It may sound ugly, but I have never worked with such mediocrity. What is happening here?
I used to have the privilege of working with people who were top experts in their field and from whom I could learn a lot.
Now, unfortunately, there are a lot of people who are almost incompetent for the jobs they do.
It's actually the whole country. It's definitely not limited to Aramco. Trying to get anything done here is an adventure and not in a good way.
Patience is definitely needed.
@5zge+1iPpL4TV
BS! There is no money at Aramco anymore... The old folks with the money are long gone. Whatever Americans make there today could easily be made here in the USA and even more with the benefits of being back home.
If you really have a villa by the Mediterranean Sea, then it is most likely in Egypt or other North African countries and it is probably all the money you would have made there.
Why do I know that you are lying? Because you could never afford to leave that place no matter what. And you will ask for an extension. Capable folks are long gone! So, stop fooling people, dude...
Try Kuwait...that's another level BS...
What he said. Once I came to the realization that it's never going to change, my life and outlook became much clearer. Clock in - clock out and bank as much as possible. Got my Mediterranean retirement villa paid off, now working on the Caribbean one.
What's the big fuss? It is their company, their country and their future. You are there for one reason, make the $$$. Work your a-s off, it is just right coz you are getting paid big bucks. Make yourself count so you won't get the ax. Punch in, punch out, try to have fun in camp, make friends, travel on the cheap whenever you can to get that reboot, no business class or fancy cars, bank as much as you can and then retire the earliest possible. Typing this while having breakfast by the pool at my house along the mediterranean lol.
@4vlb+1iPpL4TV best description ever of working for Aramco.
Ok, we all know the game. You either accept the offer and get on with it or decline and move on. Just that simple.
Couldn't agree more. It's a shock for those coming from firms in the West at the top of their game.
Management here actually are genuinely stupid. They get where they are based on bloodlines and relationships 100%. Combine this with stubbornness, arrogance and egotism and you have a perfect mix for failure and a toxic environment.
It's one reason why the working culture is at Aramco (and KSA to an extent) borked and will never produce true innovation. They can only keep publishing pointless papers, paying consultants to do biased reports showing how good they are, and don't forget, lying in public statements on the firms actual financial position. It's all a great big sham.
Managers cannot admit any form of perceived weakness. (e.g. I'm a brazing id--t and should let the expert get on with his job instead of constant meddling to make me look 'important'.)
Mangers cannot admit they "don't know" or that they were "wrong", or perhaps heaven forbid, that the experienced expat they hired for his advice, was right all along. That would lead to a loss of face.
People who are honest, speak up or try to change anything positively are dismissed or worse, incarcerated. Take you pick. Just keep your head down and collect $200.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Same as it ever was.
It is the way they want, Expats are for money, locals for burocracy.
Pro tip:
Half of them really are incompetent. The other half are just pretending, because they discovered that once they demonstrate more than the minimal level of competence management will never stop demanding things. Also, competence is almost NEVER rewarded. Performance appraisals are a complete joke and everybody knows it. By the way, this is just a true for Saudis from the wrong tribe as it is for expats. Perhaps even more so. Management continually says how they want to develop the local skill base and then makes having skills totally irrelevant when it comes to promotions and ratings. The result is the Aramco that you have today. It got to the point where I just couldn't stomach it anymore and I left. Maybe you should too.