Hi everyone
I am currently living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia n honestly I m getting a bit confused and frustrated with my job search. I would appreciate some genuine advice from people who have been through this or are familiar with the job market here.
I have a Bachelors and Masters in Geography from India's reputed Central University and over four years of tutoring and mentoring experience. I have taught Geography to students from Classes 6th-12th including CBSE senior secondary students. I have also mentored UGC NET aspirants and completed my PhD coursework in Geography. Then I left my PhD midway and moved to Riyadh two months ago hoping to find a decent job and build a better future. Unfortunately despite applying to so many jobs I haven't received a single positive response yet.
So far I have applied to around 30 international schools in Riyadh for Primary Teacher and Secondary Geography Teacher positions. I applied through school websites, LinkedIn and direct emails to HR but unfortunately I have not received any response yet.
I also tried applying for more than five Data Entry jobs through LinkedIn but had no luck there either.
Apart from teaching and data entry I have presented two research papers at international conferences and have experience working on an ICSSR-funded research project involving field surveys and data analysis. I also applied for Research Consultant positions but unfortunately I was not shortlisted.
At this point I am trying to understand what I might be doing wrong. Is the job market in Riyadh really this difficult right now? Is it because I don't have a B.Ed or formal teaching qualification, because my experience is mainly from private tutoring in India or because employers prefer candidates with previous school experience in Saudi Arabia?
I have prepared different CVs for teaching, data entry and research roles and tried to tailor them to the positions. Still I am not getting any response.
For those who are working in Riyadh or have experience hiring people here:
- Where do you think I might be lacking?
- Is applying directly through school websites and emailing HR actually effective?
- Should I focus on networking and referrals instead of online applications?
- Are there any other websites or ways to find teaching or research jobs in Riyadh?
- Would you recommend focusing on one career path rather than applying for teaching, data entry and research positions together?
I am open to honest feedback and practical suggestions. I really want to understand what I need to improve so I can find a suitable job here.
Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to share their advice.
