expathopeful

Sorry guys, yet another one.....

Im hopefully going to have a job offer soon. Ive been advised it will be $5000 a month (including overtime)
Housing will be in a complex provided by ADNOC, minimum 2 bedroom as it will be my wife and our 2 year old daughter.
There will be a travel allowance but Im yet to know what that is, they also advise private education is paid for, dont know if this will be in full or not.
Also there will be full medical cover for the family, 35 days a year holiday, and return flights for all once per year.
Furniture allowance will be given but yet to know a figure. I drive but my wife does not so we wont need two cars.

The main problem I have is Ive been told I will be offered a contract that would require signing straight away. Basically, I wont have time to think about it, this is not normal surely?

Any info you guys can give me will be great? Im a fire fighter with 12 years experience who's worked abroad before, but not relocated. Think the monthly salary is a bit on the low side.

Thanks Guys

sorry, forgot to say its in Abu Dhabi......

auzdafluff

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=762609

Check that thread first. Put in the figures. If there is anything that it doesn't answer, then feel free to ask.

But do it quickly, or the irate members amongst us will start squawking and banging on their cages.

expathopeful

Thanks for the reply, I'll go through it in detail and see what comes up. The other question was does anyone think the salary is low for the position and for someone with that experience? Or the offer must be signed there and then?

Any help would be appreciated.

Ronnie Biggs

5000 USD translates as roughly 18,500 AED a month. A family of 3 could live on that, considering your key expenses are covered but if your main aim is to put some money away then you may be disappointed. Having lived there, I would suggest that Abu Dhabi is one of the more expensive places in the Gulf to live. Personally, I'd push back and try and get it upped to at least 25k.....

rowell

You don't say what experience or what the job is

the_red_sheep

If your gut feeling and initial calculations make you think the salary’s isn’t enough, then it isn’t. Especially as ‘actual’ cost of living here will be slightly higher than your estimations once all additional the wee odds and sods of outgoings you’ve not factored in become apparent. Don’t be afraid to ask Adnoc for more money, they have plenty of it, and experienced UK fire fighters are always in demand out here.

Check out the accommodation in detail – where it is, how new, what kind of community - i.e. one with plenty of other western expats, close by facilities which your wife and daughter can walk to or get to easily as with her not driving , try to get 3+ bedrooms rather than 2 (will translate to bigger living areas garden etc also) and be useful for the inevitable visitors from home.

Don’t be bullied into signing straight away, more likely to be the agent (I’m presuming there’s an agent working between Adnoc and you) forcing this so they can get their commission and you don’t get cold feet or find something else.

expathopeful

Sorry, i did in the original post. Firefighter with 12 years experience

expathopeful

Cheers mate, thats really informative and just what I was looking for. There is an agent and its them who are saying I need to sign straight away, so I will hold off, unless they threaten to withdraw the offer. Thanks alot.

Cypselos

Plug the numbers but I'd hold off even if they threaten to withdraw it - unless your wife gets a job as well it's not enough to make it worth living here if there's three of you.

The location of the accommodation is a biggy if your wife's not going to drive.