Why the Middle East?
Ahlan Wa Sahlan
(Welcome, may you arrive as part of the
family)
Working in the Middle East is fast becoming a popular career
destination for many Health Professionals. Not only is there
an extensive variety of attractive Nursing and Allied Health job
opportunities available, the personal and professional benefits are
second to none. From the uniqueness of Saudi Arabia to the
cosmopolitan cities in the United Arab Emirates, there is a
location to suit everyone.
To make sure you get the best kind of information and advice you
need to work with a professional recruitment agency with
experienced Recruitment Consultants to help you each step of the
way.
Geneva Health's Middle East Recruitment Team have recently
returned from one of their regular visits to the region and
can share with you the most up-to-date information on life and
living in this great location. They also keep in regular
contact with the people they have helped find work there, and can
draw on the experiences many other Nurses and Allied Health
Professionals have encountered.
Below we have answered some of the most common questions that
are often at the top of people's minds when considering
international opportunities in this part of the world.
Why do people really decide to live and work in the
Middle East?
Many people choose to live and work in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
in the first instance for financial reasons; the salaries are
usually better, bearing in mind the variations with exchange rates.
But what really makes the difference is the actual money you
end up with. Your salary has no tax taken out of it; you have no
housing costs, electricity, gas or water charges to meet, no
transport costs between work and home and free buses to and from
shopping centres. This all means that at the end of the month
you have more disposable income.
Money aside, the number of holidays you can take, the life-long
friends you will make and the lifestyle may well keep you there for
longer.
As Jodi recently wrote:
"I have never regretted coming… It's been an amazing
experience. I managed to pay off a massive student loan in less
than 12 months, and now I'm saving for a house. I've travelled,
I've shopped, and still do on a weekly basis (the malls are
addictive; love you Fendi, Juicy, Zara!!! The thing that helped me
survive the hard times is good friends."
What is the accommodation like and can I leave the
compound?
A compound is your accommodation provided free of charge by the
hospitals - it is normally a secure and gated community like those
starting to appear in Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
They are usually self contained in that as well as providing
accommodation there are recreational facilities, shops and normally
a café or restaurant. Your Geneva Consultant will provide you
with accurate information on the different ones available.
Can I leave the compound? Yes, you can travel throughout
the cities and regions in Saudi Arabia. Tourism itself is
only new to the region so you have the opportunity to travel to
some of the most unique places seldom seen by others outside the
area. As a woman you can travel alone - you don't need to be
in the company of a male relative, however most western women
prefer to travel with friends to share the experience. Many
of the hospital social clubs organise regular weekend getaways
within Saudi or other locations close by.
Is it safe?
This is a question often asked and is not that easy to answer.
It depends on what you are meaning here - is it safe from
terrorists?
There are no guarantees in any of the places we live these days,
the UK, the USA and Ireland have lost more people as a result of
terrorist activities than Saudi Arabia however our families don't
seem to have the same anxieties when we board a flight to Heathrow
or to JFK as they do when we say we want to go to the Middle East.
Many people say they feel safer in Saudi than they do on some of
the streets back home - however we always recommend that you manage
your own safety as you would in any big city in the world, be aware
of where you are, who you are with and how you are going to get
home after a night out.
If you are considering a new career adventure
in the Middle East then speak to Geneva Health to discuss
the opportunities available to you.
And because there's nothing better than finding out what
it's like to work and live in the Middle East first-hand, you might
like to join Geneva Health's
Facebook Group to chat to the expat health
professionals already living and working in the Middle
East, that Geneva Health have helped get there.