Thread regarding Saudi Aramco layoffs

Post Aramco success, my story

Just wanted to leave a post for people who feel that they have to take a job at Aramco because it is their only opportunity. That happened to me. Let me explain.

I was living in an area that was not doing well economically when I got downsized. I had some money saved, but not enough. I had a family. While I was working, I had tried for some time find a job in an area with more opportunity, but without success. I had been applying to jobs everywhere, including overseas, but no one was interested until Aramco came along with its usual low ball offer. Now I was unemployed and my options were to either take Aramco's low ball, or I could pick up and move to a better area of the country without a job. Of course I negotiated with Aramco hard. They raised the offer a bit and told me to take it or leave it. I took it.

I knew what I was getting into and vowed that it was temporary. My family moved to an area with better employment opportunities while I moved to Dhahran. I used my time at Aramco acquire skills that a future employer would find valuable, while doing as little work for Aramco as possible. Management tried to use all kinds of forced labor tactics, but I learned how things worked by watching the locals dodge the system. By my second year I was doing almost nothing during 7 - 4, and then working my butt off on my own skills when I got back to my camp apartment. Of course I was still trying to get a job in the area my family moved to, but without success. After I had saved enough money to support the family for another year while I looked for work, I quit Aramco. Within a month of returning to my home country, I found a job making slightly less money than I was making at Aramco. After working that job for another year, I found my current job which offers the best money and corporate culture of any job that I have ever had.

Hope my story helps somebody.

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| 4373 views | | 14 replies (last March 17) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1jhvjzq5y

14 replies (most recent on top)

The lack of loyalty may be despicable. But I’ve seen loyal & hard working expats who were treated extremely badly and became non/semi-productive after they’ve been severely demoralized.

Kindness and honestly are often regarded as weakness here. It’s quite unfortunate.

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Post ID: @1vv8+1jhvjzq5y

This is an absolutely despicable post. I can't believe that this is 1) how you, as an adult, would conduct yourself and 2) that you're telling the world about it, as if you're proud of yourself.

Takes all sorts I guess.

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Post ID: @5wn+1jhvjzq5y

@nn, sadly that's become the entire industry. I heard both Exxon and Chevron are outsourcing to India. End of an area. 2015/2016 bust started the slow decline and COVID rapidly sealed the deal. Young ones can move on to something else like Tech. Experienced ones are fine if they saved enough. It really su-ks for the mid career folks in their 30s and 40s who are responsible to provide for families.

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Post ID: @2vh+1jhvjzq5y

Everyone knows people (not just US, but Korean, Indian, Pakistanii,etc) move their family there to su-k money from Aramco. There is no loyalty or they want to make the company better.

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Post ID: @sx+1jhvjzq5y

IMO - gyms were overly crowded pre and post work hours...but well equipped.

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Post ID: @rw+1jhvjzq5y

The camp gyms were always good

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Post ID: @qn+1jhvjzq5y

Does it really matter if you leave by your own choice? An expat arrives and quickly realizes they have been lied to and that the locals are a bunch of jealous dimwits. The expat turns down his work performance, self improves his skillsets and saves money. By the time Aramco parts ways with him, he has a nest egg and a lot of Aramco fluff for his resume and more skills. Aramco then spends more money hiring another expat or 5 locals to replace him. Who really lost? And will the company ever see the errors in their ways? Expat has scoreboard 9 out of 10 times.

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Post ID: @p2+1jhvjzq5y

Old U.S. payroll employees left well off, most are gone, may all be gone now or will be very soon. Employees hired over the past 10 years pale in comparison in terms of salary, benefits, workplace happiness, social happiness and respect. End of an era.

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Post ID: @nn+1jhvjzq5y

I don't recommend exercise while there, air quality is going worst, there no any trusted website to check because they take down the existing air quality stations and let only the officials.

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Post ID: @nd+1jhvjzq5y

Do many actually depart successfully by their own choice?

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Post ID: @hp+1jhvjzq5y

Well done! Use the camp facilities to improve health and wellness as much as you can, upgrade and improve your skills, finish another degree online, seek better opportunities, stash the cash and depart on your own terms. Good use of your time.

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Post ID: @hm+1jhvjzq5y

Newton's third law of motion says "Every action has an equal an opposite reaction." Company hires people in desperate situations for cheap and uses fear to motivate them. Employee does as little as possible and leaves at the first opportunity. That sounds about right to me.

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Post ID: @cn+1jhvjzq5y

The disgrace here is learning how to spend the day doing nothing from his local peers.

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Post ID: @cm+1jhvjzq5y

what a disgrace, doing nothing during 7 - 4.

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Post ID: @cb+1jhvjzq5y

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