ET

Doha Map to show where I am

Blue - is where I stay now, Green - is Al Corniche, Red - my office

Makan Makan In Qatar - Taste of Asia

This is a restaurant or mamak which a lot of Malaysian and Philippines hang out on the weekend. They serve pretty much the same food as our local mamak does but super expensive.

Taste of Asia

Not too bad but cost about RM6

The fried chicken is nice, is about RM6

Teh tarik is about RM 2 which is OK.

Things to prepare before coming to work at Qatar

Here are some of the tips I want to share for anyone who are interested to work at Qatar.

1) Standard interview process, your hiring employer will advise you what to do and to bring but I will mentioned it again here.
2) Original certificate
3) Visa - the hiring company will send you a soft copy. Malaysian are allow to get visa on arrival so you so you print it out to show to the custom check
4) Print your soft copy of e-ticket
5) Minimum 20 passport photograph with blue background. IT IS A MUST.
6) Malaysian IC or ID card from your country
7) Go to JPJ (Road Transport Department) to have your driving license translated to English. (I think it cost RM10)
8) Enable your local bank credit card to be able to use at Qatar.
9) Get your bank address and account number for future transferring of your salary
10) Nestle Milo if you can as it cost twice as much at Qatar
11) Quaker Oat if you eat as you can't find it at Qatar
12) Maggie mee because instant noodle in Qatar not nice.
13) Bed sheet, pillow case and blanket
14) Medicine such as antibiotic and traditional Chinese medicine.
15) Some RM cash note for paying Taxi when you go back.
16) Jacket for winter time. It get very cold during winter 2 degrees?
17) Laptop and a very long network cable. Very important. No internet you be bored to death! Wireless router is optional.
18) AMWAY supplement
19) Toiletries
20) Skin lotion. You need it.
21) Water tumbler
22) Spare phone for Qatar SIM card. You may want to turn Malaysia line if case local bank call you
23) Letter of good conduct of Sijil Kelakuan Baik. For more details CLICK HERE
24) Passport must have 4 empty blank pages. Make sure it is valid as renew at embassy will take 3 months.

Will add more or create a version 2.0 when I found out more

Working at Qatar

Let me share about the process of getting a job at Qatar the environment. It is a long process I will try to keep it short, maybe because I am tired now to post a long blog.There is a recruitment agency in Malaysia, AP Recruitment. This head hunter mainly source talented people to work in Middle East and Qatar their main customer I think but I not sure about now.

I first apply via AP 1 or 2 years back and nothing has happen, no news, no feedback, typical expectation you will get when applying through head hunter. Anyway about a year ago my friend got a job at QP via AP. He gone through a tedious process which I will explain in another post. So overall it took him about 6 months from applying until he got the confirmation getting the job.

From what he told me it seems a good deal working here. Mainly people travel to work here is because of the money. Apart from that, this is a boring place unless you are at Dubai then you have all the money you can spend and going home broke.

So back to my topic, working at QP is pretty ok.. So far my colleague and boss are all alright.

One problem most expat having issue working at QP is that QP have over 200 buildings in Qatar so typical process apply when you join a company, you need to go to HR, Finance dept and etc etc but typical company in Malaysia all this department are located in the same building but QP each department has their own building and some same department but different team are also located at different building. The problem is not within walking distance and you don't have a car. Calling a cab will cost you a lot. I am lucky enough my friend got a ride so he has been sending me here and there. I thank him for that! Thing might change 3 years later because they are currently building a new tower so that all department are located in the same tower. Hopefully that happen soon enough. :)

The first 3 days when you reach Qatar, QP will put you to stay at hotel (food and Internet, laundry for a set of clothing per day is included), after that you be put to QP temporary accommodation for 3 months (your probation period) and that is when the pain come in. If you are single status you be put in a condo called 7 Pearls and if you are married status, you be put to a villa at a place call Al Bayan.

Staying at Al Bayan is still OK as food stall and grocery stall are within walking distance but staying at 7 Pearls is also great as it is located in a place called Al Sadd where row of grocery shop and restaurant are about 10 minutes walk away. There is also a hypermarket call Lulu Center which sell mainly clothes and electronics and some dry food.

If you have friends quickly ask them take you out on the weekend to buy all the things you need to store at home. Well that is pretty much about it and if possible you can move out to city center before your probation end but if you are confident enough you wont get fired before your probation end. :)

Khalas

* edited after 3 years here.