A Brit and a Floridian

My wife has taken a job with PMU in Al Khobar and I will be joining her initially as a 'house husband''. I am however, amongst other things, a project manager and will be leaving a senior role within the British government to join her. My question is, how difficult is it to find employment once you are in country? I'm also very concerned about the requirement for a degree against 30 years work experience, ie UK employment philosophy against the USA employment 'every job must have a degree' philosophy. I have spoken to a couple of recruiters, but still find the opportunities side of things to be extremely vague. A couple of months break would be okay, but after that I will go stir crazy.

scot47

"A Project Manager". Can you be a bit more specific ?

A Brit and a Floridian

More than happy to expand on my experience in a Private message, but not on an open forum, so please IM me for more information. I am however Prince 2 Practitioner qualified and currently fill a PM role in the procurement side of the UK government.

A Brit and a Floridian

Hi Scot47, I took your reply at face value, but having read your profile I won't be adding anything further! You are sir a protagonist, my post was genuinely looking for advice and I can see from your posts that you truly are not on here to help, but merely here to stir up anti British and pro Scottish sectarianism. NOT INTERESTED!

wwinit

Well. Scot47, who is(was) an English teacher at KFUPM, is not that bad as you ascribed. In your case, I think you'd better follow your missus to PMU first and then look for a senior administrative post somewhere in Al Khobar or Dharhan. As you are quite meticulous about your life and work, Aramco in Dharhan might be one of your options. Please also be prepared to leave this magic kingdom any time, as your wife is likely to be unhappy with the poor management or bad situation at PMU.

Beakersful

Looks like the administrators from the British Empire are alive and kicking.

That lack of degree may stump you within the saudization system. The bureaucracy here likes to tick boxes 1984 style. You can't fight the system I'm afraid. No wasta with the consulate to ride a desk behind the scenes? You're in for an interesting ride I reckon. Have patience and don't get angry with people out here or doors will clang shut in a cacophony of denial. The mentality us different from anything you've come across before.

scot47

Taxi driving might be an option. You might not pass the language requirements though.

Any job involving the title "Manager" will be done by a local.

IT functions are usually performed by employees from the Subcontinent - at salaries that would shock you.

You could live off your wife's earnings.

norsk

I worked as an IT project manager in Khobar (not local nor subcontinental). Sometimes they like to bring in people who actually know what they are doing and then they tend to pay properly as well. The lack of degree would likely be a problem though..although I guess it depends how much they wanted him to work for them..

Saudi is dire though. I managed 2 years before pulling the plug, and I was even commuting from the relative paradise called Bahrain on a daily basis..