Anyone worked overseas?

Paul Boz

I was a day or two away from accepting a job to work in Kenya on AfriNet but met my wife and decided to stay here.

veritas_libertas

I could probably be headed to Afghanistan or Iraq tomorrow if I wanted, but there is no way I am going to.

Sabalo

Anonymouse wrote: »

Are you in the armed forces or anything? This is assuming you're from America which I may be totally wrong about though.

I'm a civilian.

The best sites, I have found, are Clearancejobs.com and Dice.com. What I usually do is I keep an eye out, make note of a company that looks good, and I set up a feed of their postings... from their own website if possible.

kahn

ladiesman217 wrote: »

yeah dubai is an open country you can also try monster.com.sg for singapore jobs. just don't go in KSA man...

As one of TE member said that with no offense, people from US or EU getting more pay than others Only if they have the required experience, degrees/certificates. He was partially right on that but I know many guys from different countries like India and Pakistan working in KSA and getting smart pay.

I have my many friends working in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the pay you can say like 5k to 8k pm something in between but they can't save enough. UAE is an expensive place to live. Believe me Housing would kill anyone, food is not cheap compare to KSA, Job Market is saturated enough.

On the other hand, KSA is in booming state mate. Housing is cheap and there is a law in KSA for housing. Food is cheap and good. Job Market for IT is good too, technology is updated, companies spending more and more money on Data Center, Clouding, NOC, Hardware etc.

This is not just because I am in KSA, as expat, going any state of UAE is far far more easy and cheap for me as coming to KSA.
Yes, they have their own laws and all that but unless you don't mess around with them, you are good

cheers.

Paul Boz

veritas_libertas wrote: »

I could probably be headed to Afghanistan or Iraq tomorrow if I wanted, but there is no way I am going to.

If I wasn't married I'd go. Adventure doesn't come to your door very often. That and warzone contractors make retarded money.

rwmidl

Paul Boz wrote: »

If I wasn't married I'd go. Adventure doesn't come to your door very often. That and warzone contractors make retarded money.

I've actually been thinking about looking in to taking a gig in Afghanistan and my wife is cool with it. Granted her ex was a Marine so she is use to going through the whole deployment thing. The only catch is 1) she wants me to wait until after our daughters 1st birthday (in April) and 2) the money has to be right (what I will be able to walk away with in the bank after I'm done/be able to make enough where I can have a lawn service etc come over to make things easier on her) and 3) I need to have a job once I'm done with the overseas assignment.

Paul Boz

rwmidl wrote: »

I've actually been thinking about looking in to taking a gig in Afghanistan and my wife is cool with it. Granted her ex was a Marine so she is use to going through the whole deployment thing. The only catch is 1) she wants me to wait until after our daughters 1st birthday (in April) and 2) the money has to be right (what I will be able to walk away with in the bank after I'm done/be able to make enough where I can have a lawn service etc come over to make things easier on her) and 3) I need to have a job once I'm done with the overseas assignment.

I can't tell you what to do, but do you really think missing out on the development of your child is worth a job over seas? At that age its critical to develop parental bonds. That and your wife could probably use the help because little kids are tough by yourself.* I would be very disappointed if my spouse wanted to leave the country for work and I wasn't a part of that plan.


*I don't have kids

rwmidl

Paul Boz wrote: »

I can't tell you what to do, but do you really think missing out on the development of your child is worth a job over seas? At that age its critical to develop parental bonds. That and your wife could probably use the help because little kids are tough by yourself.* I would be very disappointed if my spouse wanted to leave the country for work and I wasn't a part of that plan.


*don't have kids

Paul - I agree with what you said. I've only started to look around so I can't really say if I will or won't (as I mentioned, there are some factors that have to be met before we would agree to it).

nel

Paul Boz wrote: »

I can't tell you what to do, but do you really think missing out on the development of your child is worth a job over seas? At that age its critical to develop parental bonds. That and your wife could probably use the help because little kids are tough by yourself.* I would be very disappointed if my spouse wanted to leave the country for work and I wasn't a part of that plan.


*I don't have kids

yeah i agree with PB here. Screw the warzone and the money. i would take happiness over money anyday i.e. seeing my kids grow up. thats worth more than any cash. Its something that you and the missus have to think about but once those infant years have passed there aint no way to get them back.

jamesp1983

usajobs is a good site. One of my old MCSA students got a job (with no workplace experience at all) in Afghanistan making around 160k. He is a civilian contractor. He was very intelligent though and already had a BS in CS. He had a home lab that would rival most companies' server rooms. He loves it.

veritas_libertas

Paul Boz wrote: »

If I wasn't married I'd go. Adventure doesn't come to your door very often. That and warzone contractors make retarded money.

Married with a child on the way. There is no way I'm missing my child's birth

Oh, and if I did go my uplift would be 80% in case anyone is curious what the benefit is in going.

Anonymouse

Paul Boz wrote: »

If I wasn't married I'd go. Adventure doesn't come to your door very often. That and warzone contractors make retarded money.

Do they ever send entry-level IT contractors out there?

veritas_libertas

Anonymouse wrote: »

Do they ever send entry-level IT contractors out there?

Our company has sent over what I would consider entry-level. A+/Network+ knowledgeable.

za3bour

Well I wouldn't replace my daughter's smile every morning before going to work with all the money in the world.

but I can't tell anyone that he shouldn't go, it's a personal matter at the end.

L0gicB0mb508

Well it appears I may very well be headed back to the warzone. I actually like working there, so it will be kinda fun to be "back in the saddle".

Paul Boz

Anonymouse wrote: »

Do they ever send entry-level IT contractors out there?

Oh yeah they do. A friend of mine out of the Army got a CCNA and a Network+ and moved back to Afghanistan and is making about $20k/year more than I am to set up frame relay connections all day. He literally cut-pastes the same config all day and gets paid 100K+.

securitytech123

I would appreciate any advice for obtaining I.T. contract work overseas (Afghanistan/etc.) I’m open to any position, and am willing to travel up to 100%
Currently, I have the following Certifications: Net+/Security+/CEH-Certified Ethical Hacker (Associates in Computer Science) I am also seeking advice on obtaining the appropriate security clearance, and any insight/advice on using headhunters, etc.
Honorably discharged from US military (8-years)
I’m currently employed with Comcast as a Help-Desk Technician (8-years)
Any Advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!!!!
Michael

UnixGuy

I highly doubt that some conditions there don't suit westerners, however I think Dubai isn't for everyone. Most of the exapts are from the UK, India, and Lebanon. It's a matter of taste and good opportunities, no place is perfect. I've been to Dubai many times, it's nice but I don't want to live there.

Turgon wrote: »

Depends what you are hired to do there. Fill your boots..

BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Dark side of the Dubai dream

UnixGuy

You get higher salary if you are: lucky, lie, or smart AND you get the right opportunity. I personally know A LOT of people from India and Pakistan who are over paid, and some (not all) just lied their way up.

kahn wrote: »

As one of TE member said that with no offense, people from US or EU getting more pay than others Only if they have the required experience, degrees/certificates. He was partially right on that but I know many guys from different countries like India and Pakistan working in KSA and getting smart pay.

I have my many friends working in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the pay you can say like 5k to 8k pm something in between but they can't save enough. UAE is an expensive place to live. Believe me Housing would kill anyone, food is not cheap compare to KSA, Job Market is saturated enough.

On the other hand, KSA is in booming state mate. Housing is cheap and there is a law in KSA for housing. Food is cheap and good. Job Market for IT is good too, technology is updated, companies spending more and more money on Data Center, Clouding, NOC, Hardware etc.

This is not just because I am in KSA, as expat, going any state of UAE is far far more easy and cheap for me as coming to KSA.
Yes, they have their own laws and all that but unless you don't mess around with them, you are good

cheers.

securitytech123

Hi 2E151:

I would appreciate any advice for obtaining I.T. contract work overseas (Afghanistan/etc.) I’m open to any position, and am willing to travel up to 100%
Currently, I have the following Certifications: Net+/Security+/CEH-Certified Ethical Hacker (Associates in Computer Science) I am also seeking advice on obtaining the appropriate security clearance, and any insight/advice on using headhunters, etc.
Honorably discharged from US military (8-years)
I’m currently employed with Comcast as a Help-Desk Technician (8-years)
Any Advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!!!!
Michael