evaw12008-09-16 05:50:19回複悄悄話
I work in the Middle East right now (my company sent me out here last year) but I am actually returning to the US soon.
My take on working for Saudi Aramco. Given the price of oil, the oil industry in the Middle East is booming right now and most oil companies are looking to expand their production. The lack of experienced employees is one of the biggest challenges. In general you will find the salary is very competitive to what you would get in the US. In addition, there is no income tax and the expat position should come with a housing allowance, a car allowance and travel allowance for flying home or going on vacation. With all these benefits, many expats end up staying their whole life. If you come out here you'll find grumpy old American or Brit sitting around in the same old office for years and years. The work load is generally very light and there are lots and lots of public holidays.
However there are a lot of cons to working in Saudi Arabia and working for Saudi Aramco in particular. First of all, Aramco has been known to string expats along by telling them that they will go through a testing/temporary employment phase before becoming a full time employee. During this temporary phase, Saudi Aramco's benefits, such as housing allowance and benefits for bringing your family over do not apply. Then after the initial testing phase they will make up some excuse and extend the testing phase to longer than expected.
and then there is the life style aspect of living and working in Saudi. You will end up living in an expat compound; which will be comfortable but completely enclosed. There is almost no social life outside of the compound (no bars, no clubs, 0 chance to meet or even see any woman unless you go to Dubai or Bahrain on weekends).
If you have family, your wife (I am assuming you are a man; if not..I can't imagine why Saudi Aramco would be calling you at all.) will have no freedom outside of the compound as she must cover up and travel with a male relative. Safety wise there hasn't been an attack on foreign compounds in recent years, but you will always have that little bit of fear in your mind. There is also a bit of racial discrimination as you will probably always be less respected than your average white expat but probably more respected than the Indian/Pakistani ones who get no respect at all.
Finally,given the econ crisis we are in, you never know how the oil price will go tomorrow. But at least national oil companies in the Middle East aren't known for firing ppl; even expats.
My take on working for Saudi Aramco. Given the price of oil, the oil industry in the Middle East is booming right now and most oil companies are looking to expand their production. The lack of experienced employees is one of the biggest challenges. In general you will find the salary is very competitive to what you would get in the US. In addition, there is no income tax and the expat position should come with a housing allowance, a car allowance and travel allowance for flying home or going on vacation. With all these benefits, many expats end up staying their whole life. If you come out here you'll find grumpy old American or Brit sitting around in the same old office for years and years. The work load is generally very light and there are lots and lots of public holidays.
However there are a lot of cons to working in Saudi Arabia and working for Saudi Aramco in particular. First of all, Aramco has been known to string expats along by telling them that they will go through a testing/temporary employment phase before becoming a full time employee. During this temporary phase, Saudi Aramco's benefits, such as housing allowance and benefits for bringing your family over do not apply. Then after the initial testing phase they will make up some excuse and extend the testing phase to longer than expected.
and then there is the life style aspect of living and working in Saudi. You will end up living in an expat compound; which will be comfortable but completely enclosed. There is almost no social life outside of the compound (no bars, no clubs, 0 chance to meet or even see any woman unless you go to Dubai or Bahrain on weekends).
If you have family, your wife (I am assuming you are a man; if not..I can't imagine why Saudi Aramco would be calling you at all.) will have no freedom outside of the compound as she must cover up and travel with a male relative. Safety wise there hasn't been an attack on foreign compounds in recent years, but you will always have that little bit of fear in your mind. There is also a bit of racial discrimination as you will probably always be less respected than your average white expat but probably more respected than the Indian/Pakistani ones who get no respect at all.
Finally,given the econ crisis we are in, you never know how the oil price will go tomorrow. But at least national oil companies in the Middle East aren't known for firing ppl; even expats.
I hope this helps