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Post by jr150 on Mar 3, 2015 18:20:14 GMT
I do not wish to be negative but Aramco was simply not for me. I have no bad feelings towards the organisation or KSA but after 9 months it just did not fit. The work was beyond easy not challenging and it was sad to see very well educated expats doing such basic tasks despite being very capable people. Some of the managers I experienced talked to expats with 25 plus years experience with PHD's like children despite they themselves not having hardly any understanding of the subject at all.
Thankfully I know when I return home the company I left Aramco for has a position that is open and ready for me to step straight into. I would urge anyone thinking of making the move to Aramco to consider all the factors before making such a huge decision. I have talked to many expats that put up with being treated like children by their managers simply because it would be tough to find a job back home. Whilst Aramco works for some people and as I say I have no bad feelings towards them it simply does not seem to be using the expat knowledge at its disposal and is promoting managers that lack the knowledge or competence to do the task entrusted to them.
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Post by vpainter on Mar 11, 2015 16:20:44 GMT
Thank you for sharing your opinion. I am sorry it did not work out for you.
Thankfully, not all departments are like the one you have described. And you are definitely right, Aramco is not for everyone.
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cgyguy
Advanced Member
Posts: 90
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Post by cgyguy on Mar 11, 2015 17:57:59 GMT
I've been here for about the same time as you were and in my case. I like my department, my Saudi boss and my job is challenging. I am in a new department, part of the upstream, where most of the people are expats, but I have friends in the upstream also, core business with not such a great working experience. More frustrated friends in the downstream area, I don't know why, but for some reason, in particular to request their earned (and deserved) vacations they have had hiccups and the "child like" treatment mentioned, just sounds familiar. I don't think is the majority but it does happen enough times to be noticeable and spoken amongst us expats. This is not easy, but it is a journey that for me is worth living it. There have been the days when you just want to cut and run, specially my wife, but then it all fades away and the circle starts again. I will end up saying that people come and go but a great number stays for years, so I wish you good luck, but more for the ones like myself that stay here  |
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Post by GroveWanderer on Mar 12, 2015 4:09:17 GMT
I don't know if many people on here read the Dilbert cartoon series. Anyway, in them you will find cartoons depicting the exact same thing the OP talks about - incompetent bosses promoted beyond their capacity, overseeing better-qualified and more capable subordinates and yes, treating them like children. The writer Scott Adams says he bases most of the scenarios on his own real-life experiences with large US companies (such as IBM) where he worked before resigning to become a cartoon writer. Other people who have worked for large companies in the US (and elsewhere) will tell you similar stories.
In fact I think I've hardly read a single Dilbert cartoon that didn't have some similarities to situations that I have experienced or heard of over here.
So I don't think that the problems the OP depicts are unique to Aramco - you can find the same or similar occurrences in large companies all over the world. I've also spoken to many people who had left here hoping to find different and better conditions elsewhere, only to find that the grass wasn't actually greener on the other side.
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Post by bamaster on Mar 12, 2015 12:49:10 GMT
I'll politely disagree with GroveWanderer. Dilbert is archetypal of all large companies, certainly. But the challenges of working in a state-owned company with a major emphasis on promoting Saudi citizens is different. No one can deny the separation of Saudi employees and expats. It is the company's strategy to hire experts from abroad (no, they do not hire hire expats fresh out of college) and develop Saudis completely (beginning with paying for their undergrad/post-grad education). Aramco is very clear about its support of the Kingdom, the people and its resources. So no, Aramco isn't close to a Dilbert cartoon. People don't abandon this kind of opportunity because of pointy haired bosses. They leave for much deeper cultural and professional differences. That said, I'm with a good department with a good manager. But I know why they hired me and, more importantly, why I accepted. Without question all expats here have made a sacrifice, but not for free. |
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Post by sbenni1 on Mar 14, 2015 16:31:21 GMT
jr150,
All the best to you wherever you may end up. Your nuisances with Aramco were my nuisances with fortune 100 companies in north america. There isn't a single company I'd rather work for than Saudi Aramco. Let's not forget, some people don't wanna spend the rest of their lives working until they die. Every year in SA is the equivalent of 3 or more years anywhere in north america. Who wants to do that? I'll trade 10 years for 30 any time.
Last but not least, forking over half my money to the government is not something I want to do, otherwise get thrown in jail.
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Post by jr150 on Mar 17, 2015 20:13:02 GMT
Working in Aramco is great for not paying taxes totally agree. My personal situation is that Aramco paid me just under 2.5 times what I earned in Europe which is the NET figure after paying taxes. Talking to other people in my department it seemed Aramco paid double ranging to double and a half what they were making back home after paying taxes. Not spoken to anyone as yet that was paid three times what they made back home. However it comes at a price at home I own a large five bedroom house with no home loan\mortgage and yes living in the compound whilst being cheap it was cramped in comparison. Additionally my wife never worked in KSA but she recently has said that she would like to return to work after a rest so financially I do not believe I will be significantly worse off. Plus I will be able to drive again in fairly safe conditions!
Aramco clearly pays well but for me it is too much when a supervisor that is not able to do the job is ordering around with no knowledge people with PHD's and 25 years experience and talking down to them like little children. Aramco is a company that should be so much better and talking to people that have retired, they mention how great it use to be in the past and how expats really made a difference. Again no bad feelings towards them but I urge anyone thinking of joining to look beyond the somewhat false recruitment material concerning housing and working challenges. Before making the move people should consider what the entire family earns back home and base the financial decision on the mindset that the partner\wife is unlikely to find well paid employment in KSA.
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Post by vpainter on Mar 17, 2015 20:21:55 GMT
As stated previously, Aramco is not for everyone. example: If you are coming for housing like back home, it is not for you.
We wish you well.
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