globochem

Anyone have good intel on what it is like working for this company?

DigDug

I just bounced the same question off a guy I know there and I'll try to summarize... (he is debating whether to even return to work from leave - which appears to be a common occurrence).

The 35/31 commuting schedule has been retracted leaving a 6/3 week scheme - but pay has not been raised accordingly. This drops it from the stand out offering it was for best time/money to a point where it appears on par with a number of others - but less attractive due to the overwhelmingly negative experience while 'in country'. ("Hell" is the most used description.)

It sounds like once you arrive, you cannot rely upon the agreement you thought you signed up for. I understand some paycuts have been summarily handed out to crewmembers contrary to their contracts and that a dozen or so have simply bailed out without notice.

I have another colleague on my current contract who was there for a short time a year ago. He was hired for a key management position but found upon arrival a completely different deal - position, pay, everything that mattered. He described something about a VISA or something like it required to DEPART (escape) the KSA and a hurried departure from the place assisted by the embassy.

Basically, all I've heard is ugly, ugly, ugly. I'd be interested in hearing from anybody reliable with a more favorable opinion, if there is one. It will be interesting to see if they can get anybody to stick around with the current offering.

exwaterski

Ask 10 people and you will get 10 different answers. If you are looking for reasons not to do it there are plenty of them, or if you want smoke blown up your @ss that's pretty easy to find also. I think it depends more on the individual and your unique circumstances. There are horror stories and there are people who are relatively content, I think a lot of it depends on what your expecations are. If you go to a place like that thinking it's all going to be sunshine and rainbows you're setting yourself up. The bottom line is you are signing up for poor QOL in exchange for lots of money. No one else can tell you if this is a good deal for you better than you can. Just remember no one has a gun to your head so if you decide to take the plunge don't come back here in 6 months p$ssing and moaning about how bad it is.

DigDug

I haven't heard of anybody "relatively content" with NAS and their 6/3 offering. Have you, or anybody else? It sounds to me like quite possibly an erroneous assumption on your part that any satisfaction exists at the reduced time and money equation there. "Lots of money" now it ain't, comparatively speaking.

You may discourage the sharing of a negative experience but I for one appreciate simply hearing all about it if it gives me an accurate picture.

exwaterski

I wasn't trying to discourage anything. Maybe "lots of money" was a poor choice of words, I was only trying to point out the only good about NAS is/was the money. Pretty much everything else sucks from what I've read.

globochem

What is it that sucks so bad? I realize that Saudi is a pretty lousy place to live for 6 week stretches, but what is it specifically about NAS that is awful?

Does management tie you up and beat you at random, or try to make you squeal like a pig because you have a pretty mouth?

Seriously though, are they so untrustworthy that they would not pay one regularly? Or take away some of the days that you would commute home on? Honestly, this job seems alot better than some of the other places like China (Kunpeng, Great Wall, etc..)

Good money
3 weeks off at a time
paid ticket to and from home

And it is a WHOLE lot better than selling your soul to Hulas at HoJets.

Spaceman Spliff

If you've never been to Saudi Arabia, you cannot possibly fathom the absolute corruption, lack of human rights, and blinding hypocrisy at work there. Try a visit to "chop-chop square." And don't talk to a woman in public, or you'll end up in the clink.

I don't know anything about this company. But I do know it would take more than a few thousand dollars to convince me to visit Saudi Arabia for an extended period...or at all.

You think "HoJets" is evil? Brother, you are in for a rude awakening.

Try visiting a few places outside this country before you shoot off with a naive post like that.