Job offer in Qatar - advice needeed

utmanzai
By utmanzai

My current US employer employer has offered me the following position in Qatar. The position is a sales and marketing management position for a $18 million business, leading 2 sales managers and 6 other employees. I have no prior Middle-East experience. In fact the company has put a lot of faith in me by offering me a sales & marketing position. My prior experience have been in engineering/consulting/finance/strategic planning/procurement. So I have a well rounded experience.

(All numbers in QR)
Base salary: 15000 + sales incentive
Housing: 8000
Transport: 2000
Other benefits: gasoline/Cell phone/airline tickets/health insurance/life insurance/30-day vacation/End of period benefit.

We have a kid but he is just 1.5 years old. So no schooling needed for the next 3 years. Do you think it's a decent offer to enter a career path in the Middle East? I feel that housing allowance is in the low side.

Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

By anonymous• 21 Feb 2007 21:31
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

It is sad that people holding passports from other countries are discriminated against, I do have the Western guild I suppose you could call it knowing that the people that built my apartment for example were paid a pittance.

I suppose we have to look at the economic prospects for people in those countries, the wages are lower therefore the lower offers here are still better than they would be in their respective countries.

Still I hope that in the future as countries such as India become increasingly prosperous that eventually the disparity will disappear, who knows one day Indian and Filipinos will find prospects in their countries more attractive and the Qataris may have to build their own buildings and serve their own coffees and wash their own cars, I know this is a long way off but I believe that one day it will happen and everyone in the world will have a decent living wage.

Good luck mate, and make sure the wife is hooked up with a job BEFORE coming here as you will find wages offered are much lower to people already living here, irrespective of our passports !!.

By kchint• 21 Feb 2007 20:30
Rating: 4/5
kchint

Hi there

Thanks for your advise and comprehensive answer. Yes, my new employer offered me a f/F 2 bed flat. I guess thats a good deal.

Regarding your comment on salary packages for Western Europe/AUS/NZ/USA citizens, i do agree with that. Even i was told by the recruiting agent in UK that if i hold any passport other than Western Europe/AUS/NZ/USA then the salaries would be different in some cases 50% lower as well.

It really hurts in one way as they r discreminating people based on the race but not onthe skills and experience.

But to be honest, i have no regrets coz I have been offered pretty fair salary (compared to the salary ranges for similar experience with indian passport) and promised for a pay rise after 3 months with them. Fingers crossed.

Once again thanks

Krish

By anonymous• 21 Feb 2007 20:23
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

You would be lucky to get a 1 bed hovel in this country for 8000. I think everyone keeps saying unless you are given a decent house the minimum housing allowance you need here is 13,000.

19,000 Is an ok wage many people I know are on the same or slightly lower and they do ok.

Compared to India you might like this place, I think I would prefer to be there, certainly the faces you see here will be the same.

I repeat what I put in another post, minimum packages for anyone considering work here (originally from Western Europe/AUS/NZ/USA) should start at 35K Ryals a Month

Inflation is running at 12% so keep that in mind too.

Cheers

By kchint• 21 Feb 2007 18:28
Rating: 4/5
kchint

Hi all,

I am working hee in UK as water engineer and having 5 years of international experince. basically, i am from India but worked in UK and NZ.

I have been offered recently a job with an engineering consulting company based in Doha and they offered me QR19000 base salary+hosuing of QR8000 (or fully furnished company flat)+ car allowance QR3000+medical+family air tickets every year.

if possible (depends on my wife's skills) they gonna offer her a job as well (she is a lawyer basically).

Can you please shed some light on this offer for me please.

cheers

krish

By utmanzai• 11 Feb 2007 03:06
utmanzai

Thank you all for your comments.

My employer has included education as well now. How many school terms are there per year (3 or 4)? My employer is also revisiting my housing and transportation allowance. Hopefully I will get a bump there too. My bonus/sales incentive goes up to 60% of my base, so fingers crossed for selling more!!!!

By Shergar• 10 Feb 2007 12:25
Rating: 5/5
Shergar

I'd strongly agree with those comments on housing and education allowance for your child (you might well love it here but get company accomodation or don't bother!)-do your homework on cultural diferences and dont expect this place to be anything like you are used to at home. Finally (and perhaps the best bit of advice I could give you)just remember -good maners and politeness and respect is the universally accepted way to get on anywhere in the world.

By anonymous• 9 Feb 2007 15:39
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

I'd get housing or about 11,000Q would work. School does start earler here, just a fact of life. Need education covered.

As a couple(2 kids) we make about 23000Q and send half home each month. We get education and housing but no transportation allowance. So your 15,000 will have you live very good but may not have a savings. Its the savings that keep people here, depends what you want really.Wife could tutor maybe or something else.

By novita77• 5 Feb 2007 21:46
Rating: 5/5
novita77

good school like DESS charges nearly QR 5000 a term for the fee. And at presents from reception to year 6 is QR 6700 a term which is increase to 10 percents a year.

By anonymous• 5 Feb 2007 21:38
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

Either a house or QR 15000 as housing allowance

Here normally schooling starts at the age of 3 so you dont have a lot of time. Better to ask them for schooling as well. Nobody knows how long you might stay.

By novita77• 5 Feb 2007 21:37
novita77

you will have to fork out alot of money for acommodation with the allowance.

By stealth• 5 Feb 2007 21:31
Rating: 2/5
stealth

ask them to provide you accomodation instead of house allowance.

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