Good offer, bad offer
Hi All,
First of great website, loads of information. Just wanted to confirm a few things about the job offer. Right now i am working for a legal firm in UK/London and am getting 30k per annual with 3 years IT experience (2nd line Support/IT Analyst/Engineer) but this job is for 3rd line engineer/server desktop support. I also have MSc in Computer Networks (Don't ask why i'm not in cisco :-P ). My company requires someone from london to join their Doha office. I am married, am due to be a dad by june ... w00t w00t ... Now the package what they have offered me is
Basic Salary: QR15,000
Allowances: One big allowance package which should cover everything but not sure how much (Details to follow by Tuesday)
Medical Care: Provided by company
Air Travel: One free ticket for me and my wife in a year
The rest i am waiting to hear back from HR to see what they have to offer.
Is this any good? Keeping in mind i'm not a big spender but do live my life to the best. Wear not expensive but good clothes. Do not compromise on food. Once in a while go out to have some fun.
The way how i see it, i will be able to save more in Qatar BUT bear in mind you get to live only once so life has to be enjoyed. Is this going to be the case with this salary?
I meant to check on this a while back, but I have had a truly busy 4 weeks at work, left little chance to do anything else.
Should we say welcome to Qatar?
Firstly thank you all for so many quick responses ... and i must say to GIO_2008, welcome mate ...
Dracula is right about the facts and i can see it for myself that while there are some going points, there are still some strong negative points as well but then again by the end of the day i will be able to save more in Doha. Career advancement is one thing which everyone looks for sure in their life (unless you have no life) and what really is dragging me on to a point to say YES.
Can anyone give me a rough estimate on how much people normally spend on their newly born kids?
Chertiz: No i'm still due to give them my final answer.
GIO_2008: Truth be told mate, i am not a big spender, i spend only on necessities ... call me a tight bastid or a wise spender but this is who i am. The way how i see it (and by looking at the cost of living calculations), i can easily pocket around QR7,000/month which is almost double the amount what i am saving here in UK at the moment with a healthy lifestyle. Also bearing in mind i don't drive in UK (yet) so if i buy a car, i'll be spending a few quids here and there for that as well.
auscharlie: You're right and i guess this is what made them re-think the whole offer in the first place. Initially i said no and then came back with a new offer. Seems like someone's getting really desperate to get me out there
NOW !!!! one thing which i forgot to mention (still need to check with the home office idiots), I am on HSMP visa right now which means after 5 years i will be able to apply for Indefinate Leave to Remain visa. What i want to confirm with them is that what if i come to Doha for a year or so and then get the experience that i want, move back to UK and still be able to extend my visa. I really do not want to loose the opportunity to be a perm resident on this country. Like i've seen and read everywhere that paygrades are determinded on the colour of passport that you hold.
bad offer, tell them to find some other sucker to relocate to Doha instead for that amount
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Don't get angry with me! I'm only typing what you are thinking!
Did you accept this offer yet?
It seems that you salary will be 20,000 QR per month all inclusive (don't count the annual airline ticket, even though it should be fair market value for the family). Based on my experience the past few months here, it will be too low for the cost of living here as an expatriate. You can do better. You will be looking at spending half of that for a nice 2-BR apartment alone.
This is my first post here. I have been visiting QL regularly since relocating here; but this thread prompted me to register and post my 2 cents.
I hope this helps.
if you already accepted the offer, then good luck and welcome to doha....congratz on becoming a daddy this june..:)
happy new year guyz! :D
Fair - you'll get 25.000 QR full package (house,car,etc);
Good - the job it is an advancement to your career;
Good - Medical Care provided by company;
Fair - a dad by June (your wife cant work anymore and more expenses are coming)
Well, it is more than you are making right now in the UK and your salary will be tax-free. But you will need a larger proportion of it to cover housing. Figure 5-8K/mo.
Mandi
Sorry for getting back a bit late. Originally i said NO to the offer as the housing and travel were not even provided ... what these bastids did was given me 10,500 as my basic salary and gave me 4,500 for allowance. Any way i emailed them to say that this is not good for me in the long run. Any way they have come back to me with a new offer which is:
Basic Salary (Allowance included): QR20,000
Yearly Air Ticket: QR5,500
Medical: Provided by the company (free)
Since my mrs is pregnant, the medical cover the private maternity.
This is the max what they have offered me. What do you think is this a good offer now? I know my company HR are being tight bastids but this is the best what they could get me. Thanks guys.
OK, Then use 35000 as your negotiation point.
Good luck
The Red_Pope is the next goodwill Ambassador to the UN.
Thanks for replying back guys. Like chicago_dan say i think 35k is just a bit too much to ask right now :-) these UK based companies are a little tight if you know what i mean.
chicago_dan, the answer to you questions are:
1) It is an advancement to my career. This is the last step on the ladder of being technical in IT. After this the only progression chances are to be on the managerial roles.
2) Will definitely be making more money in Doha but that is not important because by the end of the day it gets all neutral with the cost of living etc.
3) Saving will be a bit more than UK for sure. Not much but yeah just a couple of hundred pounds more.
As far as housing and transportation are concerned, spoken to my manager and he said that they used to give out separate allowances for each category but now they give away one big lump of allowance and you can use it how ever one wishes to.
I guess (like i said in my original post) i will have to wait and see what the offer letter says and come back in a day or two and post a bit more information on what is provided so you guys can let me know if it still is a good offer. More comments would really be appreciated.
I would look at it on several levels:
1. Is the job an advancement in your career?
2. Will you make more money in Doha than you would in London?
3. Will you save more money in Doha?
The offer itself isn't spectacular from where I am sitting, and on the other hand, the salary that Red_Pope mentioned is more what a senior engineer makes out here with 9+ years of experience.
Some more things to find out: housing- what kind of housing (provided, or is it a stipend), car (is a car provided, or do you get a transportation allowance? If a transportation allowance, how much?) medical benefits-- when you say they are provided by the company, does that mean that they provide international health-care benefits, a local/regional health care insurance company, or simply the public health card that everyone gets?
I agree with Vignale, for the experience and certifications you should be asking around 35000 not 15000, make sure everything is offer in black and white.
Cost of living is outrageously expensive and Housing still very, very expensive.
The Red_Pope is the next goodwill Ambassador to the UN.
It's not a particularly good offer.