American seeking job in Qatar... Need help
Hi, this is my first post. I've read through a lot of the entries but still have questions so I thought I'd start a thread and seek help.
Here's the vital stats:
I'm a 36 year old, female, American, website designer (ecommerce, multi-media design, graphics, seo/sem) and I have had my own website design business for almost 8 years. Prior to this I worked for an Islamic association as an Assistant to the Membership Director and as the Classified Advertising Coordinator for their bi-monthly magazine (small assn. required multiple jobs per employee). I've had quite a bit of varied job experience, ranging from receptionist, to customer service, to doing grunt work in an accounting department.
My main focus at the moment is ecommerce website design and internet marketing, including organic search engine optimization. My design skills are top notch and I'm a real quick learner.
Now, you're thinking, wow she's got 20 years of experience. Yes, I do.
But what I lack is a piece of paper (aka a college degree) to back up this 20 years of experience. Long story short, I got married became a mom and didn't finish college and my measly 16 credits get me no where and to be honest I don't have the time nor the desire to go back to school)
So, my questions are:
1) is the lack of a bachelors degree going to hurt me as much as I think it is (from looking at job ads I don't qualify for one single job and to say it's depressing me is an understatement)
2) Will 20 years of experience override the lack of a degree
3) I'm 36, and I too old? Most jobs are seeking people under 35
4) Will my American citizenship override the lack of a degree and the age thing? *laugh* can you tell I'm feeling incompetent at the moment?
5) Where on earth do I begin? I am so over the online job sites that I've found, and I think half of them are scams - therefore I'm reluctant to even try.
I won't go into all the details of why I want to go to Qatar, that's a whole other novel of a post. I will be bringing my daughters, age 8 and 14. I'm single (err divorced) and will be alone with my daughters in Qatar. This isn't something I'm worried about, I'm prepared for the culture shock and way of life. My concern is a job paying a good salary including housing.
i'm going to start a 2nd post for some other questions to keep this "on topic" with my needs.
Thanks everyone, Lea
Is there anywhere you would suggest NOT working? Or any agency that I should NOT contact? Like having a bad reputation or things not as they were said to be? And in the same question, are there companies you would highly recommend?
Well, I guess unfortunately no. I'm more of a "creative" type than a "technical" type. I am more into graphics and marketing. However, 90% of my clients are ecommerce. I guess you'd say I make things "pretty"
My Arabic is bad, really bad. You'd think being married to an Arab I would have learned, but alas I only know phrases and enough to survive. I can carry on half of a conversation but I would only understand about 1 out of 4 words that were being said. I can learn conversational arabic with submersion, but the writing and reading skills are just too high of a learning curve to be picked up quickly.
I'd say my strong points would be more in the design, marketing, project management, administrative fields.
Thanks, Lea
Well are you a just a website designer...or you can develope web applications also..what are your expertise...
If you are just talking about developing web sites, static or dynamic...here in qatar you would probably have better chances if you are bilingual english, arabic...
But if you are more then web site designer, like you can develop web apps, in .net or j2ee then maybe you have better oppurtunity.
I would say you can try to get hired in Qatar Foundation, or Texas A & M in qatar. I went there once and they are developing web apps etc etc and you dont need to know arabic.
Hope that helps for right now..will look around for some info..
Hi everyone, thanks for replies -- please keep them coming :) I so appreciate them.
I'll answer and clarify a few of the points above:
Yes, I'm white. My daughter's however are half-Arab.
I'm not sure if I would be looking for a government job as I'd not looked that direction but I'm open to the opportunity.
I just feel so overwhelmed I guess because I'm all the way on the other side of the world, and the only resource I have at the moment is the Internet -- and it's sad to see how many job sites are just worthless. I know it's the case for every country really, because everyone's out there trying to make money. I have one friend in Qatar who should be helping me but instead alas he's telling me to come on a visitor visa and then marry him and be on his visa. Uh, no this isn't my goal and marriage is not even on my mind -- so my one contact is no longer an unbiased contact as he has his own agenda. lol
Gee, I'm rambling.
Okay, so the lack of a degree isn't the end of my job search. What about the jobs that are advertised that say you have to have a degree? Is it worth it to even apply for the job?
Got any inside scoops on great companies hiring?
Thanks everyone I really appreciate your help.
Dear Lea,
Administrative work here in Qatar is a huge market where experience is your passport not your degree.Of course a degree would validate your resume but you might be able to override this with some recommendation letters from your previous employers.
I also would suggest that you don't be too rigid when considering jobs here in Qatar,sometimes you have to accept a low offer just to prove you are worth the big job ;) you know what I'm saying?
Good luck to you and hope to hear from you when get over here.
Well they look at your degree when you are new in to the market, so you highlight your degree. But with your experience its not going to matter that much, plus your american which helps also :-)
But I had a friend ofcourse non white, he got a job in governmnet ministry so he had to go to get his degree attested from his embassy, and then go you Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to futher attest that Embassy seal. So maybe if you get in to government office, you might have to go through the same process...I am not sure someone can futher clarify it..
Second friend of mine, he got a job in private firm, and he didnt have to go for attestation, for embassy or something. So it all depends, what are company requirements. If they need your bachelor degree as a criteria then you will need it otherwise you will not I presume.
Good luck..cheers
Hey Lea,
I'm even older than you (38), and I'm considering moving to Qatar with my boyfriend (sounds weird when you're my age to call him a boyfriend!!). I'm hoping to move to Qatar with my 6 month and a 2.5 year old. Personally I think your experience will definately be a bigger advantage than a degree, I have a Chemistry degree, and have never done any work relating to Chemistry, so I have not bothered to put it on my resumes over the last few years, and it did not make any difference to me. I actually put my Education History on the last page of my Resume, so I think that they either like your experience first before they even realize that you don't have a degree. Carys.
Hi Lea,
I shall be very blunt and inform you that you have a huge advantage (irrespective of your lack of qualifications) in that you are a white (I presume), female, and from the west.
I have never met a white western woman that has been unable to find a good job; although of the ones that I knew, they were married or they were the daughter of an expatriate couple.
Regards,