;-(

[Buffalo Boy]

I had a phone interview with the notorious Mr Majali back in January and he never got back to me. After reading the threads about him I was actually quite insulted. Was my interview so terrible that I am not even worth being chewed up and spat out by another dodgy recruiter? Or did I come across as such a street wise ESL veteran that he instantly knew not to mess with me? I'll never know.

[wanderlinguist]

If you can believe it, I think I have just run into a worse Oman situation than any I ever had with Majali. As the issue is not yet resolved (or it is and I am being ignored), I won't list names. But I would strongly advise others to avoid the University of Burami job listings! At the very least, they are ignorant to Omani labor laws, which is not good. Majali tried to weasle around them, but he at least knew what the laws were!

I was hired by University of Buraimi/ELS and was supposed to start last week. LESS THAN A WEEK before I was to be IN the country, I was sent an email saying that I was denied a work visa because I resigned (fully legally, mind you) from my last job in Oman. Not only did they grossly misrepresent the Omani Labor Law and break my employment agreement, they have yet offered no explanation.

Now I see the same job listing is back up. And all other positions I was previously offered by other institutions (but declined to pursue this one)have now been filled.

[Sirens of Cyprus]

Maybe it's like you say and Buraimi U. is just making stuff up, but maybe they are doing you a favor by telling you the truth. If the interior ministry is improperly sympathetic to your former employer, what could Buraimi U. have done about it? Maybe they could have argued in your behalf. But worse, they could have kept you in the dark by just telling you something like they had a change of plans. Unfortunately, you can't be sure where you stand in Oman now, huh?

[wanderlinguist]

You're right. They probably did me a favor. But I was assured for two months that they wanted me. And it was just days after I signed the employment agreement that I was told to forget it. Why would they waste so much of their own time on convincing me I wanted to be there? Something about it still doesn't add up.

Relationally, I suppose you really can never know exactly where you stand in Oman. Though I'm confident that the only person who probably didn't appreciate me was Majali... I asked too many questions, I think.

While I'm at it I'll ask, is it common practice in everyone else's experience to sign a letter of employment but not be shown a contract until you're in the country?

[santivalle]

Just a general heads-up.....

Ministry of Manpower has started a blacklist of teachers they are told are "weak teachers", "trouble makers", etc. I have it on good authority that once your name gets on that list, you are SOL on getting a job in Oman, as MoM also do the clearance for all other jobs in Oman.

How do you get on the list? Have an HOD or dean that dislikes you for any reason.

How do you get off the list? Since it doesn't officially exist .........

Get the picture??

[veiledsentiments]

[Sleepwalker]

Dear wanderlinguist

Can you check with your previous employer whether anyone is claiming you left owing money?

Sometimes that's enough to get you blacklisted.

[wanderlinguist]

Sleepwalker, Majali has confirmed with me that my resignation was perfectly legal and I owe nothing. But I know he doesn't like me, as he tried to breach our contract as I was leaving (and at least one other time) and I worked hard (maybe too hard) not to let him. My being on a blacklist would not come as a huge surprise to me, though it would make me really sad. I love Oman.

The best of my work references comes from my HODs/deans, and since I always had a good relationship with them, I would indeed be surprised if they have anything to do with my (potential) blacklisting.

I have a possible job offer somewhere else in Oman...if that doesn't pan out, well, I can take a hint.

VS, I'm glad to know the no-contract-til-you-show-up-in-the-country thing is normal. One less thing for me to be skeptical about.