Are U.S. College Degrees Valuable in Qatar ?

Well, that's great that you have it planned out...

If I come across any help desk job that pays that range, I'll let you know!

Actually, in the help desk field I have 5+ yearso of experience and have worked at various fortune 500 corporations here in the U.S.

My goal is to land an enterprise level help desk position in Doha which can pay $36-45K per year w/housing.

If that doesn't work out, I will complete my degree, get experience and then apply for professional jobs in the gulf region.

teksource84,

I know a guy who also just got out of school got a job here through his aunt, so maybe connection helps a little. If you are looking for experience, I think it's best to start of in your country first and if you couldn't find anything, then coming here is also a good option, but remember to apply online and knowing some people here helps.

Degree is important here as it is easier for your company to apply working visa for you, other than that, experience really counts.

I'm not sure how much they pay for fresh grad Help Desk/IT guy, but know what are you are looking for first.. is it overseas experience or money? If you are looking for experience then money shouldn't be as important, it should be enough for you to save a little and to live on. It's fine, you're still young, with experience the money will come.

Good luck! Let us know if you have any other questions.

Guys,

Yes.....I almost snagged a help desk job @ Carnegie Mellon University, I was a finalist.

That job would have provided me with housing, transportation and probably $36-45K (USD) a year.

I feel so pissed off that I didn't get that position.

Anyway, I will complete my degree and in the meantime look for other help desk roles which can match that package.....mostly colleges @ the Education City.

I currently have a help desk job here in the states and continue to gain more experience.

Thanks for all of your help !

we're not fighting, we're debating :-P...

Btw, he has clearly mentioned in the post that he's completing his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (Management Information Systems) from an accredited U.S. College.

Regarding his job, he said he almost got an IT related help-desk job at Carnegie Mellon. I don't know what happened to that one though :-(

And why are you two fighting here on imaginary basis? :-)

If he comes, if he does that, if he believes that and all....

He wanted to come here for a job at one of the universities he didn't get, said he didn't have a degree and inquired about whether it was necessary.

whatever made you think he's not getting a degree?

I never told him to come 7000miles across here chasing a low-salaried job. I was the one to tell him the pay will not be more than $2K approx.

Wouldn't it be better to tell him the truth and encourage him to get a degree, rather than chase low salary half-way around the world to a place that is more expensive than where he is?

Read my earlier post, I know he's American, but of Asian origin. I think I can safely say that I do know how Indo-Americans think.

Source - my family is in the US/ Canada.

the very fact that he is asking opinions for if he can live with that deal is reason enough to believe that he would come here if people on the forum convinced him he could live off that amount.

And yes it is low if you compare it to American standards for a mid level employee. Remember, he's just starting off.

You seem to forget the chap says he is American. Why would he come here for such a low salary? As a stepping stone to $2500/month? Another low salary. This is very low by American standards from what I know.

Unfortunately there are a lot many job seekers who will come here for $2K/ month. Many of the Asians see this as a stepping-stone for better prospects. Besides, $2K for an Asian is a lotta money.

You SHOULD put your ideas in action rather that talking…just go to

http://www.qf.org.qa/output/page19.asp

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/index.asp?cu_no=2&temp_type=44

There is no harm in trying

No way...

Cisco

Microsoft

Yes he is American, but he has Asian roots and if you know your land well, you will know that the Asians over in the West are know for having a "savings account". So maybe he does not lead the "extravagant" lifestyle your family leads and $2000 may suffice for him for starters.

IMHO, depending on where he worked, yes he could get more than $2000 in the US, but the problem over there is there is more supply than demand for the type of work he is looking for.

very different from yours or mine, edifis and roy. That is why I am giving him some info about my experience coming from the West. You are free to describe yours, as well. But there's no need to discount what I am saying just because you may live a different lifestyle and 7500/month may seem like a lot to you.

In the US, I believe he would make more than 2000$/month and his money would go farther I believe than here in Qatar.

well said edifis :)

ex.ex.expat,That is why I said it depends on how one spend :)

cheers.

Thats why you are a triple-X Pat!

which is far less than he would make in the US, I think. Plus I am sure the cost of living is much higher here than there (unless he lives in Beverly Hills).

I think we are talking about different standards of living maybe, but my wife and I spend about 1000/month on telephone, car rental runs about 2500/month for a small economical car, Food runs us about 3000/month, TV and Internet run us about 500/month, and these are just the basics. Already that adds up to about 7000/month and travel, recreation, additional health expenses, miscellaneous, eating out, and purchasing alcohol are all not included in the figures I gave here.

ex.ex.ex.y.z, are you sure 2000$ for food, phone and transportation? I assume teksource will not make calls to someone living on moon or getting food from Mars and Dining on jupiter :)

teksource84, it depends how you spend it but its better to complete your education first then look for something.

you will spend $2000 on food, phone and transportation. Nothing left to even go to the pub with ;)

You need to finish your degree mate. In one place you said you have no degree and in another you say you are working on it. Whichever is true, you need to get one before you stand a chance of making any decent money by Western standards in IT.

Forum Members,

How good is a $2000 + Housing Package ? is that considered good in Doha ?

How can one live with that deal and how much do you think I can save ?

thanks.

Having a degree does help as to get a degree you have to go to school/ college to earn it and in the process you learn as to when to use the cap locks on your keyboard and when not...:)

UR DEGREE IS NT VALUABLE UR ...ITZ ALL ABT UR EXPERINCE .

Mod's note: DO NOT CAPITALIZE ALL LETTERS. On the Internet, all capitals signify you are yelling and will be treated as such.

Colt, $2000 + Housing ?

Me too! Not pretty in the slightest... Why fix something that you can throw over your shoulder like a continental soldier ;-)

cosmetic surgery upto a certain extent ok... i have seen pics of it gone bad :-(

Colt, Cosmetic surgery can do wonders!

Im not sure, but I would say somewhere in the range of $2000/ month - all inclusive???

i just expressed my opinion.i was not directing to any one.please don't misunderstood me. God BLESS you

I'm happy you deal well with the upliftment of the downtrodden :-P

Would any of you guys know of any Help Desk Vacancies ?

Also, do you know how much help desk techs make ? I hope there at least provided housing...........I would like to make Doha my home for a few years just as an experience........I only would like a decent package.

Thanks for all of your help...........

Well Colt...I don't have anything hanging and anything that may be hanging even a little bit is definitely not low ;-)

thank you very much, peace be with you too ;-)

africana, giving false hope to anyone is as wrong as discouraging others. We are telling him the reality here not discouraging him.

May God shine your heart!

why did you not answer me like I did when you asked me the exact same question? :-P

Yawning my a55 off btw :-(

Having worked in recruitment for the past 8 years, I would say experience is way more important than having a degree. Saying that, we're in Doha and perhaps your passport is worth more than your degree and experience put together.

Colt...I'm good chick, how are you? :-)

stop being a hypocrit... look what advice you gave him and then open your gob!

if you don't want to help the young guy, don't discourage him. nothing is easy in this world

Finish your degree and don't come to Qatar. Best thing to do.

can you say, "thank you, come again"... :-P

Complete your studies, get few years of work experience and then search for job in GCC. That's the best way which actually works.

Well guys I do have an American passport and Yankee accent but im Desi (originally from South Asia) + still in college here in the states.

I have a few years of experience as a help desk analyst.......but I heard they don't get paid as much in Doha, that's why im still working towards my degree.

Let me know what I should do.............

and if they do, beat them black and blue with your shoe (PJ that one) :-P

Snessy - How's it hanging? :-P

Night night, don't let Colt (oops) I mean the bed bugs bite ;-)

I have that effect on you eh? :-P

it's even tougher in the US :-P

Try and avoid Qatar for your first job. Will be tough for you anyway to get a job here without any experience.

I can see your typing errors, so im sure you got the "looks" :-P

hell yeh, my sec has looks :-P

In an earlier thread he mentioned that he almost got an IT related help-desk job at Carnegie Mellon... idk what his deal is???

This is gonna turn into the typical 'why do westerners earn more' bashing topic which has been discussed a million times...

Rishi is correct on that one... and that is what I have observed a lot in the Gulf... A EU/ UK/ US/ AU etc. passport will get you a better position with a better payscale in most companies in Doha.

Another observation I made here is that, to be a secretary, you don't need short-hand, nor do you need typing skills (min words/ min etc.) As long as you're under your husbands sonsorship, you can get a secretarial job.

Hmm, not to be negative here but a young person just starting out with a newly minted degree may not have that much success here in the Gulf. Just my observation.

Mandi

you don't need a degree. Try to get the job u want, then call....when the phone is picked up... just say " I am from America", i want to work as .... in your company. give them your address and tell them you want to start working next two weeks.and tell them the type of housing you want.Be ready to get a call the very next day .

don't forget me when you come to Qatar!

---------------------------------------------------

VERY sad information.But we cant live life by working under others forever.we should think of becoming boss rather than thinking of getting jobs.

ALL ARE CORRECT....

THE SKIN COLOR, PASSPORT, AND UR LANGUAGE IS THE ONLY THINGS LETS U TO GET JOB IN GULF......... AND MORE IMPORTANT IF YOU HAVE ALL THIS.. NO NEED OF DEGREEE..

I M DESIGN ENGG.. AND NOTHING IN FRONT OF ABOVE CRITERIA.

:)

So that was a "no" on the joking..?

epic, its a fact that many companies need white guys in a senior positions to project the company's image to the clientele. since they are good in interpersonal skills and asians look up to them, they become good managers..

technical abilities are not required in such positions, so its ok.

rishi: so it seems that you weren't joking...

Mate nowadays the cream of jobs are taken by locals There are plenty of American Companies here like B_cht_l try getting a placement there Degrees dont mean anything to them

epi, i was joking dear..

i have a btech in mechanical..my immediate boss is a diploma enigneer and his boss is a brit who used to be a welder in UK, now tell me, whats the point of having a btech if i have to report to a brit welder?

Not entirely true, rishi. A yank with no degree is mostly unemployable here, regardless of the accent.

degrees are not important...your american or british passport and your yankee acsent will do the trick..:) if you are white its nothing like it.

dramana: I don't think skin color is as important as the passport. My black colleagues from the US and Canada are treated the same as the white ones.

U.S. College Degrees are Valuable in Qatar no doubt but more valuable is the US passport or your skin colour :-(