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Post by henpecked on Oct 24, 2011 17:40:50 GMT
FAO People considering working for Aramco Lots of recent posts and indeed lots of posts on this forum from potential Aramcons really come down to one thing; 'Will I be happy there?'. It just struck me that for everyone, the process of applying, getting visas, arriving and settling is a journey, an emotional rollercoaster. A useful way of working out how things could work out for you might be to 'track' some of the journeys people who are regulars on the forum have made. You can do this by clicking on their name and all their posts will come up. It's interesting to see how these journeys have worked out. Essentially you need to look deep inside yourselves, What sort of people are you? What is important to you? Take a long hard look at yourselves and your priorities, think about what it is like here (in my opinion this forum gives a pretty clear picture of the positives and negatives) and use this to make your judgement. Good LUCK  |
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Post by Mr Barlow on Oct 24, 2011 19:26:01 GMT
The Comedians at the British Comedy nights, a parody of working in KSA, really sum it up with their rendition of the Monkees at the end of the show; and then I saw the cheque
Now I'm a believer  |
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Post by henpecked on Oct 25, 2011 5:10:07 GMT
Mr Barlow, I know you're not happy but I'm sure you would agree that other people are! I see some people struggle to adjust (most people have ups and downs); some people who love it here; some who don't like it and go home; some who don't like the lifestyle here but do like the money. There are also many retreads who leave and then come back! For myself, life here has it's challenges but for me and my family the positives have so far FAR outweighed the negatives. I am involved in the community (as I was in the UK), I am working part-time and I'm fulfilled. My husband has much more time with the children and is getting to know them as people, I don't know about how work is as he has NEVER discussed work at home but we do at least see him. My children have met people from all over the world and have a better understanding of different cultures and how priviledged they are. They have not been 'lost' in the school system as they would have been at home but are valued and as a result are growing into articulate, proactive and thoughtful adults. They will go back to the UK to board at the end of this year but with a truly remarkable and postive experience behind them. I know you will be wondering why they are going home. They are going home because having had a positive experience they now need more of the freedom that living in the UK will bring - they also want to experience boarding school an opportunity they would not have had if we had stayed in the UK. So, newbies - think hard - will this life suit YOU. |
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Post by Julz62 on Oct 25, 2011 9:20:41 GMT
I have to agree with Henpeck. We have been here almost a year now. The adjustment is hard but it hard no matter where you move. I do think that it is hardest on the wife especially if she was working back home. Finding your place here as a stay at home wife can be an adjustment. I have known people that have already left they just couldn't handle it but I have met so many more that while they may not LOVE it here they are enjoying life here. Henpeck is right there are pros and cons and you have to decide as a person or family if you are up to it. It's not the U.S. never will be but there a lot of positives here. For my family we decided we wouldn't make any decisions about staying or leaving until after two years. Based on other moves in the States that's how long it took for us to feel settled and like we were home. So far things are going well but we will look again at life in another year and a bit. We have our days that aren't great everyone does. That's life but the amount of family time we have, travel we have done and the activities are enough to keep us happy. We knew before coming that job wise expats don't move up into management and my husband was okay with that. He never brings work home anymore and is ours when he is here which is nice. This place is not for everyone but it is what you make of it and I believe atude is everything.
I like Saudi Scenes blogs pro's and cons.
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Post by vpainter on Oct 25, 2011 10:52:52 GMT
Took me 3 years to call KSA home. I wouldn't trade our family experiences and time together with each other and friends.
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Post by Mr Barlow on Oct 25, 2011 19:51:00 GMT
Henpecked
I have never once suggested here that there are not many people for whom working from Aramco have been both a positive career and personal experience.However there are plenty of people of unhappy people here too but seem to be cowered at making their position clear.
I will try and answer the cliched type responses I usually get to this point I'm making :roll:
Q - Well you should have done your research before you came here, read the contract etc etc..
A - Yes I did my research and was aware of the cultural differences, heat, sand, distance etc from home and for the record these issues I have no problem with. My specific problem is that the whilst being recruited as a professional I am treated along with my colleagues like a 4 year old. Furthermore my job role is a million miles away from what was offered. To add insult to injury Aramco's formal response is to tell you 'what you can do' and are quite clear there is no opportunity to transfer to more suitably vacancies that currently exist.
Q- Well why don't you go back home?
A - In due course I will when I find a suitable position however this is not easy when employers wish to interview face to face and I am 3500 miles away with limited opportunties to get back. In the meantime, having been misled into giving up a very good job in Europe I will continue in my contract here, effectively working to rule and will leave at a time which suits me.
On the issue of having plenty of time Im sure there are many people who have found work life balance much better. However I have also seen plenty of people locked into a cycle of working from home every weekend unpaid to finish work and Im not referring to special projects but routine drudge. These people are mugs and are just masking the problem and do Aramco no favors as it reduces the pressure to review procedures etc to improve efficiency. For me however the working day starts at 7am and ends at 4pm. I am flexible according to work needs but if I work until 6pm today I will recover 2 hours tomorrow or on the next convenient day.
Having been here over a year now I have learnt that the rools is the rools and thats what explicitly counts and cuts both ways. A good appreication of the rools can prove rather entertaining as opportunities arise from time to time. :lol:
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Post by Oilcowboy on Oct 27, 2011 13:10:39 GMT
I always find it interesting to read these arguments. We all switch sides from time to time, just depends on what kind of day you've had. Today I feel positive so will just add that I don't miss the work politics in the previous Oil company I've worked at. Anyone who've worked at the Ss, BPs, Chevrons of this world can testify that the experience can be pretty frustrating. Then again payday was just last week...
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Rama
Member
Posts: 10
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Post by Rama on Oct 27, 2011 18:10:35 GMT
To summarize why someone might not like Aramo but choose to stay, they must meet at least one of the following requirements:
-they cannot afford to leave (need the money)
-they cannot find work elsewhere (inadequate skills/education/experience)
-they have some personality quirk wherein they enjoy self-punishment
Note that none of the above issues is related to a specific company but rather all relate to the individual.
I suppose if I had financial problems and/or no work prospects elsewhere I might be unhappy too. But I hope that I wouldn't rub it off on others.
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Post by desi787 on Oct 27, 2011 20:34:18 GMT
Great post Rama. There's always give and take. No place is perfect. But these days there's ample opportunity to do your due diligence and use your judgement before you making a life changing decision. Thank heavens for google!
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Buster
Senior Member
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Post by Buster on Oct 29, 2011 15:11:19 GMT
What you get here is like tripadvisor - people's personal views and opinions on how they see things. When I use tripadvisor to select hotels, I make a decision based on the balance of reviews. If every review is negative or poor, then I'm not going to stay there. If the majority are positive, then I'll deliberately seek out the lower scores to see where the problems were. Ultimately I'll make my decision based on MY preferences.
I found this forum very useful before I came to Saudi so I decided that I would contribute where I could to try and give something back. I'm positive about my experience here so I guess that makes it more easy to contribute on topics and probably most of the regular contributors feel the same way. I'm also a realist who can complain like the rest when we have our bad days. Overall though, I'm in the positive experience group.
It can take quite a long time here to establish yourself at work and get your opinions heard but thats part of the challenge. You can apply for other roles but only after 3 or 4 years in your current role. The company can only refuse you one time after this period i.e. if the same job is still available 12 months later, they can't really stop you.
Life out of work is what you make it - you can go home, lock the door and not venture out or you can get involved with a variety of people or organisations. Many of us compensate some lifestyle restrictions by treating ourselves to exotic travel, some escape regularly to Bahrain whilst others explore a country that would never normally be open to them. I could be stuck on an oil rig on a month on month off basis but I'm not - 7am until 4pm, 5 days a week suits me just fine right now.
As with many companies, there are many little 'perks' on top of your salary. It may be bonuses, it may be small gifts, it may be paying for your children's education, it may be housing allowance. Overall, I feel I am very well looked after by Aramco.
Frustration at work is mainly caused by bureaucracy and the fact that there are sooooo many departments it slows things right down. I've found the people to be very friendly and hospitable though so it's all about balance.
Like I said I'm in the positive group but just like your recruitment process, it can all come down to individual experience - boss, colleagues, location etc etc etc
Depends what you're looking and hoping for
Buster
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Post by Carolina on Oct 31, 2011 11:03:09 GMT
o and all I can to this debate/argument is WOW. I do not normally venture into this post and keep my advice and positive notes to General Correspondence/Discussion on the forum but I too wish to voice my opinion and may I take this opportunity in thanking Buster and others for their positive points - I did reply to Mr Barlow's comments in the Discussion part of the forum and I won't bore you all with another repeated version but quite honestly Mr. Barlow you sound so miserable and keep on banging about so much negativity that I feel you may actually put off new people that are on their way to work here for Aramco. Yes everyone of course is enled to their opinion but I can see quite clearly that you are desperately unhappy here with your job and Saudi Arabia and if you are that unhappy it will simply make you sick. I can assure you that with us working and living in 9 countries in 12 years it never was a bed of roses for us but we tried to keep a very open mind - would we do it all again and the answer is YES - despite some of the countries we were sent to as far afield as West Africa. Anyway as someone has pointed out what would we do without this wonderful forum and I totally agree Kind Regards Carolina |
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Post by Chikano on Nov 2, 2011 9:22:14 GMT
what's your major mr. barlow?
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Post by Mr Barlow on Nov 2, 2011 20:20:44 GMT
If I disclose that I reduce whatever degree of anonymity I have here. So I politely decline to answer  |
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Post by Mr Barlow on Nov 2, 2011 20:30:16 GMT
As it happens I am quite a happy person, Im not miserable and have close relationships with friends and family contrary to what you might think. Peoples lives are somewhat more complex than you suggest in which some parts they maybe very content and others not so content. Thats life.
As I said before, I stay because until I find another suitable position as far as I'm concerned Aramco have a vicarious responsibility to provide me with an income. In return I'll perform to the explicit terms of my contract and general terms and conditions inherit to all Saudi Aramco employees :wink:
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Post by Carolina on Nov 4, 2011 6:45:31 GMT
o Mr Barlow
To summarise we all do now get the message quite clearly how unhappy you are in KSA and your job as well - so there is no point in bringing it up once again - I made it clear at the time that I said you are a very unhappy person in the position you have at present and like many others life is what you make it.
So let us move on from this and do what this forum is all about and that is helping all Aramcons with whatever question they may have.
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